Overview
- Lawmakers convened the 45-day session with GOP leaders vowing to focus on cost of living, with bills already filed on property tax relief, gas tax relief and a possible income tax cut under review.
- A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll finds 32% of voters rank housing affordability as the single top priority, followed by health care at 13%, water and the Great Salt Lake at 11% and tax cuts at 10%.
- Gov. Spencer Cox said his starter-home goal is behind schedule and he is backing legislation to fund local infrastructure that would enable more approved housing projects to be built.
- Voters are roughly split on whether the state should override local zoning to spur construction, and Cox has described preemption as a last-resort option to increase supply.
- Democrats and faith leaders pressed for compassionate policies on homelessness and immigrant support, while legislators also flagged other agenda items including water conservation plans and proposals to add justices to the state’s high courts.