Legislative Session Recap: Land, water & AI
Lawmakers addressed water rights, forest health and AI regulation while a major Great Salt Lake funding bill stalled in committee.
Local News
Legislative Session Recap: safety, education and culture
An overview of the 2026 legislative session's biggest bills affecting safety, higher education and social issues.
How Utahns are saving the Great Salt Lake
Utah stakeholders hope to work together, saving what they all stand to lose.
Academic Senate hears pitch for Utah university integration
Commissioner Geoffrey Landward outlined two bills that would streamline student pathways and share degree programs across campuses, but senators pushed back on workload and program cuts.
Higher education bill advances, sparks debate over institutional oversight
The Higher Education Institutional Governance bill would outline new statutory responsibilities for trustees and university presidents, drawing debate over oversight and institutional authority.
What the 2026 legislative session means for transgender Utahns
Between insurance, health care, legal terminology and employment, this year’s legislative session could change how transgender people live in Utah.
Substance abuse bill awaits Senate reading
HB 205, commonly known as Substance Abuse Intervention Amendments, would support new initiatives to combat drug abuse in Utah.
Utah lawmakers reject bill banning publicly funded gender-affirming care
Some Republican committee members argued the bill could cost taxpayers more money and restrict an individual’s medical rights.
U career-line faculty face heavier workload without a pay increase
The Utah Board of Higher Education's new policy could add one to two courses per semester for some career-line professors, and the university has not said when or how it plans to compensate them.
Major Utah education bills to watch this session
Below is a quick, easy‑to‑follow guide to the biggest education bills gaining attention at the Capitol and what comes next for each.
