Utah State Legislative Update 2/2

Bills that UAH Supports:

• H.B. 57: Utah Inter-generational Poverty Work and Self-sufficiency Tax Credit (Rep. Westwood)
  • Will create a state earned income tax credit for certain families who are experiencing inter-generational poverty. This extra cash helps families pay off debt, buy homes, and save for emergencies. 
  • Status: Passed the House on 1/30, 41-32 and introduced in Senate
• H.B. 117: Hourly Wage Increase Amendments (Rep. Hemingway)
  • This bill will increase the minimum wage to $10.25/hr until 2022, when it will then bump it up again to $12/hr. Good news for hourly employees.
  • Status: House Business and Labor Committee
•  H.B. 118: Cash Wage Obligation Minimum for Tipped Employees (Rep. Hemingway)
  • Similar to H.B. 117, except it increases the minimum wage for tipped employee to $3.25/hour.
  • Status: House Business and Labor Committee
• H.B. 148: Tax Revisions (Rep. Quinn)
  • Gets rid of the sales tax on food (Utah is one of only 13 states that still tax groceries). This is great for low and moderate income families, because they spend a bigger proportion of their income on groceries.
  • Status: House Rules Committee 

Bills that UAH is Watching:

• H.B. 132: Juvenile Justice Modifications (Rep. Snow)
  • Follow up to last year's successful H.B. 239 and clarifies a few roles within the juvenile justice system. UAH supports this, but school districts may try to add amendments that reverse some of the law's reforms, like not being able to send kids to prison for skipping school. 
  • Status: House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
• Nutrition Assistance Amendments (Rep. Spendlove)
  • No text at this time, but could possibly implicate SNAP or WIC. Mysterious.
  • Status: In process

Appropriations:

• UAH successfully worked with the Social Services Appropriations Sub-Committee and the Utah Department of Workforce Services to preserve the $1.19 million in state-funding that supports emergency food pantries and food banks state-wide.