A newly public bill on Utah's Capitol Hill would make it easier for cities or counties to use tax money to help build new sports stadiums, apparently anticipating Utah hosting the 2034 Winter Olympics.

Under SB333 from Sen. Jerry Stevenson, cities or counties can submit a proposal to the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity to create a "major sporting event venue zone."

If that new zone is approved, local governments can tap into several different revenue streams, including property taxes, sales and use taxes and hotel taxes. Those funds can be used for constructing a new sporting venue or demolishing an existing stadium. The new funding can also go toward building or improving infrastructure around the venue.

The bill allows smaller counties that host at least three major sporting events to implement a resort tax.

New bills that caught my attention

  • Sen. John Johnson is back with his attempt to overhaul general education courses at Utah's colleges and universities. Last year, his SB226 was rejected by a legislative committee. This year's attempt, SB334, creates a pilot program at Utah State University that creates a general education course focused on classical western curriculum.
  • HB551 bars public officials from spending public money on billboards that prominently feature their name or picture within 60 days of an election in which they're a candidate/

Tuesday afternoon's headlines

Before vote by mail, some local elections saw single-digit turnout. Lawmakers may end the method as Utahns know it. [Tribune]

House passes compromise on vote-by-mail overhaul bill. [Fox 13]

Committee shelves bill to give Utah families edge over investors in home buying. [KUTV]

Utah may remove incentives for solar power projects based on their location. [Utah News Dispatch]

"Open on Sunday" mandate reaches showdown stage with Utah franchise owners. [Fox 13]

What's on Wednesday's agenda?

AM committee meetings

  • HB133, which makes it legal for anyone over the age of 18 to openly carry a loaded weapon in public, is scheduled for the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee.
  • The House Judiciary Committee takes up SB203, which limits who would have standing to bring a lawsuit in Utah.

PM committee meetings

  • Two bills aiming to make it more difficult for citizen-led ballot initiatives are on the agenda for the House Government Operations Committee.

    SB73 requires backers to determine what impact, if any, the proposed law would have on the budget, and detail how they plan to pay for it – either with a tax increase or cuts to specific programs.

    SJR2 is a proposed amendment to the Utah Constitution that requires any ballot initiative that increases taxes to pass with 60% support instead of a simple majority.
  • The House Government Operations Committee will also consider HB369 which would strip oversight of Utah's elections from the lieutenant governor and hand that responsibility to a newly created Utah Elections Office.
  • The Senate Health and Human Services Committee will hold a hearing on Rep. Ken Ivory's bill to challenge federal supremacy in favor of state sovereignty is scheduled for the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
  • The proposed changes to Utah's private school voucher program is up for consideration in the Senate Education Committee.