In the final hours of the 2026 Legislative Session, Utah lawmakers are still working through a record number of bills. Host Jason Perry leads a discussion examining the major themes this year, whether there were any big surprises, and how all the new legislation will impact the lives of Utahns.

THE DEEPER DIVE:

• On the final day of the legislative session, a record number of bills have been filed, but does that mean lawmakers will approve a record number of new laws? Our panel discusses whether we achieve better policy with fewer bills. And will there ever be an appetite to limit the number?
• ⚠️ This year, more than 400 bills had substitute language inserted at some point in the legislative process. We examine how this affects legislation and whether this leads to a lack of transparency in the law-making process.
• ⛽ Occassionally bills are killed in a committee hearing and eventually come back later in the session and end up passing. That's what happened this year with a proposed cut to Utah's tax on gasonline. How did it change? And what is the net benefit to Utahns?
• Several proposed bills this year would have impacted immigration, including one from Rep. Trevor Lee (R-Layton) that didn't pass a legislative committee. The language from his bill was eventually included in another piece of legislation. We discuss how this political maneuver played out in the Utah House of Representatives and resulted in no support from the Utah Senate.
• A bill that would have changed Utah's populuar vote-by-mail system did not advance in the legislature. The proposal from Rep. Jefferson Burton (R-Provo) would have required voters to show their ID when they dropped off ballots. Will a version of this bill come back in the future?
• ️ Should Utah's lieutenant governor continue overseeing the state's elections? A bill from Rep. Lisa Shepherd (R-Provo) would have shifted oversight from the L.G. to a newly-created Secretary of State. The bill did not pass, but did bring up questions about election oversight in the Beehive State.
• ️ The filing period for congressional candidates in Utah opens up next week. Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT4) announced he is retiring and will not run for re-election. How will this shape the race for the other incumbents in Congress? And how will the state's new congressional boundaries influence the ballot?

️ FEATURING:
• Chris Bleak – Partner, RRJ Consulting
• Kate Bradshaw – Mayor, Bountiful City
• Glen Mills – Political Commentator

Funding for The Hinckley Report is made possible in part by the Cleone Peterson Eccles Endowment Fund and by the financial contributions of PBS Utah members. If you would like to support the work we do, please visit https://pbsutah.org/supporthinckley

With the legislative session about to enter its final week, host Jason Perry leads a discussion on which bills and policies willl get prioritized. Plus, we analyze the latest court rulings affecting Utah's congressional map and how state leaders are asking for federal help with the Great Salt Lake.

THE DEEPER DIVE:

• For the first time ever, more than 1,000 bills and resolutions have been introduced in the Utah Legislature. As the final week begins, leadership in the House and Senate will be able to prioritize proposals and streamline bills for potential passage. Top members of the Legislature expect that lawmakers will pass fewer bills than during previous sessions.
• The state will have more money to spend this year than originally expected. Lawmakers are required by state law to pass a balanced budget, and the appropriations committee is currently going through spending requests. We discuss what will likely get approved and whether some state agencies could still see budget cuts.
• State lawmakers are focused on several aspects of managing artificial intelligence in Utah. One would manage how law enforcement utilizes AI. Another would have regulated how companies can use AI to manipulate the price you are charged for products.
• There's a push on Capitol Hill to increase transparency within Utah's judicial branch. We examine arguments from both sides of the aisle regarding modifications to the Courts.
• The Great Salt Lake is getting lots of renewed attention at the national level. Pres. Donald Trump pledged his support to help save the lake in a social media post. It came after Utah Gov. Spencer Cox spent an hour in the Oval Office last week. Our panel evaluates what this could mean for influencing water policy in the Beehive State.
• ⚖️ Two big court rulings in Utah's redistricting case came down this week. A panel of federal judges declined to prevent Utah from using the congressional boundaries implemented by a state court late last year. A separate ruling from the Utah Supreme Court also refused to intervene while the case continues moving through district court.
• ️An initiative effort to repeal the state's independent redistricting law is on the cusp of qualifying for ballots. Now opponents to the intiative are working to get people to remove their signatures.
• The federal government is suing Utah Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson to gain access to Utah's voter rolls. The LG has refused to share the information in the past citing Constitutional and privacy concerns.

️ FEATURING:
• Senator Stephanie Pitcher – (D) Millcreek
• Senator Chris Wilson – (R) Logan, Majority Whip
• Brigham Tomco – Reporter, Deseret News

Funding for The Hinckley Report is made possible in part by the Cleone Peterson Eccles Endowment Fund and by the financial contributions of PBS Utah members. If you would like to support the work we do, please visit https://pbsutah.org/supporthinckley

With just two weeks left in the 2026 Utah Legislative Session, lawmakers are in a race against the clock to pass bills. Host Jason Perry leads a discussion about what will likely get approved, and what might be left behind. Plus, the Utah GOP submits signature packets with the hope of impacting the 2026 ballot.

THE DEEPER DIVE:

• This is officially a record-breaking year on Utah's Capitol Hill. Lawmakers have introduced 969 bills having been introduced so far, but have only passed 96. Does that mean we can expect the pace to pick up in the final two weeks? Representatives from both sides of the political aisle weigh in.
• ⛽ Several bills dealing with taxes are working through the legislature, one of which would reduce the tax drivers pay at the gas pump. The original proposal would have replaced that lost revenue with a new tax on gasoline exports to surrounding states. A compromise bill could be coming, and we examine what that would mean for the state's balance sheet.
• ⬇️ The legislature is poised to reduce the income tax in Utah for the 6th year. The average Utah family will see a savings of about $45 each year.
• ⚖️ A federal court in Salt Lake City heard arguments this week regarding the state's Congressional boundaries. The panel of three judges appeared hesitant to wade into the dispute. We discuss when a ruling could be issued, and how it could impact the 2026 election.
• This week the Utah GOP submitted final signature packets for an initiative that would ask Utah voters to repeal Prop 4, the state's independent redistricting law. Organizers say they have gathered more than 200,000 signatures. County clerks have a few weeks to verify those and determine if the number of signatures met required thresholds in 26 of Utah's 29 senate districts.
• ⚛️ A small-scale nuclear reactor arrived in Utah at Hill Air Force Base this week, which could mark the beginning of a new era for energy development in the state.
• ‍⚖️ New polling shows a majority of Utahns support a new law expanding the size of the Utah Supreme Court. We examine why public sentiment is in favor of the expansion.
• ️ Several other bills are being considere including those dealing with taxing social media companies, state funding for services for undocumented immigrants, municipal election modifications, homelessness, criminal justice reform, and mental health resources.

️ FEATURING:
• Heidi Hatch – Anchor, KUTV 2News
• Rep. Steve Eliason – (R) Sandy, House Parliamentarian
• Rep. Andrew Stoddard – (D) Midvale

Funding for The Hinckley Report is made possible in part by the Cleone Peterson Eccles Endowment Fund and by the financial contributions of PBS Utah members. If you would like to support the work we do, please visit https://pbsutah.org/supporthinckley