The 2025 General Legislative Session will come to an end on March 7. During that 45-day time period hundreds of bills were considered. As of Feb. 21, 136 had passed. Gov. Spencer Cox signed his first 12 bills on Feb. 14. A more detailed story will appear in the April edition of The City Journals after the session ends but until then here are a few bills that passed or were being discussed. 

Passed:

SB76 changes the current law that prohibits a 16- or 17-year-old from marrying anyone with a seven year age gap to more than a four years age gap. Also, a 72-hour waiting period will be required before a juvenile court can give authorization for a minor to marry.

HB269 mandates students live in dorm rooms corresponding with their sex designation, regardless of their gender identity or even the sex their birth certificate indicates (in the case of birth certificate changes), according to the Desert News.

HB32 Establishes the name of Route 102 as the Borgstrom Brothers Memorial Highway recognizing the sacrifice of the Borgstrom family who lost four sons in WWII making them the only full Gold Star family from war in Utah. 

Bills under consideration as of Feb. 21:

HB300 deals with election security and vote-by-mail. The current version as of Feb. 21 was to have ballots mailed out and voters would have to bring them in person to a location where they show their ID when they turn in their ballot. Mail-in voting would require a voter to go to the county courthouse in person to show ID every single election cycle and request a mail-in ballot.

SB73 – Statewide Initiatives Amendments, would require a citizen ballot initiative be published in print newspapers across the state every day for 60 days. According to Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful, it is estimated that this would add $1.4 million to the cost of attempting a ballot initiative.

SB142 App Store Accountability Act, would require a minor’s app store account link to a parent’s. Once it’s linked, the law directs app stores to get verifiable parental consent before allowing the minor to download or purchase an app, or make any in-app purchases, according to Utah Dispatch.

HB81 addresses provisions related to water fluoridation and prescription fluoride supplements.

It prohibits adding fluoride to public water systems; allows a pharmacist to prescribe fluoride; and directs the Division of Professional Licensing to establish guidelines for prescribing fluoride.

For more information or to follow bills go to le.utah.gov/.