[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6359285,"mediaKeyId","2187703-bb636e652375e28a2d62c9e8496a8560","parentId",2187703,"title","Committee approves HB 175 to align certain four‑unit buildings with residential code, citing cost savings","audioSeconds",1174,"startMs",625000,"endMs",1799000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2187703-bb636e652375e28a2d62c9e8496a8560&start=625&end=1799","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2187703-bb636e652375e28a2d62c9e8496a8560/thumbnail_625000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6359285/Utah/Committee-approves-HB-175-to-align-certain-fourunit-buildings-with-residential-code-citing-cost-savings","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6359285-3e363343a45f5915756fcaf947ab1952/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144421&Signature=oY3yB07hjPXxX1L725IPtCeCyaMhwB9Gk8tF709j-sDhCqUkXcDCthW5kmGEvEzwpjKr8ve6Rwo4glRLye762oP9DyrsxkIKWxwplS9yEWSSjmf3eSosRQgvi1mLB7vQhzIkhv7a5EMrml4fiCo78nCkr0F8h5yICcBTthoIu0vkZtX9iiWdK37qn1WSQiHU4JLBHK4u~7~EOg3PRGK6vU0hUk7Gu7f0iPTtSW-Wekjs-RNUi-rvGNA0cy-cwO5haTAT5AAeP6b~inPsUzzXl3j16IGN6zil0ZlZwedQyLRTVOHZ-USxp~z7WIbhSVUrVR2tTbi7RZMKF9TT5d9hJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utah State Legislature","date","2025-01-31T00:00:00Z","article","A Utah House committee on an unspecified date voted unanimously to favorably recommend HB 175, “Housing Construction Amendments,” as amended and sent the bill to the House floor. Representative Ward sponsored the bill.

Representative Ward said the bill aims to reduce housing costs by treating certain four‑unit dwellings (no more than two stories) as residential rather than commercial for building‑code purposes. \"One of the things that adds cost to housing ... are the different building codes,\" Ward said. He told the committee that the amendment clarifies the bill applies only to dwellings of no more than two levels.

Sponsor testimony and public comments focused on fire safety and the costs of compliance. Ward and witnesses contrasted the relatively modest cost of thicker sheetrock as a fire barrier (about $1,000 for the example fourplex) with the larger expense of installing a sprinkler system (about $16,000 for the four units, roughly $4,000 per unit). Ward said the change would be \"a 1% difference in the total cost\" for an individual unit in one example and argued small reductions add up for affordability.

Carson Eilers, policy director for the Utah League of Cities and Towns, told the committee the amendment improved the underlying language and that building and fire officials were still reviewing minor technical fixes; he characterized those as technical rather than substantive. David Spadafore of the Utah State Fire Chiefs Association said the association supports the bill so long as the dwellings are limited to two stories and that minor tweaks might be needed to ensure egress and other details. Ross Ford of the Utah Home Builders Association also testified in favor, calling the bill \"one of the 100,000 tiny little fixes to get us to affordable housing\" and saying stakeholders are continuing to work together.

Committee members asked about other code impacts, insurance implications, stair and egress geometry, and the late arrival of amendment language. Ward acknowledged the amendment was posted shortly before the hearing and said he would continue to work with building and fire officials; Tom Peterson, described by the sponsor as a state leader among building inspectors, may weigh in on the House floor, Ward said.

The committee adopted House Amendment 1 to HB 175 and then voted to favorably recommend HB 175 as amended; members recorded no roll‑call votes in the transcript and the chair declared both motions carried unanimously.

The bill proceeds to the House floor. Sponsors and stakeholders said they will continue technical review with fire and building officials.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee - January 31, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee favorably recommended HB 175 as amended, which allows some four‑unit, two‑story dwellings to be regulated under the residential building code instead of the commercial code — potentially avoiding sprinkler requirements and reducing costs — while sponsors and stakeholders agreed to further technical review.","taxTitle","2025 Utah Legislature, Utah Legislature, Utah Legislative Branch, Utah","taxId",78171,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6359288,"Committee advances HB 111 to narrow workers' compensation coverage for small in‑home disability caregivers",562,51000,613000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2187703-bb636e652375e28a2d62c9e8496a8560&start=51&end=613","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2187703-bb636e652375e28a2d62c9e8496a8560/thumbnail_51000.jpg","/articles/6359288/Utah/Committee-advances-HB-111-to-narrow-workers-compensation-coverage-for-small-inhome-disability-caregivers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6359288-9ebd016aac1d6920bfcaf5cacd64a762/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144421&Signature=Ltr7bnF1GHe5V~n1nPnncUfFyWwu0vT1Iw2QsKZONvdAvFmgcEYIuiEoCoknKwo0IYbc9FF5slepG4lLUYVBEId42qLwB6oKQ57pZmFJDTXyYB6ZWN6F0le7~sFjXSEIBdbjGPvCA6G84JxAPLFCKAx7zil~r4Gb0R0hgo7BmclIWKKNhcgnlifY-QUbXfmdorwcd0Mi7taMyhOdXEsVrL9Ct1Cz77D8TUbIJh2S-VGGjou~u-P3PUahg4w9uzXVkhzIuuB4ZmPdqBgaukjk-LJ9w0aFByTtknbH7Dd9NCn3C9xKtz0rF8OEaRC4IJvSosk~2gIIhXIuQpsr5PYc5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Utah House committee on an unspecified date voted unanimously to favorably recommend HB 111, “Workers' Compensation Amendments,” sending the bill to the full House with a favorable recommendation. Representative Lou Bey sponsored the bill.

The bill refines language enacted after 2014 that classified certain individuals hired through the Self‑Administered Services (SAS) program as employees for workers' compensation purposes. Representative Lou Bey said the earlier change unintentionally widened the definition and could pull larger care providers into the special SAS classification instead of limiting it to small, family‑style in‑home caregivers. \"This bill would be able to help clarify an area of law that we don't want to have unintended consequences by applying this to groups that were not meant to be affected by it,\" Bey said.

Supporters said the original 2014 approach exempted families from paying workers' compensation but left injured caregivers without an avenue for insurance; a later change treated contractor caregivers as employees for workers' compensation. HB 111 narrows that scope so the special SAS classification applies only to the small family‑style providers intended by the earlier law, while larger providers would be assessed under the usual independent‑contractor/employee analysis.

Representative Colin Jack asked whether families or contractors would bear premiums under the clarified language. Bey said that under the SAS program the state previously provided additional funding to offset workers' compensation costs so families saw no net expense; in other contexts independent contractors would remain responsible for their own coverage. Bey also said the Utah Labor Commission and the state workers' compensation fund reviewed the draft language; Bey said they had no outstanding concerns and worked with the sponsor to narrow the definition.

Committee members sought impact estimates. Bey told the committee there are \"over a 100\" disability care providers that would otherwise have been affected and that the broader language could have pulled in multiple contractors per provider, increasing the practical scope of coverage. Representative Owens asked whether the bill changes determinations about whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor; Bey said it does not alter that general analysis, which remains a Labor Commission determination.

Representative Colin Jack moved to favorably recommend HB 111; the committee passed the motion unanimously.

The bill will move to the House floor for further consideration.","A Utah House committee unanimously recommended HB 111, which narrows workers' compensation coverage so it applies only to small, family‑style in‑home disability care providers rather than broader businesses, and sends the bill to the House floor.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee approves HB 175 to align certain four‑unit buildings with residential code, citing cost savings

Committee advances HB 111 to narrow workers' compensation coverage for small in‑home disability caregivers