[{"_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",6322741,"mediaKeyId","2346666-b6e06684b99a27fb82834f939c274321","parentId",2346666,"title","Committee advances bill letting voters refer certain school board decisions, exempts supermajority votes","audioSeconds",2037,"startMs",1038000,"endMs",3075000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2346666-b6e06684b99a27fb82834f939c274321&start=1038&end=3075","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2346666-b6e06684b99a27fb82834f939c274321/thumbnail_1038000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6322741/Utah/Committee-advances-bill-letting-voters-refer-certain-school-board-decisions-exempts-supermajority-votes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322741-24fc72b092255be61e479208e28b7b4b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127195&Signature=iAZuQfInLpCwJ8h-6UEB2gBH7gAj8Nte4LEz2h~cL5EG57nxvt9~3QGhdUYOoVBW693ju3unKzvHEgylGt8HoNerw~aJizNP05G8xs33BEZ0szxoznVGFLpxLKiZ~RZDRogg20Swjcby-vQ~ujguXT6CExZJpJ6kePrT~9RMfQOLzHz2g0RwnQFXokjDSzqyaGXwKH1J9pw5BT5w~7XTgBDcoRj0vEYBprzaI~42QncIRRWVzHC5T5khZAjLKkT0-s~GHJcGuRErlfWssXQwVKBHkGJdLJ6216xrwzut87BSLZtzgcP6hMXHMZQEMFmDSxzNySfkyW3~U6PfbVPDkw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utah State Legislature","date","2025-02-19T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Shipp introduced House Bill 408 to allow referendums on certain decisions made by local school boards when those decisions are adopted without a supermajority. The bill does not change the public vote process for bonds and does not apply to personnel matters, the sponsor and supporters said.

\"School boards are the only legislative body in our state that is not subject to referendums,\" Representative Shipp said, arguing the measure gives voters a path to weigh in on controversial local board actions that split members. The bill adds school boards to the pool of elected bodies whose actions may be referred to voters, but exempts actions adopted by a supermajority (for example, four of five members or five of seven) from referendum.

Committee members raised concerns about policy stability, election timing for tax-related decisions and potential impacts on districts’ ability to meet state mandates. Todd Habra, business administrator for Granite School District, warned that timing could be a problem if a referendum targets a tax increase that must be certified by June 22 to meet notice timelines for July tax notices. Superintendent Ben Horsley (Granite School District) told the committee that implementing state-mandated programs (HB 84 was cited as a current example) could require tax increases that, if subject to referendum, might create conflicts with statutory timelines for implementing mandates.

Lexi Cunningham, representing USBA and USSA (school board associations), testified in opposition, saying frequent referendums could create policy instability, drain resources and complicate long-term planning. Weber County Clerk Auditors said clerks have no formal position but noted logistical coordination would be required and that clerks could provide or be contracted to provide election services.

During committee debate, members discussed narrow refinements such as limiting referendum applicability to tax matters or to certain categories of board decisions; the sponsor said he was open to future amendments and emphasized that the bill does not permit referendums on personnel matters.

Representative Pucci and several other committee members supported the measure as an application of consistent referendum rules across elected bodies. The committee voted to favorably recommend HB 408. The chair called a roll-call vote; the clerk recorded a majority in favor and the motion passed (tally: yes 7, no 3). The bill will proceed with a committee recommendation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Government Operations Committee - February 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Government Operations Committee gave favorable recommendation to House Bill 408, which would permit referendums on school board decisions that lack a supermajority vote; the committee approved the bill by roll-call, sending it forward for further consideration.","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},6322743,"Committee advances bill tightening disclosures on foreign land buyers, restricting delivery access to military bases",944,56000,1000000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2346666-b6e06684b99a27fb82834f939c274321&start=56&end=1000","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2346666-b6e06684b99a27fb82834f939c274321/thumbnail_56000.jpg","/articles/6322743/Utah/Committee-advances-bill-tightening-disclosures-on-foreign-land-buyers-restricting-delivery-access-to-military-bases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322743-b824118e77899a8f53001f55754c8ffb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771127195&Signature=SjwcM9Sr3Na0WjqWbEIFTSFh44dCFpUVgk8SVKPb9~4NPPWpYE~wnsnr753F5llpT87iIy0pqGVcCdmVhSdWUUTBwJGRToVqibDSHix--76ExVRGN9iYQ98ApznUvEz-GYWqYUqqS9IOqLJoQA3VdyVu3fcameEUT9Rz-4~ItIIe6vi8F5OamB2eyqc~bYy6augEjPaJdP8d3L2bK4dOnIWSn5tnhJm7xiZ8c34-f2fwx8aEAOuxsdAPsTHbR92xzZ2g~9y1p63b6DCeMGPq40NQBqo0UB04-JiJMYzoKIRxnBzVbAXYQE8GQTWp0ZSyz3V~6RJJcr28dGOYEz4H7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Mike Schultz Pucci presented House Bill 430 as a two-part follow-up to earlier state law targeting restricted foreign entities buying Utah land. The bill would require additional disclosures to county recorders to help the Department of Public Safety identify purchases that may be pass-throughs for restricted foreign entities and would bar third-party food delivery drivers from driving onto military bases, allowing only designated drop zones outside gates.

The bill sponsor said the measure builds on earlier legislation Utah passed that prohibits restricted foreign entities from purchasing land. \"This is a follow-up to a lot of the great work that this committee has done ... in how we address who is owning our land in our state,\" Representative Pucci said, adding that federal and state security officials have identified purchases near military installations as a national security concern.

Brian Garrett, representing the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs and the Utah National Guard, told the committee installations are probed daily by actors feigning food pickups or deliveries. Garrett said installations have sought voluntary geofencing from major delivery services but have been unsuccessful and described the proposed rule as “preventative in nature.” He said probes tied up security personnel and could create traffic and safety problems at gates.

Committee members asked whether base commanders already could address the problem through existing policy. Garrett responded that authority and federal policy vary by installation and that national-level efforts to compel delivery companies to geofence have not succeeded, so the state measure is aimed at providing a practical tool to deter probing activity. Representatives also asked whether human rideshare drivers (Uber/Lyft) would be affected; Garrett said the bill’s text targets food delivery services because those drivers often do not include a second passenger holding a DoD ID.

Lawmakers questioned the need for statutory penalties and about the scope of restricted foreign entity definitions. Representative Pucci said the original statute already covers pass-through and shell companies where over 50% ownership is attributable to a restricted foreign entity, and the new disclosures are intended to help investigators determine whether purchases are personal or nefarious.

The committee adopted the first substitute to HB 430 by voice vote and then voted unanimously to pass SUBSTITUTE 1 with a favorable recommendation.

No public testimony was recorded on the bill in committee.

The bill now moves to the next stage of the legislative process with a favorable committee recommendation.","The Government Operations Committee voted unanimously to advance Representative Pucci's bill that expands disclosure rules for land purchases linked to restricted foreign entities and bars food delivery vehicles from driving onto military installations without base authorization.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee advances bill letting voters refer certain school board decisions, exempts supermajority votes

Committee advances bill tightening disclosures on foreign land buyers, restricting delivery access to military bases