The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Utah Legislature establishes voter referendum process for school board tax laws and local legislation
Last action · March 6, 2026: House/ filedSponsors: Rex Shipp and 1 other
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What This Bill Proposed
This bill establishes a formal process for school district residents to petition for a public on laws passed by local school boards, including measures that increase or impose new taxes. It sets signature requirements, defines legal referability standards, and coordinates petition procedures with House Bill 32.
School district residents gain the explicit right to challenge local school board tax increases and legislative actions through the ballot, altering how school funding measures and board policies can be contested.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
school district residents
Residents gain the right to file referendum petitions to challenge and potentially overturn local school board legislation and tax increases.
local school boards
School boards face potential public referendums on tax increases and legislative enactments unless passed by specified supermajorities.
county clerks
County clerks are assigned duties to process referendum applications, verify signatures, and post voter information.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to sign a referendum petition against a school board tax law?
Can every school board decision be challenged by a referendum?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Failed in the Senate.
Procedural history
42 actions- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ filed
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ strike enacting clause
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ failed
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ uncircled
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ circled
Show 36 earlier actions
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd reading
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 18, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Feb 17, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 13, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Feb 13, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Feb 13, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 13, 2026HouseHouse/ substituted
- Feb 13, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Feb 11, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0170S02
- Feb 11, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0170S02
- Feb 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0170S02
- Feb 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0170S02
- Feb 4, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0170S01
- Feb 4, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Feb 4, 2026HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ substituted
- Feb 3, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 3, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Substitute Recommendation
- Feb 3, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0170S01
- Jan 30, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0170S01
- Jan 30, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0170S01
- Jan 29, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Held
- Jan 28, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 16, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0170
- Jan 16, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0170
- Jan 14, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 7, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0170
- Jan 7, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0170
- Jan 7, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 7, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselBill Numbered but not Distributed
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Voting Record
Senate/ failed
Total
29
- Yes
- 9
- No
- 15
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 5
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (29)
Show 5 earlier roll calls
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Total
7
- Yes
- 3
- No
- 1
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 3
- Abstain
- 0
House/ passed 3rd reading
Total
75
- Yes
- 50
- No
- 21
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 4
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (72)
48 more members
House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
Total
11
- Yes
- 9
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 2
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (11)
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Total
11
- Yes
- 10
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 1
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (11)
House Comm - Held
Total
11
- Yes
- 10
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 1
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (11)
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Local Referendum Scope to School Districts
The legislation formally integrates school boards and school districts into the statutory framework governing local referendums and tax challenges, aligning school district authorities with municipal and county processes.
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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