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SB 43UTAHSession 2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Utah SB 43 Clarifies Advocacy Office Role and Implements Trust Distribution Accountability

Original title: Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office Amendments

Last action · March 19, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Derrin Owens and 1 other

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

Utah SB 43 redefines the authority and responsibilities of the School and Institutional Trust Beneficiaries' Advocacy Office, establishes the School and Institutional Trust Beneficiaries' Advocacy Council, and institutes strict financial accountability and reporting rules for non-public education trust beneficiaries starting July 1, 2026.

Why it matters

Non-public education trust beneficiaries face mandatory compliance oversight, record-keeping requirements, and restrictions on retaining excess fund distributions.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Institutional Trust Beneficiaries

Institutional beneficiaries must comply with new distribution accountability requirements, adopt annual spending plans, and undergo periodic compliance reviews.

Directly affected

School and Institutional Trust Beneficiaries' Advocacy Office

The office receives updated statutory authority, governance oversight structures, and explicit duties to represent beneficiaries and monitor distribution compliance.

Directly affected

State Treasurer

The state treasurer shares governance responsibilities for the advocacy office, appoints the advocacy director from nominees submitted by the council, and oversees administrative support.

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

What is the role of the School and Institutional Trust Beneficiaries' Advocacy Office under this bill?
The advocacy office acts as the primary representative for trust beneficiaries, advocating for effective governance, optimal trust asset performance, and proper fund distribution while monitoring compliance.
What accountability requirements apply to institutional beneficiaries?
Institutional beneficiaries must maintain clear expenditure records, convene annual advisory groups with stakeholders, obtain approval for annual spending plans, and submit documentation for annual reports.
When does this legislation take effect?
The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

33 actions
  1. Mar 19, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolled
    Governor Signed
  2. Mar 13, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to Governor
  3. Mar 13, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
  4. Mar 12, 2026Senate
    Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing
  5. Mar 12, 2026Senate Secretary
    Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
  6. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 27 earlier actions
  1. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling
  2. Feb 5, 2026Senate
    Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
  3. Feb 5, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received from House
  4. Feb 5, 2026House
    House/ to Senate
  5. Feb 5, 2026House
    House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
  6. Feb 5, 2026HouseFloor
    House/ passed 3rd reading
  7. Feb 5, 2026House
    House/ 3rd reading
  8. Feb 3, 2026House
    House/ 2nd reading
  9. Feb 3, 2026House
    House/ committee report favorable
  10. Feb 2, 2026House
    House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  11. Jan 28, 2026HouseCommittee
    House/ to standing committee
  12. Jan 21, 2026HouseIntroduced
    House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  13. Jan 21, 2026House
    House/ received from Senate
  14. Jan 20, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to House
  15. Jan 20, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  16. Jan 20, 2026Senate
    Senate/ floor amendment
  17. Jan 20, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  18. Jan 20, 2026Senate
    Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
  19. Jan 20, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  20. Jan 13, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
  21. Jan 13, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0043
  22. Jan 13, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0043
  23. Jan 7, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received bill from Legislative Research
  24. Dec 22, 2025Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0043
  25. Dec 22, 2025Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0043
  26. Dec 22, 2025Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
  27. Dec 22, 2025Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Bill 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 →

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

Derrin OwensSenate · District 27RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Rep. Burton, Jefferson S.HouseCosponsorNo profile match

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Enhanced Distribution Accountability

The legislation introduces formal reporting and spending plan requirements for non-public education trust beneficiaries, closing a gap in distribution oversight.

School and Institutional Trust Beneficiaries' Advocacy OfficeSchool and Institutional Trust Fund Office

Connected Entities

Department of Natural Resources, University of Utah, School and Institutional Trust Beneficiaries' Advocacy Council and 9 more
OrganizationDepartment of Natural Resources“State department involved in nominating committee processes”Map →
OrganizationUniversity of Utah“Institutional trust beneficiary”Map →
OrganizationSchool and Institutional Trust Beneficiaries' Advocacy Council“Governing council created to oversee the advocacy office”Map →
PersonDerrin R. Owens“Chief Sponsor, Senator”Map →
OrganizationSchool and Institutional Trust Lands Administration“Trust lands management administration”Map →
OrganizationUtah Petroleum Association“Nominating organization”Map →
OrganizationSchool and Institutional Trust Fund Office“Trust fund management office”Map →
OrganizationSchool and Institutional Trust Beneficiaries' Advocacy Office“Primary representative of trust beneficiaries”Map →
OrganizationUtah Mining Association“Nominating organization”Map →
OrganizationUtah State University“Institutional trust beneficiary”Map →
PersonJefferson S. Burton“House Sponsor, Representative”Map →
OrganizationUtah Farm Bureau“Nominating organization”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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