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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah State University to study geothermal energy impacts and report by October 2027
Last action · March 25, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Christine Watkins and 2 others
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What This Bill Does
Utah State University must conduct a study on the geological and environmental impacts of geothermal energy development across the state by October 31, 2027, and report its findings to a legislative committee. The legislation also sets a repeal date for the study statute for July 1, 2028, and takes effect on May 6, 2026.
Establishes a formal research mandate examining geothermal energy expansion near existing or former s, directly involving university researchers and legislative energy oversight committees.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Utah State University
Utah State University is tasked with conducting the geothermal study and reporting its findings to the legislature.
Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Interim Committee
The committee receives the completed study findings during its November interim meeting.
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 required to conduct the geothermal study?
When is the study due?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
55 actions- Mar 25, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 12, 2026HouseHouse/ to Governor
- Mar 12, 2026HouseHouse/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- Mar 11, 2026HouseHouse/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11, 2026Clerk of the HouseEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- Mar 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 49 earlier actions
- Mar 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingBill Received from House for Enrolling
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ returned to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Mar 5, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Mar 5, 2026HouseHouse/ concurs with Senate amendment
- Mar 5, 2026HouseHouse/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Mar 5, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ to House with amendments
- Mar 5, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ substituted
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ uncircled
- Mar 5, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0401S01
- Mar 5, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0401S01
- Mar 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0401S01
- Mar 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0401S01
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ circled
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSenate/ 3nd Reading Calendar to Rules
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 3rd Reading Calendar table
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ 3rd reading
- Feb 25, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd reading
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd reading
- Feb 19, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 19, 2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
- Feb 18, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 17, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Feb 17, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 12, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Feb 12, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Feb 12, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 12, 2026HouseHouse/ floor amendment
- Feb 12, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Feb 4, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Feb 4, 2026HouseHouse/ committee report favorable
- Feb 3, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 2, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Jan 30, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 30, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0401
- Jan 29, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0401
- Jan 28, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 28, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0401
- Jan 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0401
- Jan 27, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 27, 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 →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
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance35How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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