| Members Present: Sen. Jerry W Stevenson, Senate Chair Rep. Val L. Peterson, House Chair Sen. Scott D. Sandall, Senate Vice Chair Rep. Walt Brooks, House Vice Chair President J. Stuart Adams Sen. Kirk A. Cullimore Sen. Luz Escamilla Sen. Karen Kwan Sen. Jen Plumb Sen. Chris H. Wilson Rep. Bridger Bolinder Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost Rep. Sahara Hayes | Rep. Doug Owens Rep. Candice B. Pierucci Rep. Angela Romero Speaker Mike Schultz Rep. Casey Snider Members Absent: Sen. Michael K. McKell Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe Staff Present: Arielle Gulley, Office Manager Jonathan Ball, Fiscal Analyst Steven M. Allred, Deputy Fiscal Analyst Dr. Andrea Wilko, Chief Economist |
||
|
Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
|
| 1.Call to Order/Approval of Minutes |
| Chair Stevenson called the meeting to order at 6:29 pm. He announced that the committee would wait to approve the minutes from the previous meeting until a quorum was reached. |
| 2.Requests for Appropriation |
| Sen. Todd Weiler, Derek Dyer, Executive Director, Utah Arts Alliance (UAA), and Crystal Young, Fundraising Consultant, UAA, presented the request. |
| 2a. RFA Veteran Housing and PTSD Art Therapy Pilot (Sen. Weiler) |
| 2b. RFA Veteran Housing PTSD Art Therapy (handout) |
| 3.Utah Inland Port Authority Loan Reports |
| Ben Hart, Executive Director, Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA), and Ariane Gibson, Deputy Director, UIPA, presented the loan reports. |
| 3. Utah Inland Port Authority Infrastructure Loan Execution Reports |
| MOTION:Rep. Peterson moved, pursuant to Utah Code 63A-3-402, to approve the execution of the Utah Inland Port Authority infrastructure loans to Salina City and Fairfield Town with the terms presented to the committee today.The motion passed with a vote of 15-0-5. | |||
| Yeas - 15 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 5 | |
| Rep. B. Bolinder Rep. W. Brooks Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Hayes Sen. K. Kwan Rep. D. Owens Rep. V. Peterson Rep. C. Pierucci Sen. J. Plumb Sen. S. Sandall Rep. M. Schultz Rep. C. Snider Sen. J. Stevenson Sen. C. Wilson | Sen. J. Adams Sen. K. Cullimore Sen. M. McKell Sen. K. Riebe Rep. A. Romero |
| MOTION:Rep. Peterson moved to approve the minutes of January 27, 2026.The motion passed with a vote of 16-0-4. | |||
| Yeas - 16 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 4 | |
| Rep. B. Bolinder Rep. W. Brooks Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Hayes Sen. K. Kwan Rep. D. Owens Rep. V. Peterson Rep. C. Pierucci Sen. J. Plumb Rep. A. Romero Sen. S. Sandall Rep. M. Schultz Rep. C. Snider Sen. J. Stevenson Sen. C. Wilson | Sen. J. Adams Sen. K. Cullimore Sen. M. McKell Sen. K. Riebe |
| 4.Utah State University Strategic Reinvestment Plan |
| Joseph Fitzgerald, Finance Officer, Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst (LFA) introduced the Utah State University Reinvestment Plan. Brad Mortenson, President, Utah State University, presented on the reinvestment plan. |
| MOTION:Rep. Peterson moved to approve Utah State University’s Strategic Reinvestment Plan as compliant with the requirements outlined in UCA 53B-7-107.The motion passed with a vote of 18-0-2. | |||
| Yeas - 18 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 2 | |
| Sen. J. Adams Rep. B. Bolinder Rep. W. Brooks Sen. K. Cullimore Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Hayes Sen. K. Kwan Rep. D. Owens Rep. V. Peterson Rep. C. Pierucci Sen. J. Plumb Rep. A. Romero Sen. S. Sandall Rep. M. Schultz Rep. C. Snider Sen. J. Stevenson Sen. C. Wilson | Sen. M. McKell Sen. K. Riebe |
| 5.Appropriations Subcommittee Reports |
| a. Economic and Community Development |
| Sen. Calvin Musselman and Rep. Christine Watkins, Co-Chairs, and Rep. Thomas Peterson, House Vice Chair, presented the report. Gary Syphus, Finance Manager, LFA, and Josh Pittman, Financial Analyst, LFA, provided assistance. |
| 5a. Economic and Community Development Subcommittee Report, 2026 GS |
| Rep. Dailey-Provost asked for clarification on funding amounts included in the report. Jonathan Ball and Sen. Musselman responded. |
| Sen. Escamilla made inquiries into the funding priority list included in the report. Sen. Musselman responded. |
| b. General Government |
| Sen. Evan Vickers and Rep. Norman Thurston, Co-Chairs, and Rep. Anthony Loubet, House Vice Chair, presented the report. Ivan Djambov, Finance Manager, LFA, and Alejandra Rodriguez, Staff Economist, LFA, provided assistance. |
| 5b. General Government Subcommittee Report, 2026 GS |
| Rep. Pierucci requested further information on a funding request regarding artificial intelligence included in the report. Rep. Thurston responded. |
| Rep. Dailey-Provost asked for the presenters to provide comment on funding for data centers. Rep. Thurston and Sen. Vickers responded. Rep. Dailey-Provost then asked about intent language used in the report. Sen. Vickers responded. |
| c. Public Education |
| Sen. Heidi Balderree and Rep. Stephen Whyte, Co-Chairs, and Rep. Matt MacPherson, House Vice Chair, presented the report. Ben Leishman, Finance Manager, LFA, Rachelle Gunderson, Senior Financial Analyst, LFA, and Kiki Hudson, Financial Analyst, LFA. provided assistance. |
| 5c. Public Education Subcommittee Report, 2026 GS |
| Rep. Dailey-Provost made inquiries into a proposed budget action included in the report. Sen. Balderree responded. |
| Rep. Pierucci provided comment. |
| Pres. Adams asked for the funded amount in the base budget for public education. Rep. Peterson responded. |
| Sen. Kwan asked clarifying questions about educator salary adjustments. Rep. MacPherson responded. Sen. Kwan then provided comment. |
| d. Transportation and Infrastructure |
| Sen. Don Ipson and Rep. Doug Welton, Co-Chairs, and Rep. Doug Owens, House Vice Chair, presented the report. Sean Faherty, Finance Manager, LFA, Rachel Boe, Senior Financial Analyst, LFA, and Noah Hansen, Staff Economist, LFA, provided assistance. |
| 5d. Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee Report, 2026 GS |
| e. Executive Appropriations Committee |
| Steven Allred presented the report. |
| 5e. Executive Appropriations Committee Report, 2026 GS |
| Rep. Dailey-Provost asked clarifying questions regarding a request included in the report. Steven Allred responded. |
| 6.Other Business/Adjourn |
| MOTION:Rep. Peterson moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 16-0-4. | |||
| Yeas - 16 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 4 | |
| Sen. J. Adams Rep. B. Bolinder Rep. W. Brooks Sen. K. Cullimore Rep. J. Dailey-Provost Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. S. Hayes Sen. K. Kwan Rep. D. Owens Rep. V. Peterson Rep. C. Pierucci Sen. J. Plumb Rep. A. Romero Sen. S. Sandall Sen. J. Stevenson Sen. C. Wilson | Sen. M. McKell Sen. K. Riebe Rep. M. Schultz Rep. C. Snider |
| Chair Stevenson adjourned at 7:24 pm. . |