1     
ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS AMENDMENTS

2     
2022 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Christine F. Watkins

5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill creates the Regional Development Grant Program.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     creates the Regional Development Grant Program within the Governor's Office of
13     Economic Opportunity;
14          ▸     establishes the purpose of the program; and
15          ▸     establishes criteria for awarding a grant as part of the program.
16     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17          None
18     Other Special Clauses:
19          None
20     Utah Code Sections Affected:
21     ENACTS:
22          63N-4-801, Utah Code Annotated 1953
23          63N-4-802, Utah Code Annotated 1953
24     

25     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26          Section 1. Section 63N-4-801 is enacted to read:
27     
Part 8. Regional Development Grant Program


28          63N-4-801. Creation and purpose of the Regional Development Grant Program.
29          (1) There is created the Regional Development Grant Program administered by the
30     office.
31          (2) As used in this part:
32          (a) "Grant" means a regional development grant awarded as part of the Regional
33     Development Grant Program.
34          (b) "Program" means the Regional Development Grant Program created in this section.
35          (c) "Qualifying association of governments" means an interlocal entity created under
36     the authority of Title 11, Chapter 13, Interlocal Cooperation Act:
37          (i) with four or more members; and
38          (ii) whose members are any combination of counties of the fourth, fifth, or sixth class.
39          (3) The office may seek to accomplish the following objectives in administering the
40     program:
41          (a) provide funding to qualified associations of governments to support expansions of
42     regional projects related to:
43          (i) transportation;
44          (ii) infrastructure;
45          (iii) housing; or
46          (iv) economic development;
47          (b) establish a process for qualified associations of governments to collect and report
48     information on regional assets and needs; and
49          (c) provide training to qualified associations of governments.
50          Section 2. Section 63N-4-802 is enacted to read:
51          63N-4-802. Requirements for awarding a regional development grant.
52          (1) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
53     office shall make rules establishing the eligibility and reporting criteria for a qualifying
54     association of governments to receive a regional development grant under this part, including:
55          (a) the form and process of submitting an application to the office for a grant;
56          (b) the method and formula for determining grant amounts; and
57          (c) the reporting requirements of grant recipients.
58          (2) In determining the award of a grant, the office may prioritize projects:

59          (a) where an applicant demonstrates comprehensive planning of the project and the
60     cooperation of state entities as partners; and
61          (b) that relate to transportation, infrastructure, housing, or economic development.
62          (3) Subject to legislative appropriation, a grant under the program may only be
63     awarded by the executive director for a project in a rural area of the state.
64          (4) The office shall include in the annual written report described in Section
65     63N-1a-306 an overview of each grant awarded under the program.