All Roll Calls
Yes: 177 • No: 2
UtahH.B. 5042025 General SessionHouseWALLET
Financial and Conflict of Interest Disclosures by Candidates Amendments
Sponsored By: Lisa Shepherd (Republican)
Signed by Governor
Election LawGovernment Operations (State Issues)Campaign Finance
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
10 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 7 mixed.
Qualifying Campaign Giving Avoids Lobbying Treatment
Utah lobbying rules exclude qualifying campaign contributions and admission to contribution-soliciting events or meetings from lobbying expenditures. The law updates these exclusions to refer to applicable municipal campaign finance ordinances.
Parties Must Give Vacancy Meeting Notices
Parties must give election officials at least five business days' notice before meetings to nominate midterm vacancy replacements. Notice goes to the lieutenant governor for state or legislative offices, and the county clerk for county offices. Changes to meeting dates, times, or locations must be reported by 5 p.m. no later than one business day afterward. Local school boards must immediately notify the county clerk before appointing a vacancy replacement.
Stricter Rules Define When Offices Open
Legislative and county offices are not vacant until the officeholder leaves or submits an irrevocable resignation letter. Lawmakers submit letters to their chamber's presiding officer; county officials, including county or district attorneys, submit them to the county legislative body. For municipal executive and legislative offices, a resignation-based vacancy begins on the irrevocable letter's effective date. Municipal letters go to the municipal legislative body.
County Appointment Applicants Must Disclose Finances
County and local school board vacancy applicants must file signed campaign finance statements with the county clerk. Deadlines include three business days before party nominee submissions or school board interviews, or the application deadline for specified attorney vacancies. The clerk must immediately send the finance report to the county legislative body. Covered county, county or district attorney, and local school board applicants must submit conflict disclosures to that body and clerk by the finance deadline. The clerk must post disclosures within two business days and retain them online for at least 10 calendar days after appointment. Eligible current county officeholders can reuse same-year disclosures by timely confirming in writing that they are updated and accurate.
Legislative Appointment Applicants Face Disclosure Deadlines
Legislative vacancy applicants must file campaign finance reports at least three business days before the party's nomination meeting. If the party schedules the meeting or an applicant enters later, filing is due by 5 p.m. the last business day before it. Applicants must also complete online conflict disclosures by that deadline; the lieutenant governor must make them available for public review. Current lawmakers seeking the other chamber can reuse a same-year disclosure for the office sought with timely written confirmation of accuracy. Covered appointment candidates are exempt from the specified regular interim campaign finance reports.
Local Candidates Must Disclose Personal Conflicts
Beginning May 7, 2025, municipal, county, local school board, and elected special district candidates must file complete conflict disclosures with candidacy papers. Filing officers cannot accept candidacy papers without them. Disclosures stay online until withdrawal, disqualification, or the day after the official election canvass; county websites provide required backup hosting. Reelection candidates can reuse that year's disclosure for the same office by confirming in writing that it is current and accurate. Interested parties can sue to enforce municipal, county, and local school board requirements; courts can award costs and attorney fees.
Municipal Appointment Applicants Must Disclose Finances
Municipal vacancy applicants must file campaign finance statements at least three business days before their interviews. The clerk or recorder must immediately give copies to the municipal legislative body. Applicants must also submit conflict disclosures to that body and the clerk by the same deadline, with written confirmation of accuracy. Current municipal officeholders who already filed for their office that year need not file a new disclosure. The clerk must post disclosures within two business days and keep them online for at least 10 calendar days after appointment.
School Board Candidates Face Finance Reporting
Counties must require campaign finance reports from county candidates and local school board candidates who live in the county. Reports must list totals, individual contributions and spending, donors, and recipients. At least one report is required within two weeks before the election and one within two months afterward. Candidates must use separate campaign accounts and cannot mix campaign money with personal or business funds; state reporting rules apply without a county ordinance. County and local school board candidates eliminated in a primary must file signed statements within 30 days after the primary.
State Appointment Applicants Face Reporting Deadlines
State-office vacancy applicants must file campaign finance reports at least three business days before the party's nomination meeting. For State Board of Education vacancies, reports are due three business days before Senate consideration or the party meeting, depending on the appointment path. For party meetings scheduled on shorter notice, or applicants entering later, filing is due by 5 p.m. the last business day before the meeting. Covered State Board of Education appointment candidates are exempt from the specified regular campaign finance reports.
State Officials Disclose More Household Details
State constitutional officers, legislators, and State Board of Education members must list current and prior-year employers, addresses, and job descriptions. They must name their spouses and adult household members not related by blood. Spouses' current and prior-year employers, and those adults' work details, are required when the official believes a conflict may exist. An official can request privacy protection when the official or spouse is an at-risk government employee. Before public inspection, filing officers must then redact the official's employment information and the spouse's name and employment information.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Lisa Shepherd
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Paul A. Cutler
Republican • House
Ronald M. Winterton
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 3/7/2025
House/ concurs with Senate amendment
Yes: 71 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/6/2025
Senate/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/6/2025
Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
Yes: 26 • No: 2
Senate vote • 3/4/2025
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 7 • No: 0
House vote • 2/28/2025
House/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 65 • No: 0
House vote • 2/28/2025
House/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/26/2025
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 8 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • Unknown
Senate/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
3/24/2025House/ to Governor
3/17/2025HouseHouse/ received enrolled bill from Printing
3/17/2025HouseHouse/ enrolled bill to Printing
3/13/2025HouseEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
3/13/2025Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
3/7/2025Bill Received from House for Enrolling
3/7/2025House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ received from Senate
3/7/2025HouseSenate/ to House
3/7/2025SenateSenate/ signed by President/ returned to House
3/7/2025SenateSenate/ received from House
3/7/2025SenateHouse/ to Senate
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ concurs with Senate amendment
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ received from Senate
3/7/2025HouseSenate/ to House with amendments
3/6/2025SenateSenate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
3/6/2025SenateSenate/ substituted
3/6/2025SenateSenate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
3/6/2025SenateSenate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
3/6/2025SenateSenate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
3/5/2025SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
3/5/2025SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
3/5/2025SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
3/4/2025Senate
Bill Text
Enrolled
3/13/2025
Substitute #2
3/5/2025
Substitute #1
2/27/2025
Introduced
2/13/2025