All Roll Calls
Yes: 148 • No: 0
UtahS.B. 1452026 General SessionSenate
Lobbying Amendments
Sponsored By: Brady Brammer (Republican)
Signed by Governor
LobbyingGovernment Operations (State Issues)State Officers and Employees
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 5 mixed.
College event expenses gain lobbying exclusion
Beginning May 6, 2026, qualifying colleges' event admission, attendance, and travel can fall outside lobbying expenses. Coverage includes institutions listed in the law and private nonprofit colleges in Utah. For recreational or sporting events, the college must compete or own or lease the event location. For artistic events, the college must participate or own or lease the location. The official must attend to build a relationship with the college.
Less filing when lobbyists spend nothing
Beginning May 6, 2026, lobbyists, lobbying funders, and government officers report spending through the lieutenant governor's electronic system. Deadlines are April 10, July 10, October 10, and January 10, each covering the previous three months. No-spending quarters need no report; lobbyists with no quarterly reports required all year must report “none” by the following January 10. Local and education officials need not report spending for another such official of the same local government type. Lobbyists and funders continue reporting until filing a termination statement listing unreported spending and assuring future compliance with licensing and disclosure rules.
Former state officials face lobbying wait
Beginning May 6, 2026, former Utah state officials must wait one calendar year after leaving office before lobbying that requires registration. The wait runs through the one-year anniversary and no longer depends on service on or after May 12, 2009. Former officials may lobby for themselves or an associated business. The business exception does not apply when its main activity is lobbying or government relations.
Lobbyists cannot take outcome-based pay
Beginning May 6, 2026, lobbyists cannot request, accept, or agree to accept rewards whose value depends on government action. The ban applies whether the desired action happens or does not happen. Lobbying pay also cannot be calculated from program appropriations or spending by the entity being lobbied.
Broader rules for lobbyists and helpers
Beginning May 6, 2026, lobbyists include people accepting or agreeing to accept pay, rewards, or other value for lobbying. Coverage also includes people lobbying for a non-publicly-traded entity after gaining a noncontrolling ownership interest within the previous 18 months. People receiving only reasonable travel reimbursement are excluded. A person or organization giving or promising value for lobbying counts as a principal, or lobbying funder. Helpers count as related persons without a knowing-and-intentional requirement, and cannot make reportable expenditures while helping.
Higher gift limits for public officials
Beginning May 6, 2026, the daily nonfood spending limit rises from $10 to $25. A nonfood item is excluded from lobbying expenses only when worth less than $25 and daily spending does not exceed $25. Publications and commemorative items worth up to $50 are excluded, up from $30, and have a $50 spending limit. Food and drinks remain tied to the state's food reimbursement rate. Reported food, drink, travel, lodging, and admission or attendance costs for tours or meetings that are not approved activities can exceed limits; so can spending solely unrelated to an official's position.
Lobbying disclosures broaden but thresholds rise
Beginning May 6, 2026, reports must itemize daily spending over $25, replacing the $10 threshold. Lobbyist groups combine members' daily spending for each official; lobbyists serving multiple clients combine spending across clients. Promises to provide covered items count as expenditures, even when they cannot be legally enforced. Reports include spending totals by official type, travel destinations and lodging locations, beneficiaries, dates, amounts, purposes, represented interests, and officials employed by filers. Filers must identify related bills and government actions, provide calendar-year totals in the January report, and certify that reports are truthful.
Lobbying rules cover fewer government decisions
Beginning May 6, 2026, covered state actions include legislation, agency rules, governor appointments, and agency rate-setting, but not agency adjudications. Legislative coverage includes matters pending or proposed in either house or a committee, or requested by a lawmaker. Local coverage includes ordinances and resolutions; education coverage includes items considered by education boards. Both also cover appointments, certain administrative votes, and setting rates or fees. Local and education coverage no longer includes adjudications, purchasing or contracting decisions, or drafting or making policies, resolutions, or rules.
Officials and families face changed coverage
Beginning May 6, 2026, lobbying coverage depends on officials' offices and duties, including policy, rates, education budgets, or public spending. Purchasing, policy or rule drafting, and adjudication duties no longer qualify local and education employees by themselves. Lobbying rules also cover immediate family members of education, executive, legislative, and local officials. Separately, the public-safety law's definition includes specified state, local, and education officials and families, retaining listed purchasing, drafting, and adjudication duties. A separate chapter's qualified-lobbyist bans include specified Utah judges and justices, but exclude local and education officials.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Brady Brammer
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Jordan D. Teuscher
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 2/26/2026
House/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/26/2026
House/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 74 • No: 0
House vote • 2/26/2026
House/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/24/2026
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 14 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 27 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Senate/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/10/2026
Senate/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/9/2026
Senate/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/9/2026
Senate/ passed 2nd reading
Yes: 25 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/6/2026
Senate/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/26/2026
Senate Comm - Amendment Recommendation
Yes: 4 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/26/2026
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 4 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
3/17/2026Senate/ to Governor
3/16/2026SenateSenate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
3/16/2026SenateSenate/ enrolled bill to Printing
3/5/2026SenateEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
3/5/2026Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
3/2/2026Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling
3/2/2026Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
2/26/2026SenateSenate/ received from House
2/26/2026SenateHouse/ to Senate
2/26/2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
2/26/2026HouseHouse/ passed 3rd reading
2/26/2026HouseHouse/ uncircled
2/26/2026HouseHouse/ circled
2/26/2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
2/26/2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
2/25/2026HouseHouse/ committee report favorable
2/25/2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2/24/2026House/ to standing committee
2/20/2026HouseHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2/17/2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
2/13/2026HouseSenate/ to House
2/13/2026SenateSenate/ passed 3rd reading
2/13/2026SenateSenate/ uncircled
2/13/2026SenateSenate/ circled
2/10/2026Senate
Bill Text
Enrolled
3/5/2026
Amended 1/27/2026 10:01:411
1/27/2026
Introduced
1/15/2026