Dear Business Community,

With two weeks left in the 2021 Legislative Session, many of the most significant issues are center stage and will move quickly. This week a number of new and important bills were introduced and many others have made significant steps.
Several of the Chamber’s priority bills, including H.B. 80, Data Security Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Brooks and H.B. 82, Single-Family Housing Modifications, sponsored by Rep. Ward passed through the House and have moved to consideration in the Senate. We are very pleased that these important bills have made substantial progress and express our gratitude to the sponsors who have worked through a significant number of amendments to ensure these bills will be impactful.
Additionally, legislative leadership has promised that this year would be the year of the tax cut, this week S.B. 206, Tax Rate Amendments, sponsored by Sen. Fillmore, decreases the corporate and individual income tax rate from 4.95% to 4.75%.
As we continue to see progress fighting COVID-19 and increased availability of the vaccine to help further that progress, two bills were introduced that would limit a business’ ability to utilize this new tool to ensure the safety of their workplace. It is important that businesses maintain the ability to make decisions about the safety protocols for their own places of work — accordingly, the following bills are of concern:
Health Data Privacy Act, H.B. 384, sponsored by Rep. Strong, states that no place of public accommodation may, as a condition for receiving accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, goods, or services, require an individual to disclose the individual’s vaccination status or refuse to provide accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, goods, or services to an individual on the basis of the individual’s vaccination status.
Employee Medical Procedures Protection Act, S.B. 208, sponsored by Sen. Kennedy, prohibits an employer from requiring an employee, a prospective employee, or a blood relative of an employee or prospective employee to accept or decline a medical procedure including a treatment, procedure, therapy, medicine, drug, immunization, or other action intended to affect or alter the physical or mental health of the individual.
Please let us know if you have questions or concerns.
Salt Lake Camber Policy Team

Priority Votes

During the legislative session, the Salt Lake Chamber Board of Directors designates top priorities of the business community as Priority Votes. The Chamber’s Priority Votes are considered the most critical bills during the legislative session and are used to determine the Chamber’s Business Champion Awards. Below are the most recently declared priority votes.

  • H.B. 36, Telehealth Mental Health Program, Sponsor: Rep. Ward
  • H.B. 80, Data Security Amendments, Sponsor: Rep. Brooks
  • H.B. 82, Single-Family Housing Modifications, Sponsor: Rep. Ward
  • H.B. 161, Military Retirement Tax Amendments, Sponsor: Rep. Pierucci
  • H.B. 328, Adult Learners Grant Program, Sponsor: Rep. Snow
  • H.B. 347, Homeless Services Amendments, Sponsor: Rep. Eliason
  • S.B. 18, Property Tax Exemption Amendments, Sponsor: Sen. Harper
  • S.B. 25, Corporate Tax Amendments, Sponsor: Sen. Bramble
  • S.B. 41, Mental Health Access Amendments, Sponsor: Sen. Escamilla
  • S.B. 164, Utah Housing Affordability Amendments, Sponsor: Sen. Anderegg
  • S.B. 214, Official Language Amendments, Sponsor: Sen. Cullimore

2021 Legislative Watchlist

Each week, the Chamber’s policy team tracks relevant bills by subject so you can stay up to date on legislation that impacts you and your business. We encourage you to visit our online legislative watchlist and use the far right column to find bills relevant to your topic of interest and view bill status and description.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW 2021 LEGISLATIVE WATCHLIST

2021 Legislative Priorities

The 2021 Legislative Priorities guide serves as the Salt Lake Chamber’s agenda for the 2021 Legislative Session. Read more about our policy priorities and see where you can get involved.

Chamber Policy Team

Please reach out to us if you have any questions.

Jacey Skinner
General Counsel and EVP Public Policy
jskinner@slchamber.com

Kaitlyn Pieper
Director of Community Policy
kpieper@slchamber.com

Nic Dunn
Director, Utah Community Builders Foundation
ndunn@slchamber.com