House Government Operations Committee - February 13, 2026 [Source] Translate

The meeting began with a welcome and acknowledgment of committee members and the public. The agenda included seven items, with items five and six not being heard. The committee approved the minutes unanimously. The first item was HB 530, presented by Representative Kyle, proposing a coordinator position under the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO) to streamline state permitting activities. The coordinator would serve as a single point of contact for permit seekers, aiming to enhance accessibility and responsiveness. The committee had no questions, and public comment was closed. A motion to favorably recommend HB 530 passed unanimously. Next, Representative Roberts presented HB 249, which addresses modifications to federal funds. The bill directs the Legislative Fiscal Analyst (LFA) to stress test federal fund portions of the budget and create a federal dependency dashboard to provide oversight on funding risks. The committee expressed support, and a motion to favorably recommend HB 249 passed unanimously. The third item was HB 446, concerning Conflict of Interest Disclosure Amendments. The bill requires candidates to disclose unresolved tax liens and criminal convictions (excluding minor traffic violations and expunged records) in their annual disclosures. The committee discussed potential amendments regarding the time frame for unresolved tax liens. Public comments raised concerns about barriers to entry for candidates. A motion was made to amend the bill to require disclosure only for tax liens unresolved for more than two years, which the sponsor supported. The amended bill passed, and a final motion to favorably recommend HB 446 as amended also passed unanimously. The meeting continued with Representative Dominguez presenting HB 504, which addresses political advertising modifications related to AI-generated content. The bill requires candidates to disclose when advertisements include AI-generated material. Concerns were raised about the vagueness of the term "substantially produced," and Dominguez clarified that the bill targets materials explicitly generated by AI. Public comments included concerns about financial burdens on candidates due to mandatory disclosures. The discussion will continue in future sessions. The committee then discussed HB 302, which addresses flag displays by municipalities. Representative McPherson explained that the bill aims to clarify previous laws limiting flag displays, allowing municipalities to adopt one official flag while permitting other cultural or ceremonial flags. Questions clarified that municipalities could display non-official flags at locations like City Hall, but schools would be restricted to the official flag. Public comments included support from the Utah League of Cities and Towns and concerns from Equality Utah regarding legislative control over local actions. The meeting also involved discussions on government speech neutrality related to local municipal flags. Concerns were raised about balancing contention minimization with freedom of expression. The committee adopted a first substitute for the bill and an amendment, resulting in a vote of eight in favor and three opposed. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn.