Utah Legislature repeals collective bargaining ban in special session
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The Utah Legislature in a special session on Tuesday voted to repeal a highly contested collective bargaining ban for public employees that passed earlier this year.
Why it matters: H.B. 267 sparked immediate backlash from labor unions representing teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public employees after Republican lawmakers introduced the measure earlier this year.
- Unions mounted an aggressive campaign against the measure, organizing protests at the Capitol and gathering signatures to put the issue before voters on the 2026 ballot.
State of play: The reversal marks a significant departure from the past legislative session, when GOP lawmakers said they had been unable to reach consensus with labor leaders on the measure.
What they're saying: "The [bill] has been overshadowed by misinformation and unnecessary division," its sponsor state Rep. Jordan Teuscher (R-South Jordan) said on the House floor.
- By repealing, he said, it would allow state lawmakers to take a step back and "create space for a clearer and more constructive conversation."
The big picture: Labor leaders claimed the measure sought to diminish unions' political power.
- The bill was introduced after the largest teachers' union in the state filed a 2024 lawsuit over a controversial school voucher program. A district judge ruled the program was "unconstitutional" last April.
- The Utah Teachers Association also legally challenged a now-scrapped constitutional amendment earlier this year that would have diverted state income tax dollars from public education to other uses.
- Following a string of legal setbacks, lawmakers seem unwilling to risk another high-profile defeat in 2026.
Zoom out: During the session, GOP lawmakers approved election-related amendments tied to their redistricting fight, including shifting the congressional candidate filing window, and adopted a resolution asserting that only the Legislature has the constitutional authority to set congressional boundaries.
The other side: In a statement, Senate and House Democratic lawmakers celebrated the repeal of the anti-collective bargaining law, but strongly opposed the other measures passed.
- "Collectively, these bills undermine the will of the people," per the statement.