What we're watching on the last day of the legislative session
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Lawmakers wrap their final day of the legislation session Friday. Photo by: Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Friday marks the last day of the Utah legislative session, and state lawmakers are racing against the clock to pass remaining bills before midnight.
Why it matters: Anything that unfolds during the final hours could make or break these policies.
Here's what we're tracking:
AI
A GOP-backed AI transparency bill has drawn strong opposition from the White House.
State of play: The bill would require frontier AI companies to publish safety and child-protection plans and include whistleblower protections for employees who report safety concerns, Axios' Maria Curi reported.
Friction point: President Trump signed an executive order last year to override state AI laws.
- The bill's fate remains uncertain after the White House sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore last month, saying the bill went against "the administration's AI agenda."
The latest: Two other AI-related bills are making their way through the Legislature.
- HB 438 would regulate "companion chatbots" and provide protections for minors who use them, while HB 276 would prohibit the distribution of deepfakes without the consent of the depicted individual.
Immigration
A number of hardline immigration bills don't appear likely to make it past the finish line.
Catch up quick: Controversial proposals targeting undocumented immigrants — including those to expand E-verify, restrict certain public benefits, and revoke driving privilege cards — appear to have stalled.
Health
Utah students would be effectively forced to watch an anti-abortion video that doctors have described as "misinformation," under HB 315.
- The "Baby Olivia" video describes a fetus developing earlier than medical calculations, which date developmental events to the final menstrual period before pregnancy.
What they're saying: In a hearing last week, Katharine Caldwell, a Salt Lake-based family physician, called the video a "sensationalized and inaccurate and misleading representation of fetal development."
The latest: The bill passed the House this week and was recommended by a Senate committee on Wednesday.
🐄 Meanwhile, a bill to roll back restrictions on unpasteurized milk sales has passed the House and succeeded in a Senate committee last week.
Land and water
Some bills with environmental implications are still pending, including:
- A requirement that state water officials collect data and study water lost to leaky pipes, maintenance and valve failures in water systems.
What's next: We'll recap the fates of closely watched bills on Monday.