UtahUtah links transportation project priority to cities’ housing growth
Utah’s Transportation Commission must give regional projects priority consideration when they benefit covered municipalities with compliant housing reports and at least 2.5% housing growth.
What it does
Regional transportation projects receive priority consideration when they benefit a covered municipality with a compliant housing report and at least 2.5% housing growth. Total priority preferences cannot raise ranking scores by more than 7%.
For 2026, covered cities and counties can carry over their 2025 housing reporting compliance and priority eligibility. Cities still must report residential occupancy certificates by July 1, 2026.
Covered cities must report how many new homes received occupancy certificates and estimate growth against their existing housing stock. Separate carryover rules apply for 2026.
Argument forGiving regional transportation projects priority could help planners direct improvements toward communities where completed housing is growing quickly.
Argument againstCarrying 2025 compliance into 2026 could leave state officials with less current information about local governments’ progress on housing plans.
More detail
The Transportation Commission must give priority consideration to significant regional transportation projects that benefit eligible municipalities. Projects may be inside or outside a municipality covered by the housing reporting rules, but they must benefit that municipality. The municipality’s housing report must meet state requirements and show housing growth of at least 2.5% during the previous 12 months. The commission decides whether a project is significant for the region. Priority consideration does not guarantee funding. All priority preferences under the transportation ranking provision together may increase a project’s ranking score by no more than 7%. These provisions took effect May 6, 2026. Priority eligibility lasts until transportation officials receive notice that the municipality no longer qualifies.
Covered municipalities and counties can carry their 2025 reporting compliance and housing-plan priority eligibility into reporting year 2026. These provisions cover local governments required to submit moderate income housing reports. Transportation officials also recognize municipalities whose priority notices they received in 2025. Reporting compliance carries over only if the local government met the reporting requirements in 2025. Housing-plan priority eligibility carries over if the local government qualified in 2025. Municipalities still must report the number of residential certificates of occupancy issued during the previous 12 months by July 1, 2026. The carryover provisions took effect May 6, 2026, apply to reporting year 2026, and expire July 1, 2027.
Covered municipalities must include counts of new homes and estimated housing growth in their annual housing progress reports. These reporting duties apply to municipalities covered by the housing reporting rules. State housing officials use the information to assess the 2.5% priority threshold. The count of new homes uses the number of residential certificates of occupancy issued during the previous 12 months. The growth estimate compares that count with the number of homes that existed before the reporting period began. These provisions took effect May 6, 2026. Annual progress reports are due by August 1 in each year after the initial reporting year.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 23Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 16House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 16House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 12House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 12Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 10Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 10Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 7House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Vote recorded House/ concurs with Senate amendment. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 7House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 7Senate/ to House
- Mar 7Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 7Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Mar 7House/ to Senate
- Mar 7House/ concurs with Senate amendmentMajor
- Mar 6House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 6House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 6Senate/ to House with amendments
- Mar 6Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionPassed Senate
- Mar 6Senate/ uncircled
- Mar 5Senate/ circled
- Mar 5Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 5Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules [Senate Rules Committee]Minor
- Mar 2Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 2Senate/ comm rpt/ substituted [Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee]
- Feb 27Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee]Minor
- Feb 27Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation [Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee]Major
- Feb 27LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0436S01
- Feb 27LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0436S01
- Feb 26LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0436S01
- Feb 26LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0436S01
- Feb 26Senate Comm - Not Considered [Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee]
- Feb 20Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee]Minor
- Feb 18Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 18Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Feb 18House/ to Senate
- Feb 18House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Feb 18House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 9House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 9House/ committee report favorable [House Political Subdivisions Committee]Minor
- Feb 7House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Political Subdivisions Committee]Minor
- Feb 5House/ to standing committee [House Political Subdivisions Committee]Minor
- Feb 3House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Feb 2LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0436
- Feb 2LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0436
- Jan 30House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 30House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 30LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0436
- Jan 30LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0436
- Jan 30Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 30Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
HousingTransportation