2023 General Legislative Session Report

The 2023 General Legislative Session is completed and the governor will finish signing (or vetoing) bills this week. Thank you to everyone who took the effort to engage with legislators on behalf of museums. We especially appreciate the incredible work of Jill Love, Kat Potter, and Tenielle Young from the Department of Cultural and Community Engagement; Vicki Bourns from the Division of Arts & Museums (UA&M); and Crystal Young from the Utah Cultural Alliance on behalf of the entire cultural industry.

Unfortunately the UA&M grant program was reduced to $4 million (previously it held $6 million). The Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO) received $2 million of one-time funds for art and cultural organizations. As we learn more about how these funds will be distributed we will pass it along. UMA plans to work closely with UA&M to continue building relationships with our state representatives and senators in hopes this funding can be restored in the future. This is an opportunity share how Utah museums strengthen and enhance our communities.

Of the 575 bills passed this session, here are a few relevant to the museum community:

HB 302 This bill does a number of things including establishing the Museum of Utah and renames the Division of State History as the Utah Historical Society.

HB 31 officially recognizes the newly designed Utah state flag as the state flag of Utah, with our current flag becoming the historical state flag.

SB 223 creates a Nonprofit Capacity Fund within CCE and allows taxpayers to contribute to this fund at the time they file tax returns. This fund will support a grant program for nonprofit organizations.

HB 119 allows nonprofit organizations to apply for state grants without holding a Charitable Solicitations Permit.

HB 482 creates an Archaeological and Historic Sites Grant within SHPO (funded one-time at $500,000).

We encourage you to attend the 2023 Session Wrap-Up hosted by the Utah Cultural Alliance on March 28 at 10 am to hear more about the session.