Utah Governor Spencer Cox concluded the 2024 General Legislative Session by signing 555 pieces of legislation, issuing seven vetoes, and allowing two bills to take effect without his signature. Among the notable actions, Cox vetoed bills including HB 152 (Residential Construction Amendments), HB 239 (State Employee Cybersecurity Training), HB 412 (Legislative Auditor General Amendments), SB 244 (Professional Licensing Modifications), SB 274 (Administrative Law Judge Amendments), HB 144, and SB 190. He also approved SB 161, a bill that could see the state purchase a power plant slated for decommissioning, and supported a November ballot question on tax cuts. Additionally, Cox allowed a bill to create a pilot program for the medical use of psilocybin and MDMA to treat mental health conditions to become law without his signature. This decision opens the door for Utah's two largest healthcare systems to use these substances in treatment. The governor expressed a desire to reduce the number of bills passed by approximately 25%, citing that many could be resolved without legislation.
Love this! Kevin Bacon is coming to Utah https://t.co/q6Ep3tZNVK
The psilocybin program was pitched as another option to help solve the state’s mental health crisis. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox will let the program take effect later this spring. https://t.co/IpDFU4cO4N
The Salt Lake County District Attorney says a new bill signed by Gov. Cox unnecessarily burdens his depleted staff. @danielmwoodruff https://t.co/UhkAdS5xof
Utah has quietly legalized psilocybin and MDMA to treat mental health conditions at Utah's two biggest hospital systems. The next hurdle: How will hospitals actually implement this? https://t.co/zGikuyjwjq
03/22: Gov. Cox vetoes 7 bills that 'could have been a phone call'; Kevin Bacon is coming to Payson High!; Salt Lake City's 'Maven District' dares women to dream big; Mayor Wilson weighs in on Ukraine - and bonus: it's Daffodil Day! https://t.co/pvg3WOCpiU #utpol #utpolicy
From @AlixelCabrera: These bills will become law, but Cox won’t endorse them with a signature https://t.co/r3tHTfybTd via @UTNewsDispatch #utpol
The Republican governor rejected the bills because they would “weaken criminal penalties and undermine public safety," he said in a statement announcing his vetoes. https://t.co/H7iW3g8GXA
Tony Evers took action on a host of election related bills. Here's what he signed and vetoed https://t.co/GCc3Vgrm7w
A bill that allows Utahns to try psilocybin in a highly-regulated program will go into effect without Governor Spencer Cox's signature. https://t.co/yQIAsYLDXv
Magic mushrooms and MDMA may soon treat mental health issues at these Utah hospitals https://t.co/DF0JcAUy35
Utah @GovCox vetoes 7 bills, tells lawmakers to stop legislating what could be ‘a phone call’ https://t.co/OPmoWNu57M via @UTNewsDispatch #utpol #utleg
Cox has vetoed several bills passed by lawmakers after lawmakers approved a record number of 591 bills in 2024. @LindsayOnAir reports. https://t.co/Xvb218nDcW
Now: @govcox issues seven vetoes, lets psychedelics bill for medical treatment become law without signature. @KUTV2News https://t.co/zDb7vn5Qgc
Wisconsin Gov. Evers vetoes GOP voting, election audit bills; greenlights political AI crackdown https://t.co/9m6obrbOLy
Doctors at Utah’s two biggest health care systems will have the option to use psilocybin and MDMA to treat patients after Gov. Cox opted not to veto the bill creating the pilot program. https://t.co/zGikuyjwjq
The bills that fell victim to the veto pen were largely unnecessary, Gov Spencer Cox said. He wants the number of bills passed cut by roughly 25%. https://t.co/pCIZHSiwCb
More about these vetoed bills and what Cox did sign during our 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts on https://t.co/59E4gVvnzc ! https://t.co/Ttf3n5qHLO
#BREAKING @GovCox announces he's issued seven vetoes, two line-item vetoes and is allowing two bills to go into effect without signature. The bills he vetoed are HB 152, HB 239, HB 412, SB244, SB 274, HB 144, SB 190 (I'll have a report with what these do soon) The bills he's…
New: Gov. Cox has vetoed seven bills: HB152 — Residential Construction Amendments HB239 — State Employee Cybersecurity Training HB412 — Legislative Auditor General Amdmts SB244 — Professional Licensing Modifications SB274 — Administrative Law Judge Amdmts (More)
And just like that, the 2024 General Legislative Session has officially come to an end! The bill signing period has concluded, and we signed 555 pieces of legislation - plus issued a few vetoes. Check out https://t.co/DGIvPnbVoI for the full list of bills we signed this year https://t.co/czEIo7CJwh
BREAKING: @GovCox vetoes 7 bills and two line times, while allowing 2 bills (motion picture incentives and the bill to create a pilot program for certain drugs, including psilocybin) to take effect with out his signature. Here's his letter on all of these #utpol #utleg https://t.co/lfOhEItjmT
New @CityWeekly: Gov. Spencer Cox supports November ballot question on tax cuts; will sign bill targeting Salt Lake County DA #slc #utpol https://t.co/xc1KV8ecWz
From @AlixelCabrera: @GovCox says he will sign SB161, the bill to keep IPP power plant open amid warnings of federal conflict — but a special legislative session could be looming to make some changes #utpol #utleg https://t.co/fHyjjV4inl via @UTNewsDispatch
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox thinks the state legislature may have gone a little too hard this year in passing legislation, noting that a record-breaking 591 new bills were sent to his desk. https://t.co/96Yrci0jnx
Watch live: Gov. Cox holds his monthly news conference as deadline to sign bills approaches https://t.co/8CxnDnu1Fz
@GovCox says he will sign SB161, energy bill, that could see state buy a power plant set for “decommissioning.” @KUTV2News https://t.co/qoUfOFno4a
Now: @GovCox says “I still have some to go” on bills from the @UTLEGtracker. Dozens of bills still not signed.
Now: Gov Spencer Cox doing his monthly news conference. Going to start out with a statement about the legislative session — today is the last day for him to sign bills.
Legalizing LSD? FDA Says Mm-hmm to MM120 https://t.co/9P1lxUIpbx #Psychedelics #Prescription #Federal @bradleylegal https://t.co/l9tbrqkJ4o