In a busy 2025 legislative session that has seen roughly 900 bills and resolutions introduced, Utah lawmakers have voted down just 12 bills so far - with Democratic lawmakers bearing the brunt of the defeats. Of the failed bills, nine were sponsored by Democrats and three by Republicans.
Rep. Andrew Stoddard and Sen. Nate Blouin, both Democrats, have each had a trio of bills defeated this year.
Two of Stoddard’s gun-related bills were voted down in committee. HB132 imposed a penalty on the owner if a minor accessed an unsecured gun and committed a crime. HB387 banned attachments that could modify firearms into machine guns.
The third Stoddard bill that went down to defeat, HB35, proposed adding risk assessments for Utahns on the state Sex, Kidnap and Child Abuse Registry sentenced to probation instead of jail. It failed on the House floor with a 27-41 vote.
Blouin’s trio of bills that were nixed all failed to advance out of committee.
- SB125 aimed to give more protections to renters.
- SB130 was a gun control measure Blouin said would reduce the risks of mass shootings.
- SB244 proposed raising income taxes on wealthy Utahns by imposing a higher rate on anyone earning $1 million or more annually.
Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore saw his SB137 fail on the Senate floor. The bill proposed splitting the state’s online education program into two entities - one for public school students and another for private school or homeschooling students.
Democratic Sen. Jennifer Plumb’s SB212 attempted to expand the state helmet mandate for e-bike users. It was defeated on the Senate floor 11-13.
SB69 from Sen. Evan Vickers failed to pass a committee after a tie vote. The legislation protected a pharmacy’s ability to dispense certain drugs under a federal discount program.
In the House, the only failed Republican-sponsored bill is HB117 from Rep. Ken Ivory, which stalled after a tie committee vote. Lawmakers removed the statute of limitations for sexual crimes against children. The bill attempted to expand the list of crimes under the definition of sexual abuse against children.
The two other House Democrat-sponsored bills have been defeated in 2025:
- HB182 from Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion required landlords to give 60 days’ notice before a rent increase.
- HB54 from Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost dealt with hemp product regulations.
Beyond outright defeats, lawmakers can effectively halt legislation by holding it in committee - a legislative limbo that typically means the end of the road for a bill. Several significant proposals have met this fate in 2025, including measures that would have expanded school meal programs and healthcare access:
- SB173 from Sen. Luz Escamilla to provide free breakfast and lunch for public school students.
- SB127 which proposed to expand the state’s ranked choice voting pilot program for nonpartisan elections for another 10 years.
- HB314 which prohibited health insurance plans from charging a copay or deductible for breast examinations.
- HB206 created a financial incentive to attend school for children who are chronically absent.
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