A Legislature for Power, Not People
Salt Lake City — Utah’s 2026 legislative session is not shaping policy — it is reshaping power. What was billed as a session focused on affordability and housing has instead become a coordinated push to weaken democratic safeguards, strip civil rights, and punish vulnerable communities.
This is a session defined by control, not compassion.
JUDICIAL POWER GRAB
Lawmakers are moving to remake Utah’s courts, expanding the Supreme Court while tightening legislative influence over judges. The effect is unmistakable: a politicized judiciary less able to check partisan power. For Utahns, that means fewer protections when their rights are on the line.
TARGETING TRANSGENDER UTAHNS
A wave of bills aimed at transgender and LGBTQ+ residents would roll back protections in healthcare, identity documents, and public life. Cloaked in rhetoric about “protecting children,” these proposals instead deepen discrimination against some of the state’s most vulnerable people.
IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN THAT MAKES ROADS LESS SAFE
Efforts to repeal Utah’s driving privilege card program and force local police into federal immigration enforcement will make communities less safe. Fewer licensed, insured drivers — and more fear of law enforcement — is not public safety; it is political posturing.
ERODING VOTER PRIVACY
New proposals would expose more voter information to the public unless individuals jump through additional hoops. The likely result: intimidation, harassment, and lower participation — another quiet barrier to democracy.
CONTINUING THE WAR ON LABOR
The fallout from last year’s anti-collective bargaining law still looms large. Instead of addressing teacher shortages and workforce burnout, lawmakers have doubled down on weakening unions that represent teachers, firefighters, and other public servants.
A SESSION THAT WILL BE JUDGED BY VOTERS
Taken together, these moves reveal a Legislature more interested in consolidating power than serving Utahns. The coming elections will determine whether voters accept this trajectory — or demand a different future. Watch for Action Alerts on legislative bills, urging you to contact your Utah representatives to support or oppose certain bills. For additional bills-specific information, see ACLU Utah Legislative Tracking or League of Women Voters Utah (includes action alerts). For additional legislative news, see Utah News Dispatch. Elevate Utah PAC also has good info.
