City Cast Salt Lake logo

What Does the Utah Legislature Do the Rest of the Year?

Posted on May 20, 2025   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Terina Ria

Terina Ria

Utah State Capitol building.

Find out what goes down on Capitol Hill during Utah’s interim session. (Jeremy Poland/Getty Images)


Utah’s 2026 General Session may have ended in March, but the work of shaping state policy continues throughout the year during interim sessions. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the process.

What Is the Interim Session?

Think of it like summer school for lawmakers. Between May and November (minus a break in July), Utah legislators are assigned to committees focusing on specific policy areas, like transportation or natural resources. These committees meet with experts, study policy issues, and gather public input, in order to prepare for the next general session.

What’s on the Agenda?

As you can imagine, there are a lot of topics for each committee to cover every year. Here are some of the key study items for 2025.

  • Business and Labor: ticket resale regulations
  • Economic Development and Workforce Services: rural film incentives and prep for the 2034 Winter Olympics
  • Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice: the use of artificial intelligence in investigations
  • Transportation: rethinking how Utah funds roads (gas tax, tolls, Road Usage Charge program)
  • Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment: improving state park accessibility

What Can You Do?

Interim sessions are a great opportunity for Utahns to get involved.

Share article

Hey Salt Lake

Stay connected to City Cast Salt Lake and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Local Civics

See All
Local CivicsMay 11

The Mayor’s $499 Million Budget Proposal

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall unveiled her proposed fiscal year 2027 budget this week, outlining a $498.9 million General Fund spe...

Pie graph of the 2027 Salt lake City budget proposal.
Local CivicsApril 13

Do Some Cities Want to Leave Salt Lake County?

When the 2026 legislative session ended, the Senate passed a bill after the midnight deadline: HB 212, coined the "Salt Lake County divor...

Salt Lake County map.
Local CivicsMarch 24

SLC Just Entered a Stage 2 Drought Advisory. Here’s What to Know (and Do)

Salt Lake City is back in a Stage 2 drought advisory for the first time since 2022. So what does that mean exactly and how can you help c...

Water running out of a hose on grass.
Local CivicsMarch 10

The 2026 Bills That Kept SLC on Its Toes

The 2026 legislative session is over, and Salt Lakers can finally stop holding their breath. Here are some bills that kept locals on thei...

Bike lane on 200 South in Salt Lake City.
Local CivicsFebruary 17

What’s a Community Council?

We told you what a mayor does and the city council, but have you heard of a community council? It’s a great way to get involved in the de...

Mockup of a futsal court and greenery under an underpass.
Local CivicsFebruary 10

Bills, Bills, Bills To Watch

We’re about halfway through the 2026 Utah legislative session, and lawmakers are debating a number of bills that could have a big impact...

Utah State Capitol
Local CivicsJanuary 27

When ICE Threatens Our Neighbors, Here's How Salt Lakers Can Act

After federal immigration agents shot and killed two people in Minneapolis, many people across the country and in our own backyard are as...

A crowd of people holding signs at a protest in SLC.
Local CivicsJanuary 20

5 Things You Should Know About the 2026 Utah Legislative Session

Today marks the first day of Utah’s 45-day 2026 legislative session. Here are five things to know as lawmakers convene at the Capitol in...

Utah flag on a flag pole.