Federalism
Utah is leading the charge to protect states’ rights in the face of a federal government that continues to expand its footprint far beyond what is permitted by the Constitution. Utah is not immune from federal overreach, including battles over Utah’s public lands, unnecessary mandates, and overregulation.The Utah House of Representatives believes that decisions about the state should be made by leaders elected by and accountable to the people — not unelected bureaucrats in Washington DC.
Utah lawmakers recently created the National Federalism Initiative, a state-led, nonpartisan effort to rebalance the relationship between state and federal governments. In addition, we passed a legal path to restore that balance when the executive branch acts beyond what is authorized by Congress without going through the legislative process.
RECENT NEWS
Past Legislation
HB 249
2026
Federal Funds Modifications
Established a process to review federal funds for any conditions or requirements before deciding whether to accept and use them
HB 342
2026
Federal Grant Process Amendments
Created a new process for large federal grants over $100 million, including a joint legislative committee that advises the Executive Appropriations Committee on how to allocate the funds
HB 147
2025
Federalism Amendments
Established a platform for continuing education of state leaders regarding specific State-Federal jurisdictional lines, an annual summit of States to address this governing balance, and a state-led jurisdictional watchdog to continually monitor and maintain State and Federal roles and responsibilities