H.B. 520 Higher Education Student Housing Study

What this bill does

H.B. 520 would direct a housing expert in the governor's office, working with higher education leaders, to study how college student populations affect housing markets in surrounding towns and cities, including the cost of those effects. The study would also look at mitigation options such as development on university-owned land and partnerships with private developers; the bill itself does not require construction or provide funding.

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Every vote

• 9 yes, 1 noHouse Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 20, 2026Who voted how
• 45 yes, 23 no, 7 absentFinal House vote · Feb 26, 2026Who voted how
• 3 yes, 0 no, 3 absentSenate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee: vote to approve it · Mar 2, 2026Who voted how
• 25 yes, 4 noFinal Senate vote · Mar 4, 2026Who voted how

Hearings and debates

• Feb 20, 2026 House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (17 turns)

  1. Committee chair27:50

     The minutes are approved. We'll go ahead and start with our first, uh, item on the agenda.

  2. Committee chair27:55

     Uh, Representative Thompson presenting HB five 20 higher education student housing study. Welcome Representative Thompson.

  3. Rep. Jason E. Thompson28:06

     Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, I'm gonna have, uh, Steve Waldrop from the Governor's office. Uh, join me if that's okay with you, uh, for my presentation. That is, that is great. Yes. I'm trying to figure out the lights in here Saying, that's great representative. I was worried about your answer To that question, So I'm ready when you are. Mr. Chair. I'm, we are ready? Yep. Okay. Uh, Mr. Chair, I, I have, uh, I have prepared some, some prepared, um, comments. This, some of this is a little bit technical. Um, so, um, I'm gonna use some prepared comments to go through it and then excited to take any questions. So, um, HB five 20 is, is really, uh, a simple, simple bill. Um, it's a bill for us to do a study, a feasibility study, and a study to look at the impacts of our college and universities on the municipalities, um, that host them. So the municipalities that are home to our college and universities are facing the worst of our state's housing availability and affordability issues. After recently receiving the data from Logan City, um, which is a city I represent, I was unpleasantly surprised at what I learned with cons, um, with con consistent trends of increased enrollment over the decades, purpose-built student housing, housing has not kept pace. While our institutions of higher education bring tremendous value to these communities, there are also adverse impacts that have gone unmitigated for decades. Due to a lack of student housing developments. Students are increasingly occupying detached single family home units, eating into potential home ownership opportunities from members of the broader community. So I wanna use Logan as an example. And, um, uh, members of the committee, um, Mr. Chair, please be seated for these numbers 'cause they will floor you. Um, 18,011 on campus students at Utah State University, 18,011, 18,700 total housing units in Logan available to to live. That's between multifamily or single family. That's the total number. One third of Logan housing is multifamily, which is 25% higher than the national average. Only 7% of housing in Logan is below the $200,000 mark. Of the 18,000 students that are on campus, 3,500 live on campus, 3,500 live in homes with their families in the surrounding community. That leaves 10,151 students left to compete for housing with city residents with a total count of 18,700 units. You do the math home owner occupancy in Logan City is 37.2% compared to 70% as the state average. HB five 20 directs a housing expert within the governor's office in coordination with higher education leadership to conduct a statewide statewide feasibility. Examining, examining the following, the measurable impact of student populations on surrounding housing markets, the magnitude and cost of that impact, practical mitigation strategies, including development on university owned land, and partnerships with private developers in collaboration with each university. This study will explore potential development opportunities of land under the university's ownership. New developments can offer socially connected student communities, provide local housing options for faculty, and relieve the housing markets in these, um, uh, housing markets in these cities. Opening up home ownership opportunities. This joint effort saves universities the time, money, and expertise they require to best develop this land. And offers the state a possible solution to the current housing shortage and the affordability crisis we find ourselves in. By proactively planning student, young, professional, and faculty housing support, um, we can support first time home ownership, improve faculty recruitment and retention, strengthen university communities, and increase the overall housing supply. This bill does not mandate construction or appropriate funding. It only a, uh, aims to examine data, coordinate efforts, and explore potential solutions. Any development strateg strategies identified in the study would respect local land use authority, and encourage collaboration with municipalities In anticipation of running this legislation, I have personally met with each of our college, university, uh, college and u University presidents to discuss the proposed concept, engaged their support in each meeting, concern over housing, including faculty. Um, housing availability was expressed by our presidents. I was surprised to learn of the number of faculty positions that are not accepted by the most qualified candidates due to a lack of housing options and affordability. All expressed an overwhelming willingness and desire to participate in this feasibility study. This bill is sup is fully supported by the Utah League of Cities and Towns, and each of the communities surrounding all of our state colleges and universities. And with that, Mr. Chair, I will yield the time for questions.

  4. Committee chair34:18

     Thank you, representative. Um, we'll bring it back to the committee for clarifying questions. Seeing one light Representative Hansen.

  5. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee34:29speaker not certain

     Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I just have a, so this, this is for all the state, um, universities around the State. This is for, for every state college and university and community that hosts those uni tho those universities. Yes. Alright.

  6. Committee chair34:45

     Thank you. Thank you representative. Seeing no other lights, we will, uh, open it to the public for comment. Any, is there anyone from the public who like to comment on this bill? Okay. I see one hand. Perfect. And because we have kind of a packed agenda, I'm gonna set a timer for a minute and 30 seconds. So time is yours.

  7. Alexa Oldham, Utah League of Cities and Towns35:11

     Thank you. Good morning, Mr. Chair. Committee members. My name is Alexa Oldham. I'm a policy analyst with the Utah League of Cities and Towns. I appreciate you allowing me the time this morning to express the league's strong support for HB five 20. First and foremost, want to thank the bill sponsor, Representative Thompson for his partnership on this issue, which as he explained in his presentation, is a real one for our college towns. On average, municipalities with college campuses have a significantly higher share of rental housing than their neighbors without college campuses. What this means is that this study will not only help facilitate housing opportunities for students and faculty, it will also open up existing units to owner occupancy, which from our perspective, is a win-win as cities benefit from increased stability that owner-occupied housing brings and our students graduating from our institutions of higher education, as well as all Utahans benefit from increased opportunities to purchase a home. We've reached out to all of our college towns throughout the state, and they're supportive of this study being conducted and excited about the conversations and solutions that will come from it. So, with that, I want to thank the bill sponsor for his hard work on this issue once again and encourage the committee to move the bill forward. Thank you.

  8. Committee chair36:23

     Thank you very much. Uh, is there anyone else from the public that'd like to comment? Okay. We'll go ahead and close public comment and bring it back to the committee for further discussion or action on this bill. Representative Jack.

  9. Rep. Jack Colin W.36:46

     Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would, and, and I don't see any subs or amendments, so I would move that we pass out HB two 50, um, higher education student housing study with favorable recommendation.

  10. Committee chair37:07

      Great. That motion is in order. Uh, the, the recomme, the motion is to favorably recommend HP five 20, um, higher education student housing study. Would you like to, uh, speak to that motion? I'll waive, Um, further discussion to that motion represent Fifi. This is to favorably re recommend it. Right?

  11. Rep. Doug Fiefia37:28

      I just would like to think of sponsor on this. Uh, I, I think this is great work. We are constantly looking at how can we find ways to make housing more affordable, and I think this study is a smart way to use state dollars to figure out how we solve this issue. And so I just appreciate your work and, and your creative ideas, uh, that you've brought to the table. So I'm in full support.

  12. Committee chair37:52

      Thank you, representative, Representative Hansen.

  13. Rep. Karianne Lisonbee37:56

      Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't know why we need to use taxpayer money, money that isn't even mine to, um, to give toward a feasibility study. Even if it sounds wonderful. I think this can be done differently. So I'll be a no

  14. Committee chair38:08

      Thank you representative. Uh, I don't see any further lights. So we'll go to the sponsor for summation.

  15. Rep. Jason E. Thompson38:15

      Uh, Mr. Chair, if I may sum with, uh, a couple just very quick statements, um, and then turn a little bit of time over for the remainder of my sum to, uh, Steve Waldrop. Would that be okay? Yep. Um, I, number one, I really think this committee for the favorable recommendation, um, number two, it is incumbent upon us as elected, duly elected representatives to work and to find the best possible solutions that we can find that provide for the health, the welfare, and the safety of our citizens. And the funding that is, is being requested with this bill is some of the best spent taxpayer funds that we can spend to help solve one of the largest issues that is facing our state right now that is exporting not only our children and grandchildren, but some of the greatest future talent that we need to continue to build and grow our state. So with that, I'll turn the rest of my time over to, uh, to Steve Waldrop.

  16. Steve Waldrop, Senior Advisor for Housing Strategy and Innovation, Utah Governor's Office39:19

      Thank you, Mr. Chair representative. Um, if there was a silver bullet, then I would've only been in this committee one time. Uh, but because you see me back again, uh, it's because there are so many things that impact our housing supply, uh, our housing demand. And as, um, I, I've been flabbergasted by the owner occupancy percentages of our college towns owner occupancy is, is the heart of what, uh, the governor has advocated for what I was hired to try to deliver, because it is the future of our state, our, our society, our culture. Everything that we have depends on having people with stable, um, housing and stable home ownership opportunities. And this is a, a very important step in understanding how one great thing that we do in our state, which is create great educational opportunities for our kids and our grandkids. And, and, and yet it's pushing citizens out of their own communities. It's creating imbalance. Um, our cities are frustrated with this. There have been, uh, going back to my days at BYU, uh, I remember the battles between Provost City and BYU over student housing. It's been going on for a very long time. We haven't addressed it. This is an excellent opportunity to appropriate a little bit of money. And, and the other piece of this that I think is really important to understand is we don't necessarily need each of our colleges and universities become experts in development. We don't want each of them doing their own thing and, and creating their own office of housing development and having to negotiate with developers. There's, there's power in the, in the aggregation of that university structure and system into a structure that the universities can lead in partnership with the cities to create these solutions. So I think there's, there's tremendous power in that. We're very supportive of this and really appreciate a good representative for bringing this issue to, to the light of day and, and dealing with it. Thank you. Thank You.

  17. Committee chair41:34

      Thank you, representative. Appreciate it. Thank you. We'll go back to the maker of the motion Representative Jack for some. Thank you. I'll wa thank you. Okay. The motion before us is to favorably recommend HB five 20 higher education student housing study. Uh, we'll take a voice, vote on that. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay. We, that passes nine to one with Representative Hansen voting. No. So thanks Representative Thompson. Appreciate it.

• Feb 26, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (33 turns)

  1. Reading Clerk11:45

     Madam Reading Clerk House Bill five 20 higher education student housing study by Representative Thompson. This bill was heard in Economic Development and Workforce Services with a vote of 9 1 0.

  2. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)11:57

     Representative Thompson.

  3. Rep. Jason E. Thompson11:59

     Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro. Tim, I would like to move, uh, amendment one in my name.

  4. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)12:05

     That's an order. Would you like to discuss the amendment? Yeah.

  5. Rep. Jason E. Thompson12:08

     Working with a League of Cities and Towns, uh, we just added a small line to make sure and include the municipalities in which higher education institutions, um, uh, are are part of in, in the study that we're proposing

  6. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)12:22

     There. Any discussion to the amendment? Seeing none. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? I rule the motion passes. Representative Thompson.

  7. Rep. Jason E. Thompson12:35

     Thank you, uh, Mr. Speaker Pro Tim. So, um, colleagues, uh, Mr. Speaker municipalities, um, that our colleges and universities reside in are experiencing some of the, the worst effects of the affordability and availability crisis that we're having with housing. So before the session started, I received a, a batch of data from Logan, a city, a city which I represent, and I was astonished at what I learned, um, from the data. I'm just gonna recite some of it just so everyone has context. University of or, or, uh, Utah State University has 20,000, approximately 20,000 students that attend, uh, uh, courses on campus at Utah State. In the city of Logan itself, we have 18,570 housing units. So that's everything from mixed use, that's everything from single family detached town homes, um, all the above. So 20,000 students, 8,570 units available, um, uh, on the market. 3,500 of our 20,000 students live on campus at USU, another 3,500 live with their families in the community. So what that means is we have 13,000 college students in Logan that are competing for 18,570 units in the community. This results in a 35% owner occupancy rate. Um, for me, this seems unacceptable. I was extraordinarily shocked at how low that is. Um, it doesn't get much better. In our other college towns, we're around 50% in Cedar, around 50% in Efram. Uh, St. George has similar issues. So what this bill does, HB five 20 directs a housing expert in the governor's office in coordination with higher education and the municipalities in which these higher ES education institutions, um, uh, reside to conduct a statewide feasibility study, examining the following things, the measurable impact of student populations on surrounding housing markets, the magnitude and costs of that impact, and then practical mitigation strategies. So, um, this bill does not mandate construction. It does not appropriate any funding. It only aims to examine data, to coordinate efforts and to explore potential solutions. Any development strategies that may be identified in this study, uh, would respect local land use authority and encourage collaboration with municipalities. Now in preparation, uh, for, uh, presenting this bill, I have met with all of our presidents of our college, colleges and universities here in the state. All of them have expressed concern about housing in their respective communities. Most of them have respect, concern about their, their ability to attract talent, where they will recruit faculty from other locations around the country that will accept jobs, will come to the state, try and find housing. Either they can't find it or they can't afford it, so they remove their, their acceptance to come and they leave. So we're also losing, losing talent. Now, in addition to meeting with each of these college universities and pre university, uh, college and university presidents, the Utah League and cities of town has also been involved, has talked with all of the municipalities surrounding these universities, these municipalities as well as university support this feasibility study. And, um, Mr. Speaker pro tem, that's what I seek to do with this bill. And, uh, would, uh, appreciate the body support. Thank you.

  8. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)16:29

     Discussion to the bill. Representative Peck.

  9. Rep. Nicholeen P. Peck16:34

     Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro Tem with the sponsor yield to question

  10. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)16:37

      The sponsor yield. I will Sponsor yields. Thank You.

  11. Rep. Nicholeen P. Peck16:41

      It looks like a lot of thought has gone into this and a lot of conversations, and I really appreciate that, especially because I have college aged children who have struggled with housing. Um, I do have a question, however, which is, um, you know, normally things like this, the market kind of like sees where there's a need and then they, they handle it. They, you know, builders or, you know, people will come in and they'll make rentals or whatever for people. So I'm wondering, um, why we're putting $60,000 into a study instead of maybe just like inviting some people who could afford to maybe make housing and, and build housing to handle it instead. Is there a reason why we're taking one angle over a different angle?

  12. Rep. Jason E. Thompson17:24

      Uh, thank you, uh, Mr. Speaker Pro tem. Uh, we we're actually going to be doing all the above. Uh, so what we'd like to do is we'd like to bring and have a coordinated effort amongst the university presence. Also working with a private sector to look and say, Hey, what's possible here? What we're really wanting to look at are the impacts. And my argument would be if the private sector was solving the issue that we wouldn't have 35% owner occupancy in a, in a college town. Um, so my concern is not, um, about who has what conversation, where I think we need to all be having that conversation. We're gonna be working to do that, but I think we need to collect the data. We need to have the information so that we then know how to move forward from that point. As for the $60,000 fiscal note, in all likelihood, we will not need that. Um, the governor's office, um, with, uh, university of Utah and the Gardner Center at the University of Utah, um, uh, I believe at this point they feel that they can cover that cost. Thank you.

  13. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)18:32

      Senator Sawyer?

  14. Rep. Jake Sawyer18:35

      Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Uh, will the sponsor yield Sponsor yield?

  15. Rep. Jason E. Thompson18:39

      I will Sponsor yields.

  16. Rep. Jake Sawyer18:40

      Thank you. Um, just clarifying, is this for student home ownership?

  17. Rep. Jason E. Thompson18:47

      Uh, that's a great question Mr. Speaker Pro, Tim, this is just to look at overall impact on housing. Um, as I've looked at this, you can't separate student housing from single family housing. The problem is, is it's all got clumped in to one where a lot of traditional single family homes are now being occupied, uh, by college students because others have been pushed out. So this is actually, um, looking at, at single family homes, um, homes for young professionals, homes for students looking homes for faculty. Just looking at the overall impact that these colleges and universities have. We, it's, it's very clear that college universities have a tremendous amazing economic impact on the cities that, um, that host them. However, I do believe that there are some adverse impacts that the data is showing very clearly have gone unattended for many decades that could be contributing significantly to, um, home ownership in this state. And that's what we wanna look at.

  18. Rep. Jake Sawyer19:51

      Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the sponsor continue to yield Sponsor yield to a series of questions? I

  19. Rep. Jason E. Thompson19:56

      Will. Thank you.

  20. Rep. Jake Sawyer19:57

      Um, so just to clarify again, is this, is this looking at a housing affordability or is this looking at housing availability?

  21. Rep. Jason E. Thompson20:05

      This is looking at house housing availability. It's looking at the impacts of student housing, um, in these communities. Um, and, uh, affordability is always part of the equation, but mostly looking at the impact.

  22. Rep. Jake Sawyer20:19

      What impact, um, are these colleges and universities having That's an adverse impact on the

  23. Rep. Jason E. Thompson20:25

      communities surrounding tho those universities.

  24. Rep. Jake Sawyer20:28

      Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I applaud the sponsor on his good work here and, uh, I urge the body support

  25. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)20:39

      Representative Shelley.

  26. Rep. Tiara Auxier20:42

      Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the sponsor yield to a question Sponsor yield? I will Sponsor yields.

  27. Rep. Troy Shelley20:48

      Thank you. In, in this study, will it also look at regulations within the cities that could be discouraging the free enterprise from coming in and handling this?

  28. Rep. Jason E. Thompson21:00

      Um, thank you Mr. Speaker Pro Tem. Absolutely. This study is gonna be looking at, at, um, I don't have the full scope of this study outlined yet, but that would be a very important thing for us to look at as part of the study, um, if we're trying to have a, a comprehensive gathering of data and information. Perfect.

  29. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)21:21

      Thank you Representative Matthews

  30. Rep. Ashlee Matthews21:27speaker not certain

      Question. I'd like to withdraw your motion. That was the last light.

  31. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)21:33

      Oh, perfect. Alright. All right. Seeing no further lights, uh, the vote will be opened on house. Oh, yes. Back to Representative Thompson for summation.

  32. Rep. Jason E. Thompson21:44

      Uh, thank you Mr. Speaker. Pro tem, just in, in, in summation, this study I think is going to be enlightening. It's gonna provide some great insight, it's gonna provide some great data. Um, and I think it's gonna give us some guidance on, um, hey, maybe we can concentrate our efforts in some specific areas, um, in the state versus, um, uh, approaches that have been considered of taking over zoning on a statewide level. I wanna maintain local control, but I wanna look at where the greatest impacts are and say, Hey, what can we do to, to mitigate those impacts? So I would appreciate your support

  33. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)22:22

      Vote will be opened on house. Bill five 20, seeing all president have voted, voted, the vote will be closed. House bill five 20 passes with 45 yays, 23 nays and will be sent to the Senate for further consideration. Madam Reading, clerk

• Mar 2, 2026 Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (16 turns)

  1. Committee chair1:07:07

     Uh, next up on the agenda is HB five 20 Higher education student Housing Study. Representative Thompson, just go ahead and when you're ready.

  2. Rep. Jason E. Thompson1:07:17

     Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, so, uh, this committee is well aware that we, we, we are struggling, uh, with a housing crisis in our state. Um, and, uh, we're, we're grappling at, at ways of, of how to, how to address that. And, um, prior to the session, the beginning of the session, I received, received some data, um, from Logan City. And I want to, I wanna share that data with a committee. Um, Utah State University has 20, about 20,000 can students on campus at USU, uh, in Logan City proper. There's 18,570 units. Now, that's, that's, um, uh, single family detached. That's townhomes, that's apartments, that's all the above. So 18,570. Now, of the 20,000 students on campus at USU, there are, um, uh, 3,500 that are, uh, that live in on-campus housing, another 3,500 live with their families. Somewhere in the community that leaves 13,000 students to compete for housing, where there's a, a supply of 18,570 units. We can do the math. It's not very pretty. Um, in fact, owner occupancy, um, in Logan City is 35%. The state average is 70%. Um, so that led me to think, Hey, let's, let's look at some data in some other towns. Let's look in Cedar. Let's look in St. George. Let's look in, um, uh, Ephraim, let's look around. The numbers are not much better. They're a little bit better. Logan, unfortunately is the worst that I found, but they're not much better. Um, so we, we have owner occupancy rates down around 45% in some of these other areas. Now, an another concern is, is the recruitment of talent. Um, I have met with every one of our Unity University presidents, college University presidents on this issue. They're all extraordinarily concerned and extraordinarily excited to participate in, in the study that I'm, I'm proposing that we do. Um, but one of the big problems that they're also running into is, is the recruitment of faculty. We're, we're having faculty that are accepting positions, coming out, trying to find housing. Number one, they can't find it. If they can find it, they can't afford it for what we can pay 'em. So we're, we're actually not getting some of the best talent in the state because of, of, of, um, housing issues. So this led me to think, we, we need to study the data. We need to look at this. We need to, we, we need to know what, um, occupancy rates are. We need to know, um, uh, what this looks like in the surrounding communities. We need to know what mitigation factors, if anything. Um, it, it's pretty clear in my mind that over, um, the past three or four decades that universities likely have not done an adequate job to mitigate the adverse impacts of, um, the number of students that come into these towns. We can talk all day about the positive impacts that these universities bring our, our cities, towns, and, and state. But there's, there's some adverse impacts here as well. So that's what we wanna look at. We wanna look and say, you know, what are the impacts? What does the data show? Um, and then what are some potential solutions? Um, look, looking forward, um, speaking with the governor's office. The governor's office believes that they can absorb with the, the Gardner Center, uh, at University of Utah, can likely absorb the $60,000 fiscal note. So I, I don't believe that they'll necessarily even be a, a, a, a state impact for our budget this year on this. Um, but I'm, uh, I'm excited to be a part of this. I think it's gonna be very insightful. I think we're gonna get great information, um, that is extraordinarily important for us to have as we try and work to navigate, um, our, our our housing issues in the state. And with that, I'll conclude and, uh, open up for any questions you might have.

  3. Committee chair1:11:37

     Thank you, representative. Uh, are there any questions from the committee? Um, I will ask a, a question. First of all, I'll say that it, uh, it's obvious you've done a ton of work on this and, um, brought in a lot of stats that are surprising to me. I had no idea, uh, some of these things that are, you know, the numbers that are out there. Um, so I think that this is a really important study. Um, and, and I, uh, am very, I'm grateful for the work that you do. I'm also stalling a little bit because we lost quorum. So we're, we're hoping to, uh, bring in another, another senator so that we can go ahead and, and get a vote on this. But, um, in the meantime, why don't we move forward and get, uh, some, oh, here he is. Okay, great. Uh,

  4. Committee chair1:12:26

     let me open it up to the public. Who would like to speak on this? Come on up.

  5. Steve Waldrip, Senior Advisor for Housing Strategy and Innovation, Governor's Office1:12:39

     Hello, Madam Chair and committee members, Steve Walder with the Governor's office. Um, we've been working with representative on this bill. Um, the numbers he brought were staggering to me as well. And it's a statewide problem. This is not limited. Uh, over the last few years I've heard from universities about the challenges, particularly they have in hiring, uh, talent. And, um, we have universities where they offer four, uh, for every four positions that they offer, uh, and are accepted. Only one ends up coming through because they come to the community and they say, oh, I wanna be, I can't afford to live here. Can you pay me more? And, and, you know, that's where, that's where it hits is, is the pay scale doesn't match the communities that, that these people are trying to live in. So we're incredibly supportive of this. We're working with them on funding the, the study. We're hoping to find some funding, uh, here in the next couple of days so we can, uh, take that funding request off of the legislative list, uh, which we're hopeful we are gonna be able to do, working with our, uh, university partners and, and our, uh, education partners. Thank you.

  6. Committee chair1:13:49

     Great. Thank you. Go

  7. Cameron Diehl, Executive Director, Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT)1:13:50

     Ahead. Uh, thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee, Cameron deal. Again, with the utility of cities and towns. We also support the bill. Uh, we've appreciate Representative Thompson for bringing it forward and right within hours of our first conversation about this, I was in touch with all of our college towns, from Ephraim to Logan, and everybody in between. Um, and actually one of the amendments that Representative Thompson put it on the house floor ensures that municipalities that host these colleges and universities, including Taylorsville, Madam Chair, and, and others, will be part of this conversation. Because every community has a slightly different story to tell of what their campus looks like and what assets are available. And we're very excited for this opportunity going forward. Thank you.

  8. Committee chair1:14:28

     Great. Thank you very much. See no other comments from the public. I, I'll bring it back to the, uh, to the committee. Uh, uh, Senator Owens.

  9. Sen. Derrin R. Owens1:14:39

     Oh, sorry. Thank you, Madam Chair, Representative Thompson, you're spot on with this. It's a problem. Um, I, I know of one because I worked at Snow College. I don't now, but I, I was there for five years and I know one employee who was hired from Cedar City, um, just figured they would sell their home there and move to Ephraim. And they are still three years later commuting every weekend and, and living in a, a little apartment because of this issue. And so it is critical, and I appreciate your work on it. It'll be, uh, I'm definitely support. So I'm gonna make a motion that we pass out House Bill five 20 to the full body of the Senate.

  10. Committee chair1:15:20

      Thank you. It's been moved to pass out House Bill five 20 higher education, student housing study, uh, to the full body, with a favor, favorable recommendation to the full body of the Senate. Any discussion on that? Senator Johnson?

  11. Sen. John D. Johnson1:15:37

      I, you know, this, this is presented as a simple study, bill and I, I, and I, I'm very supportive of data-driven policy making. I think that's, I, I think that's a really important thing. Uh, I, I'm a little bit concerned, I guess just placing the feasibility analysis inside the governor's office. Uh, you know, if, if this study is really going to shape higher ed, uh, appropriations and housing policy, I think the legislature should define stronger guardrails around methodology, fiscal modeling, neutrality. Right now, we are delegating broad discretion without clear analytical standards. And I, I, I guess as long as they, as long as they employ those, it, it will be, uh, it, it'll be okay. And, you know, I wouldn't be quite so leery about accepting the results from this study. Uh, and I, you know, the bill does frame student populations as a driver of declining home ownership and surrounding communities. And that may be true in some localized area, especially in places like Ephraim, right? I, I mean, I, you know, I know when I Uintah the University of Mississippi, uh, we actually had a student housing area as the city grew. We had student housing, but we also had faculty housing. And that was very convenient for me going in there. But as the, as the town grew, it became more apparent that, that there, there were other alternatives that existed. And so, you know, I do believe in smaller, uh, smaller areas, this is gonna be handy. Uh, this, this actually content, uh, contemp, it, it really looks at a uniform statewide effort to create dedicated student and faculty housing on state or institutional land. Uh, I think housing markets are really hyper-local. One size fits all development strategy, uh, risk distorting markets and bypassing the municipal authority. I'm glad to see that the league is on board with it. And so, but, but I just want to make sure that we, we ensure that the analysis is neutral, fiscally transparent and open to regulatory reform solutions, not just state directed development. I think those would be my concerns. Uh, I, you know, this is a study and so I, I, I hope we get some good results out of it. But those would be my concerns going forward. So I hope you guys could keep those in mind. Uh,

  12. Committee chair1:18:11

      Thank you. Uh, Representative Thompson, would you like to sum?

  13. Rep. Jason E. Thompson1:18:14

      Yeah, I, I would, and I, I think Senator Johnson, I, I think I would have the same concerns you do. Um, and I'd be happy to work with you. Um, um, throughout the, the process, we want good information. That's what we want. We want good information. The reason I think that the, the league's involvement is so important is, number one, for me, there is definitely no desire for a one size fits all. This is having towns, um, and surrounding communities around their college and universities to be active participants with the university presidents to find, um, potential solutions for their, for their communities. So, um, this, this is left a little bit vague because what we wanna do is we just want to do a study. We want to gather the information, we want to gather data, we want to do inventory of lands, we wanna have conversations maybe that haven't been formalized up to this point, but I think I share the same concerns. And your concerns are what are actually, um, driving this study to begin with. So, um, and I, I would, like I said, love to have your involvement in any way that, that you can. Thank you. Thank you.

  14. Committee chair1:19:17

      Thank you. Senator Owens to some,

  15. Sen. Derrin R. Owens1:19:20

      Yeah, no, I just, I think we'll find, learn some things just in even the housing market that we don't know now. Uh, so this study could really be beneficial and, and, uh, help us make better decisions. So thanks for your work on it, representative. I'll thank you.

  16. Committee chair1:19:38

      Thank you. I'll place it to a vote. All those in favor of passing out favorably house Bill five 20, uh, to the full body of the Senate indicate by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Say no. I rule that passes unanimously three to zero. Thank you, representative. Thank you.

• Mar 4, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (8 turns)

  1. Senate President (presiding)4:18:29speaker not certain

     circle. Senator Brammer.

  2. Sen. Brady Brammer4:18:31

     Thank you very much. So what this does, uh, around our universities, that's some of the areas where we have some of our highest housing shortages. Uh, it's uh, due to the pressure that universities place on the local housing environment, this includes problems with retaining teachers and attracting professors into the universities. So what this bill does is it, uh, it conducts a statewide feasibility study examining the measurable impact of student populations on surrounding housing markets, the magnitude and cost of that impact and practical mitigation strategies, which would include development on university owned land. Um, and so what this bill does not do is mandate any construction or appropriate any funding. It only aims to examine data, coordinate efforts, and explore potential solutions. And with that I'm open to any questions on it and

  3. Senate President Adams (presiding)4:19:21

     See no questions. Going back to you for a motion. I'll call the question. Thank you. Thank the question is, shall house bill five 20 Under suspension of the roll, how shall house bill five 20 pass Roll call vote. Senator Vickers. Baldy. Bwin Aye. Brammer Aye. Bus Colmore Fillmore Aye. Grover Harper. Aye. Kins Ipson Aye. Johnson Aye. Juab McKay Mikel Milner Musman Owens pitcher Plum Rebe Sandal Stevenson Stratton Vicars Weiler Wilson Winterton. Bus. Bus. Senator Bus? Aye Picture President Adams Aye. House Bill five 20 Having received 25 yay votes, four nay votes zero being absent passes this body and will be returned to the house will be signed by the president. Returned to the house for the signature of the speaker. Senator Fillmore, do you wanna make a motion?

  4. Sen. Lincoln Fillmore4:20:53

     My understanding? You want to reconsider a bill? Yeah. Under suspension of the rules, Mr. President, I move that we recon having voted on the prevailing side, I move that we reconsider our actions on household. So I'm gonna ask you to suspend the rules 'cause I don't think we can, we can just do it under, uh, under, under suspension of the rules. We need to suspend of the rules to actually reconsider actions. So I'm gonna have you make that motion first. I move to suspend the rules so that we can, uh, consider a motion to reconsider our actions.

  5. Senate President Adams (presiding)4:21:21

     Thank you. Uh, do we have we have a motion to suspend the roll. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Will let motion How rule it passes? No. Really? No. Oh, roll it passes.

  6. Sen. Lincoln Fillmore4:21:38

     Senator Fillmore out, uh, motion to reconsider, uh, having Voted on the prevailing side and under suspension of the rules, I move that we reconsider our actions on house Bill 5 0 2 school attendance modifications. I think it's the fourth substitute. We have a motion to reconsider actions on house bill 5 0 2. Is that correct? It is correct. School attendance modifications.

  7. Senate President Adams (presiding)4:22:02

     Do we have discussion of that motion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Rule It passes. We gotta place that bill back on the top of the second reading calendar. I think that's where it was. So let's put it there. I dunno if we wanna reconsider actions tonight, but it's on the top of the second reading calendar and I will call the bill when I see it here. Force fourth. Substitute house bill 5 0 2 Fourth substitute house bill 5 0 2. Motion school attendance modifications. Senator ml, right? Yes. Call it Let me. Senator ml

  8. Sen. Ann Millner4:22:51

     You. Thank you President and colleagues. It's, it's apparent to me I didn't do a very good job explaining this bill.