Val L. Peterson

• H.B. 545 Budgetary Modifications · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Explains that the bill changes the Electrical Energy Development Investment Fund to a special revenue fund, makes appropriations from it non-lapsing, modifies its permissible uses, and includes a coordinating clause for Colorado River Authority amendments, and describes these as the Senate's changes.

  Read what they said

  Yes, Mr. Speaker that this changes the Electrical Energy Development Investment Fund from an expendable special revenue fund to a special revenue fund and makes appropriations from the fund non lapsing. It also modifies the permissible uses of the Electrical Energy Development Investment Fund and it, uh, includes a coordinating clause to make net technical changes for the Colorado River Authority Amendments. And that's what the changes were in the Senate.

  ▶ Watch at 34:15

• H.B. 513 Attorney General Funding Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Says the bill changes the name of the fund to the Legal Services retainer fund and changes "and" to "or" on line 508, which broadens that provision somewhat.

  Read what they said

  Yeah. So it uh, changes the name of the fund to the Legal Services retainer fund and on line 5 0 8 that changes an and to an or which broadens that piece a little bit. And that's what this bill does. Thank

  ▶ Watch at 1:18:26

• H.B. 3 Appropriations Adjustments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Peterson presented H.B. 3 as the final budget bill, outlined its $31.6 billion total budget and spending increases for education, higher education, social services, and criminal justice, described tax cuts and a new prison pod, and urged support.

  Read what they said

  Thank you Mr. Speaker. So, uh, this is our final budget bill and so our evening must be getting close to an end as you have the bill of bills in front of you. As you look at this list, you'll see that the majority of this list is our bills. This is our funding bill for our bills, both in the house and the Senate. And so, um, most of the lines belong to us for our work that we've done over the last seven weeks. So, uh, one I want to tell you, thank you for all of your work. We've all served on appropriations committees, on standing committees, and these are the, these are the fruits of …

  ▶ Watch at 1:27:58

• H.B. 3 Appropriations Adjustments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Peterson gave a closing summation saying the bill shows the work done and returns some tax funds to the people of Utah, and urged support.

  Read what they said

  Again, this is the harvest right here, folks, where we tell the people of the state of Utah and we show them all the hard work that we've done and, and as we have returned some of their tax funds back to them. So I urge your support for this bill.

  ▶ Watch at 1:30:55

• H.B. 513 Attorney General Funding Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Explains that H.B. 513 creates a new process for state agencies to pay for Attorney General legal services through annual retainers agreed by October 1, included in the governor's budget, appropriated by the legislature, and governed by a written service level agreement, replacing the current ISF process.

  Read what they said

  Thank you Mr. President Pro TEM HB 2 5 13 establishes a new process for state agencies to pay for legal services provided by the Ag G'S office. This would re replace the current ISF process By October 1st of each year, the Ag G'S office and each agency will jointly agree to retainer amount for the upcoming fiscal year. The retainer is estimated is is the estimated cost of the agency's legal services for the year. Retainers will be incorporated into the gov Governor's proposed budget. The legislature will appropriate the retainers to, to the agencies after session and before the start of each fiscal year, the ags office and each agency will enter into a written service level …

  ▶ Watch at 2:09:47

• S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Says the substitute keeps appropriation authority with the Legislature rather than the critical minerals committee and urges passage.

  Read what they said

  Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So this substitute's very important for, uh, one main reason. And that is, is it retains the ability to appropriate these funds from the legislature. So currently the, the previous sub delegates that authority to the critical minerals committee. Uh, and so we wanna make sure that we continue to retain our appropriation and control of the purse strings. And so I would urge you to pass the third substitute. Thank you.

  ▶ Watch at 24:29

• S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Urges passage of the third substitute because it keeps the Legislature's appropriation authority over these funds instead of delegating it to the critical minerals committee.

  Read what they said

  Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So this substitute's very important for, uh, one main reason. And that is, is it retains the ability to appropriate these funds from the legislature. So currently the, the previous sub delegates that authority to the critical minerals committee. Uh, and so we wanna make sure that we continue to retain our appropriation and control of the purse strings. And so I would urge you to pass the third substitute. Thank you.

  ▶ Watch at 24:29

• S.B. 220 Veteran Scholarship Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Presents S.B. 220, which would remove the 10-year limit on the graduate school tuition waiver for Purple Heart recipients so they could use it at any time in their lifetime, and gives background on the number of Purple Heart recipients in Utah.

  Read what they said

  Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro Tim. So Utah has 232 living Purple Heart recipients and we currently have 38 Purple Heart recipients who are still wearing the uniform in the Utah Army National Guard. Uh, in order to receive a Purple Heart, a service member has to be wounded or killed in action in a foreign conflict, and it has to be recorded and, uh, treated by a medical officer and put into their their official record. So in Utah, in recognition of their service and sacrifice, the legislature created the Purple Heart Tuition waiver and, uh, they get a full waiver towards an undergraduate degree and they get a limited waiver towards a graduate degree. The limiting part of …

  ▶ Watch at 31:00

• S.B. 220 Veteran Scholarship Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Gives a closing summation supporting the bill so Purple Heart recipients can earn a graduate degree at any time in their lifetime.

  Read what they said

  Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro Timm. I just think this is a, a nice way to allow our Purple Heart recipients, uh, if they want to earn a graduate degree, to be able to have that anytime during their lifetime. Thanks for your support.

  ▶ Watch at 32:25

• S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Says the bill concerns future funding and urges passage of the third substitute while work on the issue continues.

  Read what they said

  Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, critical Minerals is really talking about our future. And so we need to make sure that we are looking out for how these are paid for and how we're utilizing those funds. And so I would urge that you pass the third substitute, and we can continue to work upon this issue. But this is an important policy issue for the state of Utah and what is gonna happen down the road, the next generations. So think about the people who are gonna come 30, 40, and 50 years from now, not about what's happening today. Thank you.

  ▶ Watch at 34:45

• S.B. 254 Extracted Natural Resources Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Urges passage of the third substitute, saying the funding and its use for critical minerals matter for future generations.

  Read what they said

  Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, critical Minerals is really talking about our future. And so we need to make sure that we are looking out for how these are paid for and how we're utilizing those funds. And so I would urge that you pass the third substitute, and we can continue to work upon this issue. But this is an important policy issue for the state of Utah and what is gonna happen down the road, the next generations. So think about the people who are gonna come 30, 40, and 50 years from now, not about what's happening today. Thank you.

  ▶ Watch at 34:45

• S.B. 192 Legislative Activities Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Moves to substitute the Senate bill with the first substitute.

  Read what they said

  Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro Tim. Motion to substitute with first substitute house bill 1 92. I'm sorry. With Senate substitute House 1 92.

  ▶ Watch at 45:19

• S.B. 192 Legislative Activities Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Presents the substitute, which makes the President and Speaker vice chairs of the Capitol Preservation Board and sets out who chairs when the governor or a vice chair is absent and whether a designee can chair.

  Read what they said

  That's an order we'd like to speak to it. Yes. So this does four things. First of all, it makes, uh, the president and speaker as vice chairs of the Capital Preservation Board. If the governor is absent from the meeting, either the president or the speaker will chair the board. And if the governor and one of the vice chairs is absent, the remaining vice chair will chair. If a designee attends a capital Preservation Board meeting on the governor's, president's, or speaker's behalf, the designee can cannot chair. That's what the substitute does.

  ▶ Watch at 45:47

• S.B. 192 Legislative Activities Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Explains that the substitute makes the Senate president and House speaker vice chairs of the Capitol Preservation Board and sets rules for who chairs its meetings.

  Read what they said

  Yes. So this does four things. First of all, it makes, uh, the president and speaker as vice chairs of the Capital Preservation Board. If the governor is absent from the meeting, either the president or the speaker will chair the board. And if the governor and one of the vice chairs is absent, the remaining vice chair will chair. If a designee attends a capital Preservation Board meeting on the governor's, president's, or speaker's behalf, the designee can cannot chair. That's what the substitute does.

  ▶ Watch at 45:50

• S.B. 192 Legislative Activities Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Summarizes the substitute's changes to legislative general administration, Legislative Management Committee meetings and subcommittee, procurement, legislative records, and Capitol Preservation Board rulemaking.

  Read what they said

  Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro Tim. So, uh, what this, uh, substitute does is it updates and clarifies the policy and concerning the general legislative branch administration, including policies concerning procurement, workplace discrimination, the intern program, legislative records, and others, uh, some of the key points is it clarifies that, uh, the LMC oversees workplace harassment and the discrimination policy. It modifies the LMC Quorum requirements to be consistent with other legislative committees. It also modifies the LMC meeting requirements to eliminate any unnecessary meetings. Uh, they do that by meeting quarterly. It clarifies the oversight of branch wide internal administrative manners, uh, and it also, uh, eliminates the LMC subcommittee on oversight. Previously, the subcommittee met in the fall …

  ▶ Watch at 46:56

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From the official recordings' automatic captions, with speakers and summaries identified by AI. Use the ▶ links to check the recording before you rely on a quote.

How they voted

Their full voting record, attendance, and party-line score are still being compiled from the official roll calls. Each bill page shows their vote on that bill.

Bills they sponsored

• H.B. 2 New Fiscal Year Supplemental Appropriations · Governor Signed
• H.B. 3 Appropriations Adjustments · Governor Line Item Veto
• H.B. 279 Higher Education Code Amendments · Governor Signed
• H.B. 342 Federal Grant Process Amendments · Governor Signed
• H.B. 513 Attorney General Funding Amendments · Governor Signed
• H.B. 545 Budgetary Modifications · Governor Signed

Carried in the House as floor sponsor

• S.B. 3 Current Fiscal Year Supplemental Appropriations · Governor Signed
• S.B. 7 National Guard, Veterans Affairs, and Legislature Base Budget · Governor Signed
• S.B. 65 Minimum Basic Tax Rate Amendments · Did not pass
• S.B. 90 Occupational Licenses for Veterans and Service Members · Governor Signed
• S.B. 132 Spaceport Amendments · Governor Signed
• S.B. 152 Public and Higher Education Collaboration · Governor Signed
• S.B. 192 Legislative Activities Amendments · Governor Signed
• S.B. 220 Veteran Scholarship Amendments · Governor Signed
• S.B. 276 Veteran Organization Amendments · Governor Signed
• S.B. 277 Utah Homes Investment Program Amendments · Did not pass

About

In office since

January 1, 2011

Counties

Utah

Profession

Higher Education Administration

Affiliations

Utah Army National Guard; Provo Airport Board; Timpanogos Hospital Board

Education

B.A., Communications/PR, Brigham Young University; M.A., Communications, Brigham Young University; M.S., Strategic Studies, United States Army War College; Ph.D., Educational Leadership, Brigham Young University

Honors and awards

None listed in their official profile.

Committees

• Executive Appropriations Committee
• House Education Committee
• House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
• Education Interim Committee
• Political Subdivisions Interim Committee
• Federal Funds Legislative Oversight Committee - Rural Health Transformation Grant
• Veterans and Military Affairs Commission

Profile details come from the Utah Legislature's official legislator data.