Legislators / Wayne A. Harper
Wayne A. Harper
Republican · Senate District 16 · President Pro Tempore
“Typical” is the median of all 29 Senate members in the 2026 General Session.
In short
In the 2026 General Session, Sen. Wayne A. Harper wrote 22 bills (19 passed), asked the budget committees to fund 3 requests (2 funded, $180,000 in all), and spoke on the record 317 times. They missed 79 of 1080 floor votes (7%) and voted against most of their own party 39 times (4%). Based only on their votes, they are the 5th most conservative of 29 Senate members.
Where they land
5th most conservative of 29 Senate members · 5th most conservative of 22 Republicans
Hover or tap a dot to see who it is.
- Democrat
- Republican
- Forward Party
- Sen. Wayne A. Harper
How we placed them
Placed only by their own votes: we took the 264 contested Senate floor votes of the 2026 session (where at least 10% voted on the losing side) and found the main line that divides how members vote, the same idea political scientists use to score Congress. No bill is labeled liberal or conservative by us; the conservative end is simply the side where most Republicans fall. More on how this works
See every Senate member in order
- John D. Johnson (R-3)
- Lincoln Fillmore (R-17)
- Daniel McCay (R-18)
- Brady Brammer (R-21)
- Wayne A. Harper (R-16)
- Keven J. Stratton (R-24)
- Scott D. Sandall (R-1)
- Chris H. Wilson (R-2)
- Heidi Balderree (R-22)
- J. Stuart Adams (R-7)
- Calvin R. Musselman (R-4)
- Ronald M. Winterton (R-20)
- Keith Grover (R-23)
- Michael K. McKell (R-25)
- Jerry W Stevenson (R-6)
- Derrin R. Owens (R-27)
- Ann Millner (R-5)
- Kirk A. Cullimore (R-19)
- Todd Weiler (R-8)
- Don L. Ipson (R-29)
- David P. Hinkins (R-26)
- Evan J. Vickers (R-28)
- Emily Buss (F-11)
- Luz Escamilla (D-10)
- Jen Plumb (D-9)
- Karen Kwan (D-12)
- Stephanie Pitcher (D-14)
- Kathleen A. Riebe (D-15)
- Nate Blouin (D-13)
Most conservative first.
Do their actions match their words?
Sen. Wayne A. Harper measured against their own campaign promises and claims.
2 of 2 promises with a record so far: kept or being worked on · typical Senate member (of 7 reviewed): 100%
2 working on it (of 2 promises)
HousingGive cities and developers more housing options while protecting single-family neighborhoods.Working on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: matches Votes: matchesIn 2026 he sponsored S.B. 39 (Investment Zones Amendments) and S.B. 122 (HOA Amendments), both signed, and S.B. 221 (Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone Amendments), which did not pass. On the Senate floor he voted for H.B. 436 and H.B. 492 on housing supply, both signed, and for S.B. 277 (state housing construction loans), which failed in the House.
EnergyExpand energy options to include small modular nuclear reactors.Working on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesHe sponsored no energy bills in 2026. He voted for H.B. 78, which created a state nuclear energy regulatory office and directs the state to seek more authority from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, for S.B. 135 (nuclear fuel recycling coordination), and for two resolutions supporting nuclear energy (S.C.R. 1) and advanced nuclear manufacturing (H.C.R. 1). None of these bills is specific to small modular reactors.
Tap any row to see what we checked. Full details and sources · How we score
Do they follow their party's stated positions?
Sen. Wayne A. Harper measured against the Utah Republican Party platform.
8 of their 8 final floor votes on these bills went the platform's way · typical Senate member: 100%
Typical Senate Republican: 100%.
5 sided with it · 3 no record on it (of 8 positions)
Right to lifeWe strongly support adoption and oppose abortion, except to preserve the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest.No record on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundNone of these bills reached a Senate floor vote. Bills checked: H.B. 232.
Right to workWe support the Utah Right to Work Law.No record on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundNone of these bills reached a Senate floor vote. Bills checked: S.B. 178.
Immigration enforcementWe believe that current laws against employing illegal immigrants should be vigorously enforcedNo record on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundNone of these bills reached a Senate floor vote. Bills checked: H.B. 294, H.B. 386, H.B. 287.
Parental rightsWe affirm that parents have the fundamental right and primary responsibility to direct the upbringing of their childrenSided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: H.B. 259.
Lower taxesHowever, we recognize that the power to tax is also the power to control…Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: S.B. 60, H.B. 235.
Right to bear armsWe support the individual constitutionally-protected right of the people to keep and bear arms…Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 3 of 3 times. Bills checked: H.B. 84, H.B. 214, H.B. 101.
Religious freedomWe claim freedom of religion for every citizen and expect the protection of government…Sided with it
What they said: on the record Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 2 of 2 times. Bills checked: S.B. 174, H.B. 204, S.B. 268.
Work requirements for welfareWe support requiring welfare recipients to work towards self-sufficiency.Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: H.B. 471.
Tap any row to see what we checked. · How we score
Bills they wrote
All 22 →- S.B. 22 Minor Driving Hours Amendments · Became law
- S.B. 25 Retirement Modifications · Became law
- S.B. 35 Amendments to Interdisciplinary Parental Representation Pilot Program · Became law
- S.B. 36 Transportation Commission Amendments · Became law
- S.B. 39 Investment Zones Amendments · Became law
What they've said lately
All 317 →S.B. 242 Transportation Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Moves to concur in the House changes to S.B. 242, describing changes on towing and other code provisions and noting the House removed some funding provisions, and asks for passage tonight.
▶ Watch at 1:39Read what they said
Thank you and move to Concur. Motion to Concur. Talk About about some of the changes. There was, uh, some, uh, changes dealing with, uh, towing and a couple other provisions of the code. The house, uh, stripped out a couple funding things that we had in there, but, uh, we need to get it passed tonight.
S.B. 122 HOA Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Explains that the House made one small change, to the transition of administrative control from master development to the normal HOA board, and moves to concur.
▶ Watch at 25:13Read what they said
There was just one little change in there as to the transition on administrative control. When you go from master development to the normal board on an HOA. So the motion is to concur.
H.B. 319 Electronic Records Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Presents H.B. 319 on electronic records, covering digital identification of records, verification processes, state archives review, and county approvals before implementation.
▶ Watch at 32:49Read what they said
Thank you. Uh, there's more and more, uh, items that are being, uh, notarized and processed electronically. The counties are receiving re uh, requests to go and record things, uh, um, electronically in the county recorder's office and other places. This, uh, bill goes through and authorizes, uh, digital identification of records. Establish a process for going through and verifying that those are correct. Um, requires the state archives to go through and, uh, review the different processes before they're implemented in the counties to make sure that they're uniform, they can be recorded and the records, uh, permanently maintained. And then it is technology neutral and make sure that the counties understand the processes, get approvals before they implement …
Town halls, questionnaires, and attendance
Candidate questionnaires
- ✓ Answered: Salt Lake Tribune 2024 candidate survey
Town halls
None confirmed yet. Most town halls are announced on Facebook, which we can't search, so this list is incomplete. Held or went to one? Send the link to ontherecordutah@gmail.com and we'll add it.
Floor votes missed
79 of 1080 (7%)
Typical member: 8% of floor votes
We list only town halls and questionnaires we can confirm from a public source, so a short list doesn't mean Sen. Wayne A. Harper hasn't met with voters. A missed vote can have a good reason, such as illness or a family emergency.
Hear from them directly
Contact Sen. Wayne A. Harper
- Email: wharper@le.utah.gov
- Office: 2094 SURREY CIR, Taylorsville, UT, 84129
Constituents get priority, so say you live in their district. Writing about a specific bill? Open it and use Take action for a ready-to-send message.
Watch or join a meeting
Every committee hearing and floor session is open to the public and streamed live on le.utah.gov. Each committee's agenda has the link to watch or join online, and how to sign up for public comment.
Wayne A. Harper serves on:
- Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee
- Transportation and Infrastructure Appropriations Subcommittee
- Political Subdivisions Interim Committee
- Retirement and Independent Entities Interim Committee
- Transportation Interim Committee
- Senate Retirement and Independent Entities Confirmation Committee
- Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Confirmation Committee
- Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee
- Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee
About
- In office since
- House of Representatives January 1, 1997 - December 31, 2012; Senate January 1, 2013
- Counties
- Salt Lake
- Profession
- Taylorsville City; Business and Economic Development Consulting
- Affiliations
- Streamline Sales Tax Governing Board, President; Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board; Utah State Capitol Preservation Board; Utah Alliance for Economic Development; Conference of Inter-Mountain Archivists; International Economic Development Council; International Council of Shopping Centers; West Jordan City Council, past member
- Education
- B.A., M.S., History, Brigham Young University
- Honors and awards
- None listed in their official profile.
- wharper@le.utah.gov
Money and conflicts of interest
- Campaign finance reports (who donated to their campaign, from the Lt. Governor's disclosure site)
- Conflict-of-interest disclosures (jobs, businesses, and boards they must report each year): latest
Coming next: their top donors and disclosed interests shown next to the related votes.
Official biography
True
Profile details come from the Utah Legislature's official legislator data.