Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 259 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Eliason, Steve

Final action

Governor Signed 3/25/2025

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• clarifies that the motor vehicle enforcement administrator of the State Tax Commission reports to the executive director of the State Tax Commission; and
• modifies the salary and benefits of the executive director of the State Tax Commission.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

11
41-3-104
67-22-2
0
Tax Commission Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Steve Eliason
Senate Sponsor: Daniel McCay
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill addresses the executive director and motor vehicle enforcement administrator of 
the State Tax Commission.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
clarifies that the motor vehicle enforcement administrator of the State Tax Commission 
reports to the executive director of the State Tax Commission; and
modifies the salary and benefits of the executive director of the State Tax Commission.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
41-3-104
, 
Effective 
05/07/25
 as enacted by Laws of Utah 1992, Chapter 234
67-22-2
, 
Effective 
07/01/25
 as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 522
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
41-3-104
 is amended to read:
41-3-104
Effective 
05/07/25
. Division creation -- Administrator appointed.
(1)
There is created within the commission the Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division with 
the powers and duties provided in this chapter.
(2)
The division shall be administered by the motor vehicle enforcement administrator.
(3)
The administrator shall be appointed by the 
commission
executive director
 and is 
subject to the 
commission's
executive director's
 supervision and direction.
Section 2, Section 
67-22-2
 is amended to read:
67-22-2
Effective 
07/01/25
. Compensation -- Other state officers.
(1)
As used in this section:
(a)
"Appointed executive" means the:
(i)
commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Food;
(ii)
commissioner of the Insurance Department;
(iii)
commissioner of the Labor Commission;
(iv)
director, Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services;
(v)
commissioner of the Department of Financial Institutions;
(vi)
executive director, Department of Commerce;
(vii)
executive director, Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice;
(viii)
adjutant general;
(ix)
executive director, Department of Cultural and Community Engagement;
(x)
executive director, Department of Corrections;
(xi)
commissioner, Department of Public Safety;
(xii)
executive director, Department of Natural Resources;
(xiii)
executive director, Governor's Office of Planning and Budget;
(xiv)
executive director, Department of Government Operations;
(xv)
executive director, Department of Environmental Quality;
(xvi)
executive director, Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity;
(xvii)
executive director, Department of Workforce Services;
(xviii)
executive director, Department of Health and Human Services, Nonphysician;
(xix)
executive director, Department of Transportation;
(xx)
executive director, Department of Veterans and Military Affairs;
(xxi)
executive director, Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office, created in Section 
63L-11-201
; 
(xxii)
Great Salt Lake commissioner, appointed under Section 
73-32-201
; and
(xxiii)
Utah water agent, appointed under Section 
73-10g-602
.
(b)
"Board or commission executive" means:
(i)
members, Board of Pardons and Parole;
(ii)
chair, State Tax Commission;
(iii)
commissioners, State Tax Commission;
(iv)
executive director, State Tax Commission;
(v)
chair, Public Service Commission; and
(vi)
commissioners, Public Service Commission.
(c)
"Deputy" means the person who acts as the appointed executive's second in 
command as determined by the Division of Human Resource Management.
(2)
(a)
The director of the Division of Human Resource Management shall:
(i)
before October 31 of each year, recommend to the governor a compensation plan 
for the appointed executives and the board or commission executives; and
(ii)
base those recommendations on market salary studies conducted by the Division 
of Human Resource Management.
(b)
(i)
The Division of Human Resource Management shall determine the salary range 
for the appointed executives by:
(A)
identifying the salary range assigned to the appointed executive's deputy;
(B)
designating the lowest minimum salary from those deputies' salary ranges as 
the minimum salary for the appointed executives' salary range; and
(C)
designating 105% of the highest maximum salary range from those deputies' 
salary ranges as the maximum salary for the appointed executives' salary range.
(ii)
If the deputy is a medical doctor, the Division of Human Resource Management 
may not consider that deputy's salary range in designating the salary range for 
appointed executives.
(c)
(i)
Except as provided in Subsection (2)(c)(ii), in establishing the salary ranges for 
board or commission executives, the Division of Human Resource Management 
shall set the maximum salary in the salary range for each of those positions at 
90% of the salary for district judges as established in the annual appropriation act 
under Section 
67-8-2
.
(ii)
In establishing the salary ranges for an individual described in 
Subsection 
(1)(b)(ii) or (iii),
Subsection (1)(b)(ii), (1)(b)(iii), or (1)(b)(iv),
 the Division of 
Human Resource Management shall set the maximum salary in the salary range 
for each of those positions at 100% of the salary for district judges as established 
in the annual appropriation act under Section 
67-8-2
.
(3)
(a)
(i)
Except as provided in Subsection (3)(a)(ii) or Subsection (3)(d), the 
governor shall establish a specific salary for each appointed executive within the 
range established under Subsection (2)(b).
(ii)
If the executive director of the Department of Health and Human Services is a 
physician, the governor shall establish a salary within the highest physician salary 
range established by the Division of Human Resource Management.
(iii)
The governor may provide salary increases for appointed executives within the 
range established by Subsection (2)(b) and identified in Subsection (3)(a)(ii).
(b)
The governor shall apply the same overtime regulations applicable to other FLSA 
exempt positions.
(c)
The governor may develop standards and criteria for reviewing the appointed 
executives.
(d)
If under Section 
73-10g-602
 the governor appoints an individual who is serving in an 
appointed executive branch position to be the Utah water agent, the governor shall 
adjust the salary of the Utah water agent to account for salary received for the 
appointed executive branch position.
(4)
Salaries for other Schedule A employees, as defined in Section 
63A-17-301
, that are not 
provided for in this chapter, or in Title 67, Chapter 8, Utah Elected Official and Judicial 
Salary Act, shall be established as provided in Section 
63A-17-301
.
(5)
(a)
The Legislature fixes benefits for the appointed executives and the board or 
commission executives as follows:
(i)
the option of participating in a state retirement system established by Title 49, 
Utah State Retirement and Insurance Benefit Act, or in a deferred compensation 
plan administered by the State Retirement Office in accordance with the Internal 
Revenue Code and its accompanying rules and regulations;
(ii)
health insurance;
(iii)
dental insurance;
(iv)
basic life insurance;
(v)
unemployment compensation;
(vi)
workers' compensation;
(vii)
required employer contribution to Social Security;
(viii)
long-term disability income insurance;
(ix)
the same additional state-paid life insurance available to other noncareer service 
employees;
(x)
the same severance pay available to other noncareer service employees;
(xi)
the same leave, holidays, and allowances granted to Schedule B state employees 
as follows:
(A)
sick leave;
(B)
converted sick leave if accrued prior to January 1, 2014;
(C)
educational allowances;
(D)
holidays; and
(E)
annual leave except that annual leave shall be accrued at the maximum rate 
provided to Schedule B state employees;
(xii)
the option to convert accumulated sick leave to cash or insurance benefits as 
provided by law or rule upon resignation or retirement according to the same 
criteria and procedures applied to Schedule B state employees;
(xiii)
the option to purchase additional life insurance at group insurance rates 
according to the same criteria and procedures applied to Schedule B state 
employees; and
(xiv)
professional memberships if being a member of the professional organization is 
a requirement of the position.
(b)
Each department shall pay the cost of additional state-paid life insurance for its 
executive director from its existing budget.
(6)
The Legislature fixes the following additional benefits:
(a)
for the executive director of the State Tax Commission a vehicle for official and 
personal use;
(b)
(a)
for the executive director of the Department of Transportation a vehicle for 
official and personal use;
(c)
(b)
for the executive director of the Department of Natural Resources a vehicle for 
commute and official use;
(d)
(c)
for the commissioner of Public Safety:
(i)
an accidental death insurance policy if POST certified; and
(ii)
a public safety vehicle for official and personal use;
(e)
(d)
for the executive director of the Department of Corrections:
(i)
an accidental death insurance policy if POST certified; and
(ii)
a public safety vehicle for official and personal use;
(f)
(e)
for the adjutant general a vehicle for official and personal use; 
(g)
(f)
for each member of the Board of Pardons and Parole a vehicle for commute and 
official use; and
(h)
(g)
for the executive director of the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs a 
vehicle for commute and official use.
Section 3. 
Effective Date.
(1)
Except as provided in Subsection (2), this bill takes effect 
May 7, 2025
.
(2)
The actions affecting Section 
67-22-2
Effective 
07/01/25
 take effect on 
July 1, 2025
.
3-6-25 6:57 PM