Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 266 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Dailey-Provost, Jennifer

Final action

Governor Signed 3/27/2025

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• requires the Utah Homeless Services Board and the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs to work in conjunction to create best practices for assisting veterans experiencing homelessness; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

9
35A-16-205
71A-1-201
Veteran Housing Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Jennifer Dailey-Provost
Senate Sponsor: Calvin R. Musselman
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill addresses veteran homelessness.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
requires the Utah Homeless Services Board and the Department of Veterans and Military 
Affairs to work in conjunction to create best practices for assisting veterans experiencing 
homelessness; and
makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
35A-16-205
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapters 204, 338 and 349
71A-1-201
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 44 and last amended by 
Coordination Clause, Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 154
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
35A-16-205
 is amended to read:
35A-16-205. Duties of the board.
(1)
The board:
(a)
shall provide final approval for:
(i)
a funding formula developed by the steering committee under Section 
35A-16-211
;
(ii)
the homeless services budget;
(iii)
the strategic plan; and
(iv)
the awarding of funding for the provision of homeless services as described in 
Subsection 
35A-16-203
(1)(d);
(b)
in cooperation with the coordinator, shall:
(i)
develop and maintain the homeless services budget;
(ii)
develop and maintain the strategic plan; and
(iii)
review applications and approve funding for the provision of homeless services 
in the state as described in Subsection 
35A-16-203
(1)(d);
(c)
shall review local and regional plans for providing services to individuals 
experiencing homelessness;
(d)
shall cooperate with local homeless councils to:
(i)
develop a common agenda and vision for reducing homelessness in each local 
oversight body's respective region;
(ii)
as part of the homeless services budget, develop a spending plan that coordinates 
the funding supplied to local stakeholders; and
(iii)
align local funding to projects that improve outcomes and target specific needs in 
each community;
(e)
shall coordinate gap funding with private entities for providing services to 
individuals experiencing homelessness;
(f)
shall recommend performance and accountability measures for service providers, 
including the support of collecting consistent and transparent data; 
(g)
when reviewing and giving final approval for requests as described in Subsection 
35A-16-203
(1)(d):
(i)
may only recommend funding if the proposed recipient has a policy to share 
client-level service information with other entities in accordance with state and 
federal law to enhance the coordination of services for individuals who are 
experiencing homelessness; and
(ii)
shall identify specific targets and benchmarks that align with the strategic plan for 
each recommended award;
(h)
shall regularly update the state strategic plan on homelessness to reflect proven 
strategies to reduce homelessness among:
(i)
the unsheltered;
(ii)
the chronically or episodically homeless; and
(iii)
the situationally homeless;
(i)
shall develop annual state and local goals for reducing homelessness among the target 
subpopulations identified by the board;
(j)
shall work with the local homeless councils to carry out the requirements of 
Subsection 
35A-16-211(3)
;
(k)
shall develop metrics for measuring the effectiveness of providers in assisting clients 
to successfully progress through the services coordinated by a continuum of care;
(l)
shall create best practices for a service provider to administer services to an 
individual experiencing homelessness, including promotion of:
(i)
a recognition of the human dignity of clients served;
(ii)
a need to develop self-reliance;
(iii)
the value of work;
(iv)
personal accountability; and
(v)
personal progress toward greater personal independence;
(m)
shall make recommendations for uniform standards for enforcing pedestrian safety 
and camping laws and ordinances;
(n)
shall identify best practices for responding to unsheltered individuals experiencing 
mental health disorder and substance use disorder;
(o)
shall make recommendations for strategies to reduce illegal drug use within 
homeless shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing;
(p)
shall facilitate client connection to alternative support systems, including behavioral 
health services, addiction recovery, and residential services;
(q)
shall facilitate participation in HMIS, where appropriate and in alignment with 
established HMIS policies, and data sharing agreements among all participants in a 
client support network, including homeless services, physical health systems, mental 
health systems, and the criminal justice system;
(r)
shall make recommendations to the office for defining "successful exit," 
"unsuccessful exit," and "neutral exit";
(s)
shall evaluate additional opportunities for the office to become a collaborative 
applicant;
(t)
shall coordinate with the continuums of care to provide for cooperative distribution of 
available funding; 
(u)
shall work in conjunction with the executive directors of the Department of 
Workforce Services, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the 
Department of Corrections to create best practices for helping individuals exiting 
from incarceration or an institution to avoid homelessness;
 and
(v)
shall establish standards for the prioritization of beds located in homeless shelters in 
accordance with Section 
35A-16-205.1
; and
(w)
shall work in conjunction with the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs to 
create best practices for helping veterans, as that term is defined in Section 
68-3-12.5
, 
avoid homelessness
.
(2)
(a)
In approving a funding formula, as described in Subsection 
(1)(a)(i)
, the board 
shall take action on a proposed funding formula by a two-thirds vote.
(b)
If the board cannot approve a proposed funding formula, the board shall refer the 
proposed funding formula back to the steering committee for further consideration.
(3)
(a)
The executive committee shall act in an advisory capacity for the board and make 
recommendations regarding the board's duties under Subsection (1).
(b)
The executive committee does not have authority to make decisions independent of 
the board.
Section 2, Section 
71A-1-201
 is amended to read:
71A-1-201. Department of Veterans and Military Affairs -- Creation -- 
Appointment of executive director -- Department responsibilities.
(1)
There is created the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs.
(2)
The governor shall appoint an executive director for the department who is subject to 
Senate confirmation.
(3)
The executive director shall be a veteran.
(4)
The department shall:
(a)
conduct and supervise all veteran and military affairs activities as provided in this 
title;
(b)
adopt rules in accordance with 
Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative 
Rulemaking Act
, to carry out the provisions of this title;
(c)
in accordance with Section 
41-1a-418
:
(i)
determine which campaign or combat theater awards are eligible for a special 
group license plate;
(ii)
verify that an applicant for a campaign or combat theater award special group 
license plate is qualified to receive it; and
(iii)
provide an applicant that qualifies a form indicating the campaign or combat 
theater award special group license plate for which the applicant qualifies;
(d)
maintain liaison with local, state, and federal veterans agencies and with Utah 
veterans organizations;
(e)
provide current information to veterans, service members, their surviving spouses 
and family members, and Utah veterans and military organizations on benefits they 
are entitled to;
(f)
assist veterans, service members, and their families in applying for benefits and 
services;
(g)
cooperate with other state entities in the receipt of information to create and maintain 
a record of veterans in Utah;
(h)
create and administer a veterans assistance registry in accordance with 
Chapter 5, 
Veterans Assistance Registry
, with recommendations from the council, that provides 
contact information to the qualified donors of materials and labor for certain qualified 
recipients;
(i)
identify military-related issues, challenges, and opportunities, and develop plans for 
addressing them;
(j)
develop, coordinate, and maintain relationships with military leaders of Utah military 
installations, including the Utah National Guard;
(k)
develop and maintain relationships with military-related organizations in Utah;
 and
(l)
consult with municipalities and counties regarding compatible use plans as described 
in Sections 
10-9a-537
 and 
17-27a-533
; and
(m)
work in conjunction with the Utah Homeless Services Board to create best practices 
for helping veterans, as that term is defined in Section 
68-3-12.5
, avoid homelessness
.
(5)
(a)
The department may award grants for the purpose of supporting veteran and 
military outreach, employment, education, healthcare, homelessness prevention, and 
recognition events.
(b)
The department may award a grant described in Subsection 
(5)(a)
 to:
(i)
an institution of higher education listed in Section 
53B-1-102
;
(ii)
a nonprofit organization involved in veterans or military-related activities; or
(iii)
a political subdivision of the state.
(c)
In accordance with 
Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act
, the 
department shall make rules for the administration of grants, including establishing:
(i)
the form and process for submitting an application to the department;
(ii)
the method and criteria for selecting a grant recipient;
(iii)
the method and formula for determining a grant amount; and
(iv)
the reporting requirements of a grant recipient.
(6)
In accordance with 
Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act
, the 
department may make rules related to:
(a)
the consultation with municipalities and counties regarding compatible use plans as 
required in Subsection 
(4)(l)
; and
(b)
criteria to evaluate whether a proposed land use is compatible with military 
operations.
(7)
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as altering or preempting any provisions of 
Title 39A, National Guard and Militia Act
, as specifically related to the Utah National 
Guard.
Section 3. 
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on 
May 7, 2025
.
1-18-25 5:12 PM