Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 31 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Winterton, Ronald M.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/26/2025

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• creates the Refugee Services Office (office) within the Department of Workforce Services;
• describes the duties and functions of the office; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

24
35A-1-202
35A-3-103
35A-3-701
35A-3-702
35A-3-801
35A-3-802
35A-3-803
35A-3-804
35A-3-805
35A-3-806
1
Refugee Services Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Ronald M. Winterton
House Sponsor: James A. Dunnigan
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill creates the Refugee Services Office within the Department of Workforce Services.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
defines terms;
creates the Refugee Services Office (office) within the Department of Workforce Services;
describes the duties and functions of the office; and
makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
35A-1-202
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapter 281
35A-3-103
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 328
ENACTS:
35A-3-801
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35A-3-802
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35A-3-803
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35A-3-804
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35A-3-805
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35A-3-806
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
REPEALS:
35A-3-701
, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 221
35A-3-702
, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 221
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
35A-1-202
 is amended to read:
35A-1-202
. Divisions -- Creation -- Duties -- Workforce Appeals Board, councils, 
Child Care Advisory Committee, and economic service areas.
(1)
There is created within the department the following divisions:
(a)
the Workforce Development Division to administer the development and 
implementation of employment assistance programs;
(b)
the Workforce Research and Analysis Division;
(c)
the Unemployment Insurance Division to administer 
Chapter 4, Employment 
Security Act
;
(d)
the Eligibility Services Division to administer public assistance eligibility;
(e)
the Division of Adjudication to adjudicate claims or actions in accordance with this 
title;
(f)
the Housing and Community Development Division, which is described in Sections 
35A-8-201
 and 
35A-8-202
;
(g)
the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, which is described in Section 
35A-13-103
;
and
(h)
the Office of Homeless Services, which is described in Section 
35A-16-202
.
;
(i)
the Office of Child Care, which is described in Sections 
35A-3-202
 and 
35A-3-203
; 
and
(j)
the Refugee Services Office, which is described in Chapter 3, Part 8, Refugee 
Services.
(2)
In addition to the divisions created under Subsection 
(1)
, within the department are the 
following:
(a)
the Workforce Appeals Board created in Section 
35A-1-205
;
(b)
the State Workforce Development Board created in Section 
35A-1-206
;
(c)
the Employment Advisory Council created in Section 
35A-4-502
;
(d)
the Child Care Advisory Committee created in Section 
35A-3-205
; and
(e)
the economic service areas created in accordance with 
Chapter 2, Economic Service 
Areas
.
Section 2, Section 
35A-3-103
 is amended to read:
35A-3-103
. Department responsibilities.
The department shall:
(1)
administer public assistance programs assigned by the Legislature and the governor;
(2)
determine eligibility for public assistance programs in accordance with the requirements 
of this chapter;
(3)
cooperate with the federal government in the administration of public assistance 
programs;
(4)
administer state employment services;
(5)
provide for the compilation of necessary or desirable information, statistics, and reports;
(6)
perform other duties and functions required by law;
(7)
monitor the application of eligibility policy;
(8)
develop personnel training programs for effective and efficient operation of the 
programs administered by the department;
(9)
provide refugee resettlement services in accordance with Section 
35A-3-701
35A-3-803
;
(10)
provide child care assistance for children in accordance with 
Part 2, Office of Child 
Care
;
(11)
provide services that enable an applicant or recipient to qualify for affordable housing 
in cooperation with:
(a)
the Utah Housing Corporation;
(b)
the Housing and Community Development Division; and
(c)
local housing authorities;
(12)
administer the Medicaid Eligibility Quality Control function in accordance with 42 
C.F.R. Sec. 431.812; and
(13)
conduct non-clinical eligibility hearings and issue final decisions in adjudicative 
proceedings, including expedited appeals as defined in 42 C.F.R. Sec. 431.224, for 
medical assistance eligibility under:
(a)
Title 26B, Chapter 3, Health Care - Administration and Assistance
; or
(b)
Title 26B, Chapter 3, Part 9, Utah Children's Health Insurance Program
.
Section 3, Section 
35A-3-801
 is enacted to read:
8. Refugee Services
35A-3-801
. Definitions.
As used in this part:
(1)
"Director" means the director of the Refugee Services Office.
(2)
"Office" means the Refugee Services Office created in Section 
35A-3-802
.
(3)
"Refugee" means a person who is lawfully present in the United States and who meets 
the definition of a refugee under the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. Sec. 
1101(a)(42), and related federal regulations.
Section 4, Section 
35A-3-802
 is enacted to read:
35A-3-802
. Refugee Services Office - Creation.
(1)
There is created within the department a Refugee Services Office.
(2)
The office shall be administered by a director who shall be appointed by the executive 
director and who may be removed from that position at the will of the executive director.
Section 5, Section 
35A-3-803
 is enacted to read:
35A-3-803
. Functions and duties of office -- Annual report.
(1)
The office shall:
(a)
provide refugee resettlement services to eligible refugees pursuant to federal 
regulations;
(b)
operate a refugee cash assistance program;
(c)
provide administrative support services to any refugee advisory committee;
(d)
work collaboratively with community partners for the delivery of services to 
refugees;
(e)
coordinate with the department to include in the annual written report, described in 
Section 
35A-1-109
, information regarding refugee services; and
(f)
make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative 
Rulemaking Act, and consistent with state and federal law establishing the eligibility 
requirements for refugee case assistance.
(2)
The office may apply for, accept, or expend gifts or donations from public or private 
sources.
Section 6, Section 
35A-3-804
 is enacted to read:
35A-3-804
. Duties of director.
(1)
The director shall:
(a)
enforce rules made by the department regulating the use of services provided by the 
office; and
(b)
supervise office staff and prepare an annual work plan.
(2)
The director may apply for, accept, and expend donations from public or private sources 
to assist the office in fulfilling its statutory obligations.
Section 7, Section 
35A-3-805
 is enacted to read:
35A-3-805
. Refugee services fund -- Use of money -- Committee and director 
duties -- Restrictions.
(1)
There is created an expendable special revenue fund, known as the "Refugee Services 
Fund."
(2)
The director shall administer the fund with input from the department and any advisory 
committee involved with the provision of refugee services within the department.
(3)
(a)
Money shall be deposited into the fund from legislative appropriations, federal 
grants, private foundations, and individual donors.
(b)
The director shall encourage a refugee who receives services funded under 
Subsection (8) to be a donor to the fund when the refugee's financial situation 
improves sufficiently to make a donation.
(4)
Except for money restricted to a specific use under federal law or by a donor, the 
director may not spend money from the fund without the input described in Subsection 
(2).
(5)
The state treasurer shall invest the money in the fund under Title 51, Chapter 7, State 
Money Management Act, and all interest or other earnings derived from the fund money 
shall be deposited into the fund.
(6)
Money in the fund may not be used by the director for administrative expenses.
(7)
If the department establishes a refugee services advisory committee referenced in 
Subsection (2), the committee may:
(a)
advise the director on refugee services needs in the state and on relevant operational 
aspects of any grant or revenue collection program established under this part;
(b)
recommend specific refugee projects to the director;
(c)
recommend policies and procedures for administering the fund;
(d)
make recommendations on grants made from the fund for refugee services activities 
authorized under this section;
(e)
advise the director on the criteria by which grants from the fund shall be made;
(f)
recommend the order approved projects should be funded;
(g)
make recommendations regarding the distribution of money from the fund in 
accordance with federal or donor restrictions; and
(h)
have joint responsibility to solicit public and private funding for the fund.
(8)
The director may use fund money to:
(a)
train an existing refugee organization to develop its capacity to operate 
professionally and effectively and to become an independent, viable organization; or
(b)
provide grants to refugee organizations and other entities identified in Subsection (9) 
to assist them:
(i)
with case management;
(ii)
in meeting emergency housing needs for refugees;
(iii)
in providing English language services;
(iv)
in providing interpretive services;
(v)
in finding and maintaining employment for refugees;
(vi)
in collaborating with the state's public education system to improve the 
involvement of refugee parents in assimilating their children into public schools;
(vii)
in meeting the health and mental health needs of refugees;
(viii)
in providing or arranging for child care services; or
(ix)
in administering refugee services.
(9)
The director, with the input described in Subsection (2), may grant fund money for 
refugee services outlined in Subsection (8) through a request for proposal process to:
(a)
local governments;
(b)
nonprofit community, charitable, or neighborhood-based organizations or private 
for-profit organizations involved with providing or arranging for the provision of 
refugee services; or
(c)
regional or statewide nonprofit organizations.
(10)
(a)
The director shall enter into a written agreement with each entity that 
successfully applies for a grant.
(b)
The agreement shall include specific terms for each grant consistent with the 
provisions of this section, including the structure, amount, and nature of the grant.
(11)
The director shall monitor the activities of the recipients of grants issued from the fund 
on an annual basis to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions imposed on the 
recipient by the fund.
(12)
The director shall require an entity that receives a grant under this section to provide 
periodic accounting of how the money was used.
(13)
As part of the annual written report described in Section 
35A-1-109
, the director shall 
report the status of the fund, including programs and services funded by the fund.
Section 8, Section 
35A-3-806
 is enacted to read:
35A-3-806
. Continuation of refugee services.
(1)
In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the 
department may make rules to provide for the administration and coordination of 
services to refugees beyond the time period refugee assistance is provided or funded by 
the federal government, including the provisions of:
(a)
services to address emergency needs;
(b)
English language training; and
(c)
services for victims of domestic violence.
(2)
The director shall administer and coordinate services under this section:
(a)
with input from the department and any office or advisory committee involved with 
the provision of refugee services within the department; and
(b)
in accordance with any state and federal requirements related to the provision of 
services to refugees.
Section 9, 
Repealer.
Continuation of refugee services.
Refugee services fund -- Use of money -- Committee and director 
duties -- Restrictions.
Section 10. 
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on 
May 7, 2025
.
3-12-25 1:38 PM