Here’s everything Utah lawmakers changed about higher education, from an open carry ban to new religious exemptions The measures include major changes to funding and $10 million in cuts.
For Utah higher education, the latest legislative session wasn’t as bruising as others have been. But it was still busy.
Of the 541 bills lawmakers passed in just 45 days, 39 — or 7% — were focused on universities and colleges.
Those measures are headed to Gov. Spencer Cox’s desk for either a signature or veto.
Here’s a rundown of the major changes.
Banning open carry on campus Open carry will soon be banned on all of Utah’s college campuses starting May 6 — a major change for a state that is known for its loose restrictions on guns.
The legislation comes after the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University in September.
Republican Rep. Walt Brooks, a long-time gun advocate who represents St. George, had originally drafted HB84 to clarify some confusing language in Utah’s gun law, which allowed campus open carry. But after constituents reached out with concerns following Kirk’s death, he made the surprising reversal.
The open carry ban was expanded to apply to both public and private universities and colleges.
Concealed carry will still be allowed on campuses for people 21 and older, without any permit required. But moving forward, anyone age 18 to 20 will now need to get a state provisional permit before they can.
Additionally, HB84 explicitly states for the first time in state law that open carry is not allowed on elementary school campuses or at day cares, which aligns with federal law.
'Religious and conscience beliefs’ accommodations
This bill was the most hot-button for higher education this year, drawing pushback from many professors and Democrats. HB204, led by Republican Rep. Mike Petersen of Logan, ultimately passed both the House and Senate on party lines.
It creates a set process for students to request “belief accommodations” on assignments or exams at public universities and colleges based on their religion or conscience.
Professors, in most cases, would need to either excuse participation or offer an alternative option.
The measure was spurred by Petersen’s daughter, a graduate student out of state who, according to Petersen, was instructed to write a letter supporting LGBTQ rights, which she did not agree with.
Other examples he listed included allowing students to object to a debate class that requires them to argue in favor of abortion, or an art class that instructs students to sketch a nude figure.
These objections can only be denied if an assignment is considered fundamental to the course materials, or if an alteration would significantly impact program requirements. Schools are supposed to have a neutral “arbiter” weigh in if a professor and student disagree.
Faculty argued universities are supposed to challenge students. And some raised concerns about accreditation standards. Others questioned the need for the bill at all.
“I’m not sure if the bill sponsor knows if we have policy that is already 90% of the way there,” University of Utah Academic Senate President Richard Preiss said in a recent discussion.
PEN America, a nonprofit that advocates for free expression, also put out a statement opposing the measure, which it said is the first in the country. The group called on Gov. Cox to veto the “unacceptable breach of academic freedom.”
Protecting campus guest speakers Sen. John Johnson, R-North Ogden, successfully ran SB295 to update Utah’s 2024 law banning diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at public schools.
The law will now specifically exempt invited campus guests from any DEI-related requirements. It encourages schools to host speakers who represent “diverse viewpoints.”
The addition comes after a November event at Weber State University, where Indigenous author and editor Darcie Little Badger had planned to speak. Little Badger canceled her appearance, though, after Weber State gave her a list of “prohibited words and concepts,” including equity, diversity and inclusion; anti-racism; bias; oppression; and intersectionality.
Weber State has said it crafted the list to comply with the 2024 law. But Johnson said it never applied to guest speakers, and it was instead a case of “institutional overcorrection.”
Clear duties for university trustees after USU troubles Another significant bill, SB240, came out of continued concerns with past governance at Utah State University.
The measure from Sen. Chris Wilson, R-Logan, directs university trustees to provide financial oversight of their school, as well as evaluate their president and set policy around the leader’s spending.
That came after a state-ordered audit in January confirmed reporting from The Salt Lake Tribune on the former Utah State president’s lavish spending.
During her brief 18-month tenure, which ended in March 2025, Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell spent more than $660,000 in USU funds on an office remodel, bidet and climate-controlled golf cart, among other purchases, without any required approval.
The audit also noted she likely broke several state laws on procuring contracts with outside companies.
The new bill applies to public universities and colleges statewide. All will be required to have stronger checks and balances on executive leadership going forward.
A new funding model for higher education The Legislature also passed SB216, which shifts how the state allocates money for public universities and colleges based on two buckets: enrollment and performance.
Right now, schools are judged on annual enrollment — which can fluctuate significantly. Now, they will be judged over a five-year average.
For the first time, though, if a school loses more than 1% of students over that time period, it can have its money clawed back.
The point is to put less emphasis on enrollment for enrollment’s sake, said Sen. Ann Millner, R-Ogden; the state, she added, wants to be “much more planful about it.”
Performance funding will also change, based on the type of institution and its mission. All schools will continue to be measured based on “timely completion” (the percentage of students who graduate in six years) and “high-yield graduates” (the amount of students who land high-wage or high-demand jobs).
A new efficiency metric will also be added, based on how many students graduate per an institution’s total headcount.
In addition, community colleges and regional universities will now be measured on first-year student retention. And research universities will be judged on how much money they dedicate to research projects.
'Realignment’ and collaboration among schools State lawmakers have long pushed for Utah’s eight public colleges and universities to work together instead of competing. Under HB352, they now are mandating it.
The measure requires integration among institutions with similar missions (such as research) and in geographic regions (such as southern Utah).
The hope is to avoid overlapping programs and duplication, which a previous state audit pointed out. Utah’s higher education Commissioner Geoff Landward called it a “critical issue now more than ever,” citing a “shrinking pool of resources and students.”
Similarly, under HB353, schools will need to make transferring between institutions more seamless for students, with credits carrying over at any college or university in the state.
$10 million in cuts
Earlier this year, state agencies were asked to model a 5% funding reduction. For higher education, that would have amounted to $94 million.
The ask was particularly challenging after the $60.5 million budget cut and reallocation the state’s colleges and universities went through last year.
In the end, lawmakers ultimately approved a one-time smaller $10 million cut that Landward said the Utah System of Higher Education will need to backfill through its endowment fund, which largely pays for student scholarships.
Meanwhile, Utah State University lost $650,000 in funding for its renowned Utah Women and Leadership Project, which researches health, safety and economic opportunities for women and girls in Utah. USU was directed to reallocate that money to its Utah Forest Restoration Institute.
$50 million for research At a time when the federal government has slashed research funds for higher education, the state is dedicating money.
The Legislature put $45 million toward HB373, which creates a state-led grant program to encourage innovative research. Another $5 million will specifically be allocated to the University of Utah for projects studying cancer.
The state also dedicated $15 million for schools to expand their computing capacity so they can better support A.I. programs.
“We appreciate the Legislature recognizing the headwinds we have federally,” said U. President Taylor Randall in a recent address to faculty.
The U. will get an additional $1.8 million in ongoing funds to expand its medical school programming into southern Utah. And Weber State will receive $1 million ongoing to continue its work to lower tuition costs for students seeking an associate degree.
More American history Utah State also will receive an extra $1.5 million for its Center for Civic Excellence, tasked with drafting new statewide general education coursework, which all college and university students must complete.
Moving forward, too, general education writing classes at all public schools should now incorporate specific “seminal documents” into curriculum that have “enduring significance to American history, government, or civic discourse.” According to HB219, that includes things like the Declaration of Independence or notable U.S. presidential speeches.
The possibility of a third law school Sen. Brady Brammer, R-Highland, ran a resolution that would study the feasibility of opening a new law school at Utah Valley University.
Brammer, who also works as an attorney, said the state doesn’t currently have enough public defenders, prosecutors or county and city-level attorneys as needed. Having a third law school in Utah at the state’s largest university, he hopes, could fill that gap.
He imagines the school at UVU’s Lehi campus serving largely second-career individuals, such as teachers or police officers who want to become a lawyer.
What didn’t pass? Several notable higher education measures didn’t get traction before the session wrapped up. Those included:
• A measure that would have required the Legislature’s approval before any public university’s athletics department could accept a private equity deal. That came in response to the U.’s pending partnership with Otro Capital.
• A bill that would have prevented public colleges and universities from providing in-state tuition rates for immigrant students who don’t have legal status in the U.S.
• A proposal that would have required college and university police departments to conduct thorough security assessments ahead of large events, following the Kirk shooting. It also would have mandated that outside organizations provide insurance to cover any costs for property damage or injuries in the event of an attack.
• A bill to help graduate students pay for school after federal loan limit changes.
• A measure to support college students serving as peer coaches for classmates with mental health struggles.
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