HB0401 • 2026

Geothermal Study Amendments

Energy

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Rep. Watkins, Christine F.
Last action: 2026-03-25
Official status: Governor Signed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Geothermal Study Amendments

This bill directs Utah State University to conduct a study on the geological and environmental impacts of geothermal energy development.

What This Bill Does

This bill directs Utah State University to conduct a study on the geological and environmental impacts of geothermal energy development.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-25 Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
Governor Signed
2026-03-12 Clerk of the House
House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
2026-03-12 Executive Branch - Governor
House/ to Governor
2026-03-11 Clerk of the House
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
2026-03-11 Clerk of the House
House/ enrolled bill to Printing
2026-03-06 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Bill Received from House for Enrolling
2026-03-06 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
2026-03-06 House Speaker
House/ received from Senate
2026-03-06 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
2026-03-06 Senate President
Senate/ received from House
2026-03-06 House Speaker
Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
2026-03-06 House Speaker
Senate/ to House
2026-03-05 Senate President
House/ concurs with Senate amendment
2026-03-05 House Concurrence Calendar
House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
2026-03-05 Clerk of the House
House/ received from Senate
2026-03-05 Senate President
House/ to Senate
2026-03-05 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0401S01
2026-03-05 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0401S01
2026-03-05 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0401S01
2026-03-05 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0401S01
2026-03-05 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
2026-03-05 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ circled
2026-03-05 Clerk of the House
Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
2026-03-05 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
2026-03-05 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ substituted
2026-03-05 Clerk of the House
Senate/ to House with amendments
2026-03-05 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ uncircled
2026-03-04 Senate Rules Committee
Senate/ 3nd Reading Calendar to Rules
2026-02-25 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ 2nd reading
2026-02-25 Senate 3rd Reading Calendar
Senate/ 3rd reading
2026-02-25 Senate 3rd Reading Calendar
Senate/ passed 2nd reading
2026-02-25 Senate 3rd Reading Calendar Table
Senate/ placed on 3rd Reading Calendar table
2026-02-19 Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee
Senate/ committee report favorable
2026-02-19 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
2026-02-18 Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2026-02-17 Senate Rules Committee
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2026-02-17 Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee
Senate/ to standing committee
2026-02-12 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ 3rd reading
2026-02-12 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ floor amendment
2026-02-12 Senate Secretary
House/ passed 3rd reading
2026-02-12 Senate Secretary
House/ to Senate
2026-02-12 Waiting for Introduction in the Senate
Senate/ received from House
2026-02-04 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ 2nd reading
2026-02-04 House Public Utilities and Energy Committee
House/ committee report favorable
2026-02-03 House Public Utilities and Energy Committee
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2026-02-02 House Public Utilities and Energy Committee
House/ to standing committee
2026-01-30 House Rules Committee
House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
2026-01-30 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0401
2026-01-29 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0401
2026-01-28 House Rules Committee
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2026-01-28 Clerk of the House
House/ received bill from Legislative Research
2026-01-27 Legislative Research and General Counsel
Bill Numbered but not Distributed
2026-01-27 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0401
2026-01-27 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0401
2026-01-27 Legislative Research and General Counsel
Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed

Official Summary Text

This bill directs Utah State University to conduct a study on the geological and environmental impacts of geothermal energy development.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

5
63I-2-279
79-6-410
0
Geothermal Study Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Christine F. Watkins
Senate Sponsor: David P. Hinkins
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill directs Utah State University to conduct a study on the geological and
environmental impacts of geothermal energy development.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
directs Utah State University to conduct a study on the geological and environmental
impacts of geothermal energy development in the state;
requires Utah State University to report findings to the Public Utilities, Energy, and
Technology Interim Committee; and
provides a repeal date.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
63I-2-279
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 258
ENACTS:
79-6-410
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section
63I-2-279
is amended to read:
63I-2-279
. Repeal dates: Title 79.
(1)
Section
79-2-407
, Study of funding for water infrastructure costs, is repealed July 1,
2025.
(2)
Subsection
79-4-1002(2)
, regarding a pilot program for veteran free admission to state
parks, is repealed July 1, 2025.
(3)
Section
79-6-410
, Geothermal energy facilities study, is repealed July 1, 2028.
(3)
(4)
Title 79, Chapter 6, Part 14, Energy Project Assessment, is repealed January 1,
2028.
Section 2. Section
79-6-410
is enacted to read:
79-6-410
. Geothermal energy facilities study.
(1)
As used in this section, "coal-powered electrical generation facility site" means a
location in the state where a facility that generates electricity using coal as a primary fuel
source:
(a)
is currently operating; or
(b)
has ceased operations but retains existing infrastructure suitable for energy
generation purposes.
(2)
On or before October 31, 2027, Utah State University shall conduct a study on the
geological and environmental impacts of geothermal energy development in the state,
which shall include:
(a)
an assessment of subsurface geological conditions and the interactions with
geothermal energy development activities;
(b)
an evaluation of geothermal energy development techniques and the relative impacts
on surrounding geological and environmental conditions;
(c)
an assessment of the geological and environmental impacts of geothermal energy
development at or near coal-powered electrical generation facility sites; and
(d)
recommendations for geothermal energy development practices that minimize
geological and environmental impacts.
(3)
Upon completion of the study described in Subsection
(2)
, Utah State University shall
report the findings on or before the November interim meeting to the Public Utilities,
Energy, and Technology Interim Committee.
Section 3.
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on
May 6, 2026
.
3-6-26 11:37 PM