Bill > HB0596

This bill makes several amendments to Utah's laws concerning homelessness services, primarily by adding new definitions and clarifying existing ones, such as defining "congregate shelter" and "emergency shelter." It allows the Office of Homeless Services to accept property for use as temporary shelters and establishes rules for lease agreements for such properties, with lease rates capped at documented direct facility operation and maintenance costs. The bill also modifies reporting requirements for the Office of Homeless Services, changes the name of the Shelter Cities Advisory Board to the Shelter Cities Coordinating Council, and adjusts the temperature threshold for a "code blue event" (extreme cold weather) that triggers emergency shelter protocols from 18 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, it creates a Homeless Services Restricted Account to be funded by a portion of cigarette tax revenue, with specific uses outlined for participating counties, and establishes a Mitigation Fund Task Force to assess public safety costs and recommend funding formulas for municipalities hosting homeless shelters. Finally, the bill allows for temporary expansion of congregate shelter capacity under certain conditions and modifies how local sales and use tax revenue is distributed, including provisions related to homeless shelter mitigation.

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https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/HB0596.html