June 2026 Interim Summary

This week, legislators met at the Capitol for June Interim meetings. Catch up with this summary! UAC's Policy Steering Committees will meet next week to begin work on these significant policy issues.

Justice Summit Next Week, Agenda Now Available - Register NOW!

Registration is now available for the 5th Annual Justice Summit on June 25, 2026, at the Utah Association of Counties (5397 South Vine Street, Murray, UT 84107). We will be meeting in our basement training room.

Take a look at the agenda below!

This will be a productive Summit with a good mix of information sharing and roundtable discussions. Register today to save yourself a seat at the table!

Policy Steering Committees Begin

UAC's Policy Steering Committees (PSCs) allow members to guide policy positions and be an integral part of the legislative process.

Find more details here and use the chart here to see what committees you and your fellow county officials are on.

PSCs will meet on the following dates and times, subject to change:

• Community Development
  June 24, Aug. 26, Sept. 23, Oct. 28, Dec. 9
  1:00 PM
  
• Criminal Justice and Public Safety
  June 24, Aug. 26, Sept. 23, Oct. 28, Dec. 9
  2:00 PM
  
• Government Operations 
  June 25, Aug. 27, Sept. 24, Oct. 29, Dec. 10
  2:00 PM
  
• Natural Resources and Public Lands 
  June 25, Aug. 27, Sept. 24, Oct. 29, Dec. 10
  1:00 PM
  
• Revenue and Taxation
  June 25, Aug. 27, Sept. 24, Oct. 29, Dec. 10
  3:00 PM
  
• Social and Human Services 
  June 24, Aug. 26, Sept. 23, Oct. 28, Dec. 9 
  11:00 AM

If you did not receive calendar announcements or need to adjust your committee assignments, please reach out to UAC staff.

Policy Steering Committee Chairs

2026-2027 Policy Steering Committees will kick off June 24th and 25th! We're excited to announce this year's co-chairs:

Community Development

Skylar Beltran, Commissioner, Utah County

Kathryn Beus, Councilmember, Cache County

Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Scott Broadhead, Attorney, Tooele County

Eric Houston, Sheriff, Garfield County

Government Operations

Brenda McDonald, Recorder, Uintah County

Tracy Shaw, Clerk, Tooele County

Natural Resources and Public Lands

Dave Erickson, Councilmember, Cache County

Lori Maughan, Commissioner, San Juan County

Revenue and Taxation 

Tom Durrant, Assessor, Washington County

Shirlene Larsen, Auditor, Box Elder County

Social and Human Services

Greg Jensen, Commissioner, Sevier County

Raelene Blocker, Commissioner, Morgan County

What is SRS and Why Does it Matter to Your County?

The Secure Rural Schools program, commonly known as SRS, provides federal funding to counties with national forest lands. Because these lands are federally owned, counties cannot collect property tax from them in the same way they do from private land. SRS helps offset that gap by supporting essential local services, including roads, schools, wildfire preparedness, emergency services, and public lands projects.

For many rural counties, SRS is not just a federal program, it is part of the local budget picture. The program was recently reauthorized through fiscal year 2026, including retroactive payments for FY 2024 and FY 2025, after a lapse in authorization.

Counties have important funding decisions ahead. By August 1, 2026, eligible counties must elect either an SRS payment or the traditional 1908 Act 25% timber payment. Counties that choose SRS must also determine how to allocate their payment among roads and schools, federal land projects, and county-level projects by September 30, 2026. For Utah counties, the Office of the State Treasurer has been tasked with

coordination in providing county decision to the Forest Service.

Additional information and funding estimates can be found here. UAC Policy Analyst, Kyle Jensen, can also be contacted for more information.

As counties look ahead, upcoming SRS funding decisions are a good reminder of why stable, predictable federal payments matter. These dollars help counties maintain services in communities where large portions of land are federally managed, and where local governments are still responsible for serving residents, visitors, infrastructure, and emergency needs.

NACo Annual Conference Coming Up!

The National Association of Counties will be holding their Annual Conference from July 17-20 in Orleans Parish - New Orleans, Louisiana.

The NACo Annual Conference is the premier gathering of elected and appointed officials from the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs and will include dozens of committee and caucus meetings, workshops, and general sessions.

Take a look at more details and register below!

CES

CES is a member-driven organization dedicated to supporting operational efficiency and educational excellence. CES is comprised of a diverse network of public entities, school districts, charter schools, two- and four-year post-secondary institutions, Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools, and state schools. CES actively partners with counties, municipalities, and other government agencies to provide cost-effective procurement solutions that benefit communities across the state and beyond. By uniting these organizations, CES fosters collaboration and delivers innovative solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of its members.

Enbridge Energy

Enbridge Gas Inc. is a leading energy company and North America's largest natural gas utility by volume. It provides safe, reliable, and affordable natural gas service to approximately 7 million customers across Ontario, Quebec, Ohio, North Carolina, Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho. Enbridge Gas is committed to innovation and investing in lower-carbon energy solutions and aiming for net-zero emissions from its operations by 2050.

Maverik

Maverik is a convenience store chain focused on creating an "adventure-themed" experience with a wide variety of products and services. They are known for their BonFire food, made fresh daily, and exclusive items like burritos, pizzas, and coffee blends. Maverik operates in 12 western states with over 400 locations.

Previ

Exclusive Phone Plans for All County Employees. We know the saying ""if it sounds too good to be true it probably is"", but we promise this is a great deal! We truly believe our mission aligns with that of the UAC partnership program...to provide cost-effective savings to our members. Several of our UAC staff members have made the switch and are seeing REAL savings when they sign up for Previ. The average Previ member saves $1,259/yr on their mobile plan when they switch over.