Val Peterson is a Republican member of the Utah House of Representatives for District 56, where he has served since 2011, and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026, general election.[1][2]A former Utah National Guard colonel, he earned a Ph.D. from Brigham Young University and worked as a vice president at Utah Valley University.[1]
Peterson graduated from Moscow High School in 1981.[1]He earned a B.A. in communications and public relations, an M.A. in mass communications and a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Brigham Young University, and an M.S. in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.[1]He served in the Utah National Guard, reaching the rank of colonel, and his career includes working as vice president of administration and legislative affairs at Utah Valley University.[1]
Peterson was a state and county delegate in the Republican Party and was finance chair of the Utah County Republican Party in 2009.[1]He has served in the Utah House since 2011, and Ballotpedia lists him as chair of the Education Committee and of the Business and Labor Committee in earlier sessions.[1]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Republicans voted. How topics are assigned
›Rights & public safety182 with · 8 against190 votes
This bill amends provisions relating to immigration. This bill: repeals: the Guest Worker Program and related employee verification provisions; and the Utah Pilot Sponsored Resident Immigrant Program Act; eliminates the repeal of the Private Employer Verification Act that is scheduled to occur on the Guest Worker Program start date; repeals the Identity Theft Victims Restricted Account that would have gone into effect on the Guest Worker Program start date; amends provisions regarding exceptions to verification of lawful presence for the receipt of certain public assistance benefits; and…
Feb 27, 2026 · Passed 39–33 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
This bill addresses provisions related to voter registration. This bill: defines terms; creates a process for an individual to receive a voter registration form and voter registration information when purchasing a hunting or fishing license; and permits the lieutenant governor or the legislative auditor general to contract with a third-party to assist in the review and identification of inaccuracies in the voter registration database.
This bill amends provisions related to local referendums. This bill: defines terms; subject to certain exceptions, establishes a process for voters who are residents of a school district to hold a local referendum on any legislative action taken by the local school board, including the local school board's decision to increase a tax or impose a new tax; and makes technical and conforming changes.
Feb 25, 2025 · Passed 40–33 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
This bill creates the Utah-Ireland Trade Commission within the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity. This bill: creates the Utah-Ireland Trade Commission (trade commission) within the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (office); describes the membership, purpose, and duties of the trade commission; provides that the office staff the trade commission; requires an annual report; authorizes the office to solicit funds for certain purposes and to account for those funds; and provides a sunset date of July 1, 2030.
This bill authorizes municipalities to place a political subdivision lien on property for certain past due services and makes related amendments. This bill: defines terms and modifies definitions; authorizes a municipality that sets a fee schedule by ordinance or resolution for water, sewer, or utility-related services provided by the municipality, to bill a customer receiving the water, sewer, or utility-related services; authorizes a municipality to place a political subdivision lien on property for certain past due service fees after providing notice of: the past due fees; and the…
This bill modifies provisions related to property tax. This bill: defines terms; prohibits taxpayers from receiving the homeowner's credit unless the taxpayer received the credit within the previous two years, beginning in 2026; removes requirements for annual inflation adjustments for the homeowner's credit; increases the household income limits and maximum credit amounts allowed for a renter's credit; changes the qualifications, scope, duration, and rates of interest applicable to the discretionary and nondiscretionary property tax deferral programs; prohibits taxpayers from receiving…
This bill enacts provisions in public education related to water safety. This bill: defines terms; requires the inclusion of water safety instruction in the public education core curriculum standards for physical education; allows the exemption of a student from required water safety instruction under certain circumstances; allows a local education agency (LEA) to: provide swim instruction, lifeguard certification training, and swim instructor certification training as courses under certain conditions; construe the completion of certain courses toward physical education credit requirements or…
Feb 26, 2025 · Passed 38–37 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
This bill amends provisions related to local referendums. This bill: defines terms; subject to certain exceptions, establishes a process for voters who are residents of a school district to hold a local referendum on any legislative action taken by the local school board, including the local school board's decision to increase a tax or impose a new tax; and makes technical and conforming changes.
Feb 25, 2025 · Passed 40–33 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
This bill addresses grants for entities that provide free diapering supplies to individuals. This bill: defines terms; requires the Department of Health and Human Services (department) to, within appropriations, award grants to nonprofit entities who provide free diapering supplies; provides rulemaking authority to the department to govern the awarding of grants; creates the Diapering Supplies Fund; allows individual taxpayers to make contributions to the Diapering Supplies Fund on tax returns; and requires reporting related to awarded grants.
This bill amends provisions related to notice requirements for regulated residential treatment programs. This bill: defines terms; and requires regulated residential facilities to: notify nearby property owners and residents before beginning operations; and provide contact information for a designated representative to neighboring residents.
Feb 10, 2026 · Failed 29–40 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
This bill addresses grants for entities that provide free diapering supplies to individuals. This bill: defines terms; requires the Department of Health and Human Services (department) to, within appropriations, award grants to nonprofit entities who provide free diapering supplies; provides rulemaking authority to the department to govern the awarding of grants; creates the Diapering Supplies Fund; allows individual taxpayers to make contributions to the Diapering Supplies Fund on tax returns; and requires reporting related to awarded grants.
This bill addresses the use of public employee insurance for certain transgender medical treatments and procedures. This bill: subject to a limited exception, prohibits public employee insurance from covering, or paying or reimbursing for the performance of, certain transgender medical treatments or procedures; provides that if, before May 6, 2026, public employee insurance paid or reimbursed for a procedure to transition an individual from the individual's biological sex, public employee insurance must offer the same type and amount of insurance coverage for a procedure to restore that…
This bill authorizes municipalities to place a political subdivision lien on property for certain past due services and makes related amendments. This bill: defines terms and modifies definitions; authorizes a municipality that sets a fee schedule by ordinance or resolution for water, sewer, or utility-related services provided by the municipality, to bill a customer receiving the water, sewer, or utility-related services; authorizes a municipality to place a political subdivision lien on property for certain past due service fees after providing notice of: the past due fees; and the…
This bill addresses mining and critical infrastructure materials operations. This bill: modifies definitions; changes vested critical infrastructure materials use provisions including making them more similar to vested mining provisions; addresses operations on new land for critical infrastructure materials uses and for mining uses; addresses critical dates; amends provisions related to vested mining operations; repeals study requirements; and makes technical and conforming changes.
This bill addresses the management of wildlife resources and wildlife habitats. This bill: addresses who may provide verification of illness, injury, or disability in relationship to a license, certificate, or permit issued under the Wildlife Resources Act; amends provisions related to notice of acquisition of real property; addresses rulemaking and penalties related to reporting hunt information; provides for the management of grizzly bears; grants rulemaking authority; addresses discharge of a dangerous weapon related to a waterfowl management area or wildlife management area; creates the…
This bill addresses a highway authority's ability to regulate a controlled-access highway. This bill: clarifies that a highway authority may limit traffic under certain conditions; and grants rulemaking authority.
This bill addresses vehicle lighting requirements relating to cargo carriers and bicycle racks. This bill: prohibits operating a motor vehicle when a cargo carrier obscures required tail lights unless auxiliary lighting equipment or reflectors are installed; establishes compliance requirements for operators; provides standards for auxiliary lighting equipment and reflectors; establishes exemptions for certain vehicles; and provides penalties for violations.
This bill addresses commercial driver license (CDL) applicants. This bill: requires a CDL applicant to sign a form attesting to the applicant's English language ability; requires reporting regarding CDL driver training schools; and makes technical changes.
This bill addresses provisions regarding homeless services. This bill: modifies and defines terms; amends exceptions for conveyance, lease, or disposal of certain property owned by the Division of Facilities Construction and Management with the consent of the governing body of the municipality in which the property is located; provides funds received from a lease may be used for the operations and maintenance of the leased space; creates the Mitigation Fund Task Force; amends the name of the Shelter Cities Advisory Board to the Shelter Cities Coordinating Council; amends the name of the…
This bill creates the homeless service provider ombudsman within the Office of Homeless Services. This bill: defines terms; creates the homeless services provider ombudsman (ombudsman) within the Office of Homeless Services (office); describes the duties and functions of the ombudsman; authorizes the office to make rules to implement and carry out the ombudsman's duties and functions; and provides for a sunset review after five years.
This bill amends provisions related to notice requirements for regulated residential treatment programs. This bill: defines terms; and requires regulated residential facilities to: notify nearby property owners and residents before beginning operations; and provide contact information for a designated representative to neighboring residents.
Feb 10, 2026 · Failed 29–40 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
This bill amends provisions regarding the accessibility of sensitive material through digital instructional material in a school setting. This bill: defines a term; prohibits a Local Education Agency (LEA) from providing certain materials to students that have been removed statewide; requires an LEA to review instructional material an LEA adds to the LEA's collection of instructional material; enacts certain prohibitions on a vendor of digital instructional material; and makes technical and conforming changes.
Feb 20, 2026 · Passed 47–17 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
This bill amends the electronic signature gathering process. This bill: defines a term; requires the device used to electronically gather signatures for an initiative petition, a referendum petition, or a candidate nomination petition (collectively, "petition") to be capable of scanning and extracting certain data from a driver license, state identification card, or another form of valid voter identification; beginning on January 1, 2028, requires the device described above to be capable of operating in an offline environment; beginning on January 1, 2028, requires at least 10% of the…
This bill addresses website access litigation brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act. This bill: provides a sunset date for statutory provisions related to abusive website access litigation; defines terms; creates a civil action for a court to determine whether a lawsuit alleging a website access violation under the Americans with Disabilities Act is abusive; and allows a court to award attorney fees and costs, punitive damages, and sanctions if the lawsuit is abusive.
Feb 26, 2026 · Passed 58–15 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
This bill creates the Utah-Ireland Trade Commission within the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity. This bill: creates the Utah-Ireland Trade Commission (trade commission) within the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (office); describes the membership, purpose, and duties of the trade commission; provides that the office staff the trade commission; requires an annual report; authorizes the office to solicit funds for certain purposes and to account for those funds; and provides a sunset date of July 1, 2030.
This bill addresses state sovereignty. This bill: defines terms; prohibits the governor or the chief executive officer of a political subdivision from declaring a state of emergency exclusively in response to an international organization's proclamation declaring a state of emergency; declares that an international organization has no power, jurisdiction, or legal authority in the state; prohibits the state, state agencies, and local governments from implementing or enforcing an international directive issued by an international organization; and makes technical changes.
Jan 23, 2026 · Passed 55–11 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
This bill addresses state sovereignty. This bill: defines terms; declares that an international organization does not have any power, jurisdiction, or legal authority in this state; provides that, if an international organization issues a rule, resolution, tax, policy, or mandate that purports to have the force and effect of law, then the state, or a political subdivision of the state, may not implement or enforce the rule, resolution, tax, policy, or mandate; prohibits the governor or the chief executive officer of a political subdivision from declaring a state of emergency exclusively in…
Feb 10, 2025 · Passed 59–13 · with most RepublicansOfficial record ↗
Voted against most of their party on 5 of 216 party-divided votes on file.
Most often on: Housing & rent (2), Jobs & cost of living (1), Health & care (1)
Utah Homes Investment Program Amendments
What it does: This bill modifies provisions related to the Utah Homes Investment Program. This bill: expands the projects for which a qualified depository may offer loan financing to a developer or city under the Utah Homes Investm…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 7–6, Republicans 2–55
What it does: This bill addresses tax penalties within the Individual Income Tax Act. This bill: removes marriage penalties from certain individual income tax credits over a five-year period, resulting in the income phaseout amount…
Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 1–13, Republicans 30–29
What it does: This bill addresses the regulation of milk or milk products. This bill: modifies an exemption from certain dairy regulations; defines terms; outlines general requirements related to raw milk or raw milk products; addr…
Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 5–6, Republicans 41–14
What it does: This bill creates the Alternative Statewide Testing Pilot Program. This bill: defines terms; creates the Alternative Statewide Testing Pilot Program to allow a local education agency (LEA) to administer alternative st…
Voted no · most Republicans voted yes · Democrats 0–14, Republicans 32–28
What it does: This bill establishes education requirements for members of a homeowners' association board. This bill: defines terms; requires that a homeowners' association board member complete education requirements; requires tha…
Voted yes · most Republicans voted no · Democrats 13–0, Republicans 17–42
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
SB 254 · UT HOUSE
Extracted Natural Resources Amendments
YesVOTED
Motion: House Conference Committee - Final Passage
This bill addresses natural resources within the state. This bill: facilitates faster permitting by the Department of Environmental Quality and the Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining; modifies the tax credit for mining exploration; creates the State Reinvestment Restricted Account and diverts various streams of income related to severance taxes into the State Reinvestment Restricted Account; addresses property tax differentials based on critical minerals zones; defines terms; establishes the state critical minerals objectives and policy, including providing for annual reviews; creates the…
Motion: House Conference Committee - Final Passage
This bill addresses drivers without a driver license, driving privilege card, or learner permit. This bill: defines terms; modifies the circumstances in which law enforcement is required to impound a vehicle; addresses identification of an individual who operates a vehicle without a valid driving credential; allows certain fees to be waived in certain circumstances; modifies certain fees and the allocation of fee revenue; amends certain penalties associated with driving without a driver license; amends provisions related to administrative suspension of a driver license; requires a vendor…
This bill addresses when a government entity is required to provide an electronic filing option to a person submitting information to the government entity. This bill: defines terms; requires state and local government to provide an electronic option for filling out forms and for submitting forms, records, and other information; and provides certain exceptions or delays to the requirement described in the preceding paragraph.
Parental Access to Children's Medical Records Amendments
YesVOTED
Motion: House/ concurs with Senate amendment
This bill amends provisions related to parent access to a minor's medical record. This bill: defines terms; specifies that a parent has the right to access their child's medical record; requires a health care facility to ensure that a child's parent has access to the child's electronic health record unless certain circumstances are met; requires an electronic medical record system vendor to ensure a health care facility can provide access to parents; authorizes the attorney general's office to bring enforcement actions; and requires a health care facility to provide medical records free of…
This bill addresses family law proceedings. This bill: defines terms; addresses factors for a court to consider when deciding whether to award costs, attorney fees, and witness fees in a family law proceeding; provides a process for ordering mental health treatment in a child custody proceeding; provides that a court may consider evidence of coercive control when making a child custody or parent-time decision; creates a new part addressing a child custody evaluation; and makes technical and conforming changes.
This bill directs the Gary R. Herbert Institute for Public Policy at Utah Valley University and the Center for Constitutional Studies at Utah Valley University to conduct an elections study. This bill: directs the Gary R.
This bill amends the App Store Accountability Act. This bill: defines terms; adds requirements for pre-installed applications; modifies app store provider and developer requirements; modifies provisions relating to age-related restrictions and defaults; modifies enforcement and safe harbor provisions; and makes technical and conforming changes.
This bill creates the Utah Energy Infrastructure Service District and modifies provisions relating to the Utah Energy Council. This bill: defines terms; expands the Utah Energy Council (council) membership from five to seven members; establishes a co-chair structure for council leadership; designates the council as a state energy financing institution; creates the Utah Energy Infrastructure Service District (district) as a political subdivision of the state; provides that council members serve concurrently as the board of trustees of the district; authorizes the district to acquire, own, and…
This bill addresses substance use interventions in communities and for criminal justice involved individuals. This bill: authorizes jails to establish recovery housing pods and establishes minimum requirements; amends provisions related to the operation of a syringe exchange program, including to prohibit: the distribution of drug paraphernalia other than syringes; and the facilitation of the exchange of syringes in public parks; authorizes a justice court to create a Structured Treatment and Enforcement Pathway Supervision Program and establishes requirements; authorizes courts to enter an…
This bill modifies provisions related to nicotine product taxes. This bill: defines terms; increases the rates of the taxes levied on cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and nontherapeutic nicotine devices; replaces the weight-based tax rate for alternative nicotine products with: a per product tax rate, for alternative nicotine products that contain pouches; or a tax rate based on a percentage of the manufacturer's sales price, for alternative nicotine products that do not contain pouches; imposes a transitional inventory tax on cigarettes subject to the tax increase described in this bill;…
