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The Utah Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (UT-AI-Workforce)

Utah state companion to the AI Workforce Act. Extends the Utah OneStop Business Registration system, the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (Go Utah), and Utah Code Sec. 59-10-1012 research credit.

THE UTAH PRO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP & AI WORKFORCE ACT (UT-AI-WORKFORCE)

Vehicle: State passage. Utah Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to House Business and Labor / Revenue and Taxation and Senate Business and Labor / Revenue and Taxation.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Utah Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (UT-AI-Workforce).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that Utah operates the OneStop Business Registration system through the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code under Utah Code Title 16 (Corporations) and Title 48 Ch. 3a (Revised Uniform LLC Act); that the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (Go Utah) administers economic-development programs under Utah Code Title 63N; that Utah Code Sec. 59-10-1012 provides a research tax credit; that DWS administers Individual Training Accounts; that Utah’s Artificial Intelligence Policy Act under Utah Code Sec. 13-72-101 et seq. (2024 SB 149) governs AI disclosure; and that the Utah Consumer Privacy Act under Utah Code Sec. 13-61-101 governs consumer data handling. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH UTAH LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Qualified AI startup” means a Utah-formed entity under Utah Code Title 16 or Title 48 whose principal business is AI-related software or services, with fewer than 50 FTE employees at claim.
  2. (b) “AI-displaced worker” means a Utah-domiciled worker with AI-driven separation.
  3. (c) “DWS provider” means a provider on the Utah ETPL.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Utah Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Utah Code Title 16 (Corporations); Title 48 Ch. 3a (Revised Uniform LLC Act).
  • Utah Code Sec. 59-10-1012 (research credit); Title 63N Ch. 2 (Utah economic-development incentives).
  • Utah Code Title 63N (Go Utah; Office of Economic Opportunity).
  • Utah Code Title 35A (DWS).
  • Utah Code Sec. 13-72-101 et seq. (Artificial Intelligence Policy Act).
  • Utah Code Sec. 13-61-101 (Utah Consumer Privacy Act).

TITLE II — STATE BUSINESS-FORMATION REFORM

Sec. 201. Division of Corporations Business-Formation Streamlining

  1. (a) Same-business-day formation pathway via OneStop Business Registration for LLCs under Title 48 Ch. 3a and corporations under Title 16.
  2. (b) Machine-readable API within 12 months.

Sec. 202. One-Stop Utah Business Portal

  1. (a) Go Utah, in coordination with the Division of Corporations, Utah State Tax Commission, and DWS, shall integrate entity formation, tax registration, unemployment registration, and DWS Employer of Record registration through the existing OneStop Business Registration system.

TITLE III — UTAH AI WORKFORCE TRANSITION

Sec. 301. AI Workforce Transition Accounts

  1. (a) An AI-displaced worker may establish an Account at a DWS service area to pay tuition to a DWS provider for reskilling to a UTRMC under UT-ACSA Sec. 201 or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Funding through state appropriations and Utah’s allocation of Federal workforce funds under 29 U.S.C. Sec. 3161 et seq.

Sec. 302. DWS Integration

  1. (a) Administered through DWS service areas and Talent Ready Utah infrastructure.
  2. (b) Administrative overhead not to exceed 10 percent.

TITLE IV — UTAH AI ENTREPRENEURSHIP INCENTIVES

Sec. 401. Utah AI-Startup Research Credit Enhancement

  1. (a) A qualified AI startup may claim an enhanced credit under Utah Code Sec. 59-10-1012 for qualified in-State R&D expenditures, subject to annual cap.
  2. (b) Utah State Tax Commission administers consistent with existing mechanics.

Sec. 402. Capital Access via Go Utah

  1. (a) Go Utah is authorized to prioritize qualified AI startups under existing Title 63N programs.
  2. (b) No expansion beyond appropriated amounts.

TITLE V — K-12 & POSTSECONDARY AI FLUENCY

Sec. 501. K-12 AI-Fluency Curriculum Option

  1. (a) The State Board of Education, consistent with Utah Code Title 53E, shall approve optional AI-fluency curriculum packages consistent with disclosure obligations under Utah Code Sec. 13-72-101 et seq.
  2. (b) Optional.

Sec. 502. Utah Technical College & University AI-Fluency Programs

  1. (a) Institutions under the Utah Board of Higher Education may offer AI-fluency certificate programs aligning with the UTRMC Registry.

TITLE VI — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 602. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect May 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: AI Workforce. Other Utah bills: UT-ACSA, UT-MEWRA, UT-GT&P.