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State of the State: 2025 vs 2026
Governor Spencer Cox -- comparing priorities year over year
From Building Infrastructure to Building Character
Governor Spencer Cox's 2026 State of the State address represents a notable philosophical pivot from the ambitious, construction-oriented agenda of 2025. The 2025 speech was organized around the theme "Built Here" — a forward-looking, economically aggressive vision centered on tangible outputs like 35,000 starter homes, advanced nuclear reactors, Operation Gigawatt energy exports, and permitting reform. The 2026 address, by contrast, is framed around civic virtue, moral character, and the limits of government, drawing heavily on the nation's 250th anniversary and quoting Calvin Coolidge on restraint in lawmaking.
Several major 2025 priorities were entirely absent from the 2026 address. There was no mention of energy policy, Operation Gigawatt, nuclear reactors, or energy exports — topics that constituted one of the five pillars of the 2025 speech. Infrastructure and permitting reform, which were standalone priorities in 2025 (including a specific anecdote about a 15-year federal delay on a transmission line), were only referenced in 2026 as a supporting element within the housing discussion rather than as a distinct priority. The proposal to eliminate Utah's tax on Social Security benefits and the broader "family strength" pillar were also absent.
The 2026 address introduced early literacy as a major new priority, with Gov. Cox citing the alarming statistic that nearly half of Utah's third graders are not reading at grade level and calling literacy "moral infrastructure." This education-focused priority had no parallel in the 2025 address. The governor also significantly elevated the phones-in-schools and social media accountability issue from a brief mention in 2025 to a full standalone priority in 2026, calling for a statewide bell-to-bell phone ban and platform accountability measures.
Housing and homelessness remained consistent across both years, though with shifted framing. Housing moved from a bold numerical target (35,000 starter homes in five years) to a more values-driven argument that "Utah will not become a state of renters." Homelessness was expanded in 2026 to explicitly encompass addiction and fentanyl trafficking, with specific mention of Rep. Tyler Clancy leading a new effort beginning in March. Overall, the 2026 speech was more restrained and philosophical, cautioning against overreliance on legislation — a striking tonal shift from the 2025 speech's exuberant call to "build, build, build."
New Priorities in 2026
- +Early literacy emerged as a top priority, with Gov. Cox citing that nearly half of Utah's third graders are not reading at grade level and calling literacy 'moral infrastructure' essential to freedom and self-governance.
- +Fentanyl trafficking disruption was specifically named as a priority, with Rep. Tyler Clancy announced to lead a new coordinated effort beginning in March 2026.
- +A philosophical emphasis on civic virtue, moral character, and the limits of government — drawing on Calvin Coolidge and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence — framed the entire address as a call for restraint in lawmaking and personal responsibility.
- +A statewide bell-to-bell phone ban during the school day was proposed as formal policy, escalating from the general 2025 call to 'get phones out of schools' to a specific enforceable mandate with named legislative sponsors (Sen. Fillmore and Rep. Welton).
Dropped from 2025
- −Energy abundance, including Operation Gigawatt, advanced nuclear reactor deployment, and increasing energy exports, received no mention in the 2026 address despite being a central pillar in 2025.
- −The specific goal of constructing 35,000 starter homes within five years was not repeated, though housing remained a general priority.
- −Infrastructure and permitting reform as a standalone priority — including the anecdote about a 15-year federal delay on a transmission line — was dropped as a distinct focus area.
- −Elimination of Utah's tax on Social Security benefits, which Gov. Cox called 'a bit embarrassing' in 2025, was entirely absent from the 2026 address.
- −The broader 'family strength' pillar, including empowering parents and the framing that 'when families win, Utah wins,' was not featured as a standalone priority.
Shifted Emphasis
- ↔Housing remained a priority in both years, but shifted from the specific and ambitious target of 35,000 starter homes in five years to a more values-driven argument about preserving homeownership and preventing Utah from becoming 'a state of renters.'
- ↔Homelessness was addressed both years, but in 2026 it was explicitly expanded to include addiction and fentanyl trafficking as intertwined issues, with a named point person (Rep. Tyler Clancy) and a focus on treatment and recovery pathways.
- ↔Protecting children from technology moved from a brief line within the 'community safety' section in 2025 to a full standalone priority in 2026, with a specific policy proposal (bell-to-bell phone ban) and added emphasis on holding social media platforms accountable.
- ↔The overall tone shifted dramatically from 2025's optimistic, action-oriented 'Built Here' theme urging maximum building and development to 2026's more philosophical, cautionary emphasis on restraint, virtue, and the limits of legislation.
Policy Topics Addressed
Affordability
Governor Cox focused his address on civic virtue and founding principles rather than specific affordability proposals, but highlighted housing as a key priority, stating "Utah will not become a state of renters" and calling for zoning and permitting reform. He emphasized early literacy as foundational to long-term economic opportunity and thanked legislators leading housing and literacy reforms.
Economy & Jobs
Governor Cox's address focused more on civic virtue and foundational priorities like literacy and housing than specific economic metrics, but he emphasized housing affordability as critical to ensuring "Utah will not become a state of renters" and called for zoning and permitting reform to keep homeownership within reach for working families.
Education
Governor Cox highlighted that nearly half of Utah's third graders are not reading at grade level, calling literacy 'moral infrastructure' essential to freedom and self-governance. He called for a statewide bell-to-bell phone ban and thanked legislators for leading literacy reforms and school phone policy. His address emphasized education within a broader framework of civic virtue and character formation.
Housing
Governor Cox identified housing as a key priority, urging action to increase housing supply and keep homeownership within reach for working families. He called for zoning and permitting reform, infrastructure support, and policies that reduce barriers to building, declaring "Utah will not become a state of renters."
Public Safety
Governor Cox addressed homelessness, addiction, and fentanyl as public safety concerns, calling for an approach pairing compassion with accountability focused on disrupting fentanyl trafficking while expanding treatment and recovery pathways. Specific legislative proposals were referenced but not detailed in the address summary.
Tax & Budget
Governor Cox's address focused primarily on civic virtue and founding principles rather than detailed fiscal proposals, but he outlined priorities including early literacy, housing reform, homelessness, and phone/social media policy. He cautioned against overreliance on legislation and emphasized personal responsibility and community character as foundations for prosperity.
Technology
Governor Cox called for a statewide bell-to-bell phone ban during the school day and commonsense guardrails to hold major social media platforms accountable. He warned that addictive technology is reshaping children's attention, sleep, relationships, and mental health, emphasizing that families cannot solve the problem alone.