Utah lawmakers approved a bill on Friday aimed at legal transparency, but removed a key provision allowing the state to invest public funds directly in cryptocurrencies. The H.B. 230 bill was passed by a 19-7 vote in the Utah Senate. The law explicitly prohibits state and local governments from restricting the acceptance or holding of digital assets and protects individuals’ rights to run blockchain nodes and participate in staking. It also exempts digital asset mining businesses from zoning and noise regulations. This action comes after President Trump’s executive order to establish strategic Bitcoin reserves at the federal level. Meanwhile, states like Texas and Arizona are leading in integrating Bitcoin into public finances, while some other states have rejected similar proposals.
