Bill to change Dixie State to Utah Tech passes in house and senate, awaiting governor’s signature

SALT LAKE CITY — The bill to change the name of Dixie State University to Utah Tech University has passed in the Utah House of Representatives and the Senate.

The final tally of votes in the house was 56 for and 15 against. Out of the representatives who cover Washington County, Brad Last and Lowry Snow voted in favor of changing the name and Walt Brooks and Travis Seegmiller voted to keep the name Dixie State University.

In the Senate, the bill passed 17 to 12, with Washington County senators Don Ipson and Evan Vickers both voting against the bill.

The bill now moves to the governor’s desk to be either signed or vetoed. 

The bill passed with an amendment to designate the main campus of the university as the “Dixie Campus,” differentiating it from the campuses in Hurricane and the future campus in the Desert Color area.

According to the text of the bill, the expected cost of the re-branding initiative will be 2.7 million dollars.