HB 519 prohibits pharmaceutical manufacturers from restricting 340B entities (like community health centers and safety-net hospitals) or pharmacies from accessing the 340B drug discount program. It bars manufacturers from denying drug access, imposing unnecessary data requirements, or interfering with contracts between pharmacies and 340B entities. The bill explicitly allows the Public Employees' Benefit Program to adjust practices to address financial impacts from these changes. This law directly affects providers relying on 340B discounts and ensures manufacturers cannot block their participation in the federal program.
SB 186 amends Utah's regulations for tobacco and electronic cigarette products. It creates fines for retailers selling flavored e-cigarettes, increases permit fees for both general tobacco retailers and specialty tobacco businesses, and updates rules for inspecting stores and tracking e-cigarette products. The bill directly affects tobacco retailers who sell e-cigarettes, particularly those offering flavored products, and local health departments responsible for enforcement. Key changes include stricter penalties for violations, updated registry requirements, and coordination with another bill to maintain consistent legal references.
SB 308 creates structured concurrent enrollment language courses for high school students who have passed world language Advanced Placement exams (defined as "accelerated foreign language students"). It requires state universities to offer upper-level language courses using blended learning (online + in-person instruction) taught by instructors with advanced language proficiency and a master's degree or equivalent. Local school districts can partner with universities outside their usual service area to provide these courses if needed. The bill ensures these courses count toward college language degrees and requires annual funding increases tied to student enrollment metrics, without new state funding.
SB 208 updates Utah's custody and parent-time laws to better support children and families. It prevents courts from requiring parents who relocated due to domestic violence to share their new address, adds Juneteenth to parent-time schedules (coordinating with another bill), and removes Columbus Day/Veterans Day from holiday schedules. The bill also mandates that summer parent-time periods must be consecutive and clarifies rules for scheduling consistency around holidays like Mother's and Father's Day. These changes apply directly to parents, children, and courts handling custody disputes in Utah.
HB 336 updates Utah's definition of "recreational infrastructure project" to explicitly include trail construction, facility improvements, and adaptive equipment for people with disabilities. This change affects state park projects seeking infrastructure grants by expanding eligibility to cover accessibility features like accessible trails and adaptive playground equipment. The bill modifies Utah Code Section 79-8-102 without adding new funding or creating new programs. It ensures projects designed for disabled users qualify under existing grant programs. The amendment takes effect May 7, 2025.
SB 93 adds juvenile justice as a newly designated talent advisory council under Utah's existing workforce development framework. This change directly affects institutions of higher education, employers in juvenile justice, and workforce training programs seeking funding. The bill establishes a dedicated council to guide the development of career training programs aligned with juvenile justice workforce needs. It requires the council to review funding proposals for programs targeting this field, ensuring they meet regional workforce demands and industry standards. The bill does not alter existing council functions but expands the categories eligible for council oversight.
HB 453 requires Utah's State Board of Education to publish detailed meeting records online, including individual votes, meeting details, and audio/video recordings, starting May 7, 2026. The bill mandates posting this information within 7 business days of a vote and sharing meeting contracts with board members at least five days in advance. It directly affects the State Board of Education by increasing transparency in its operations. The requirements take effect on May 7, 2025, with the posting mandate beginning in 2026.
HB 241 regulates utility-scale solar power plants (over 1 megawatt) in Utah by establishing new rules for state incentives, land use, and environmental planning. It restricts full state incentives for solar projects on protected farmland (including prime cropland and grazing land with high vegetation) or reduces them to half for less sensitive agricultural land, while exempting projects with pre-existing agreements. The bill also requires wildlife impact consultations, mandates detailed decommissioning plans with financial assurance for cleanup, and creates a new permitting process for solar facilities. These provisions directly affect solar developers, landowners, and state agencies managing incentives and environmental reviews, without appropriating new state funds.
HB 72 changes how Utah electric utilities recover costs from customers. It requires utilities to prove that costs directly benefit Utah ratepayers before recovering them, and prevents utilities from charging Utah customers for facilities primarily benefiting other states. The bill creates new rules for allocating costs of shared power plants, requiring utilities to show Utah customers receive proportional benefits. Utilities must file state-specific plans for new power projects and get commission approval before recovering costs for those projects. This affects all large Utah utilities operating across state lines.
HB 326 requires Utah state correctional facilities and county jails to test all female inmates for pregnancy upon admission, collect parental information (including number and ages of minor children), and report two specific data points to the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice: the number of pregnant inmates and the number of inmate parents with minor children. It also updates the structure of the Correctional Postnatal and Early Childhood Advisory Board and extends its repeal date. The bill affects all female inmates in Utah's correctional system and mandates new data collection and reporting procedures without appropriating new funds. These changes aim to improve tracking of pregnant and parenting inmates within the state's correctional facilities.
SB 275 requires health care providers offering stem cell therapy using placental tissue or perinatal stem cells (not approved by the FDA) to provide patients with a specific written notice before treatment. The notice must be in 40-point type on standard paper, displayed prominently in the office, and included in advertisements. Providers must also obtain a signed consent form detailing the therapy's FDA status, alternatives, risks, and benefits. This bill directly affects providers performing unapproved stem cell therapies and aims to ensure patients receive clear, standardized information about their treatment options.
SB 210 creates the Vehicle Registration Services Expendable Special Revenue Fund to support counties that provide motor vehicle registration services on behalf of Utah's Motor Vehicle Division. It directs specific portions of existing registration fees into this fund, providing counties of the third through sixth class with annual funding based on vehicle registrations ($3-$5 per vehicle) and a one-time $500,000 payment to the top-performing county in 2024. Funding distributions begin in fiscal year 2027, contingent on the fund accumulating $500,000, securing office space, and meeting other conditions. The bill does not change registration fee amounts but redirects existing fee revenue to support county-level registration services.
