Rep. Angela Romero

Maddy summaryHB 89 prohibits law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts in Utah from requiring victims of sexual offenses to take polygraph exams during criminal investigations or prosecutions. The bill explicitly states that victims cannot be forced to undergo such exams, and their refusal cannot block an investigation or case from moving forward. It defines "polygraph examination" as any lie detector test measuring physiological responses to assess truthfulness. This law directly affects sexual offense victims in Utah by protecting them from potentially retraumatizing interrogation tactics during criminal proceedings. The policy change takes effect on May 6, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 167 requires law enforcement and juvenile courts to notify school officials when a minor is taken into temporary custody for a serious offense, released from custody, or placed under home detention. This notification must include the minor's name and the offense, but no other details. The bill directly affects schools, law enforcement, and minors involved in juvenile court proceedings for serious offenses by creating a mandatory reporting process to help schools support these students. It does not change disciplinary policies but ensures schools are informed about custody situations impacting student reintegration.

Maddy summaryHB 482 is a definitional amendment to Utah's legal code that adds a specific definition for "social health" to Section 68-3-12.5 of the Utah Code. The bill defines "social health" as an individual's ability to build mutually supportive relationships across communities (family, peers, school, work, neighborhood) and to listen with curiosity. It does not create new policies, allocate funding, or directly affect any people or programs. This is purely a procedural update to legal terminology, adding the definition for future reference in statutes.

Maddy summaryHB 588 requires Utah's Office of American Indian-Alaska Native Health and Family Services to create mandatory training for peace officers investigating missing or murdered Indigenous individuals. The training curriculum must cover tribal sovereignty principles, relevant federal/state/tribal laws, methods for gathering accurate tribal affiliation information, coordination with family members, and best practices for interviewing families. This bill directly affects law enforcement officers conducting such investigations and aims to improve investigative approaches through culturally informed practices. The training must be reviewed and updated at least every three years, with the bill taking effect on May 6, 2026.

Maddy summaryHR 6 amends Utah House rules to strengthen lobbyist ethics standards. It prohibits paid lobbyists and volunteer lobbyists from entering the House floor, lounge, or offices during sessions, and bans them from influencing which bills get debated or referred to committees. The bill also prevents lobbyists, volunteer lobbyists, or government officials from using legislative staff identification badges. These changes directly affect lobbyists, volunteer lobbyists, and government officials interacting with the Utah House of Representatives. The resolution updates existing rules without appropriating funds or creating new programs.

Maddy summaryHB 345 modifies Utah's victim reparations law to expand access for specific victims. It specifically allows mental health counseling as part of reparations for individuals who experienced sexual assault while incarcerated in a prison, jail, or correctional facility. The bill also updates the legal definition of "criminally injurious conduct" and makes technical changes to existing code sections (63M-7-502, 63M-7-509, and 63M-7-510). These changes directly affect incarcerated sexual assault victims seeking reparations for psychological harm. The bill does not appropriate new funds.

Maddy summaryHB 310 amends Utah's school reintegration plan requirements for students charged with or adjudicated for violent felonies or weapon offenses. It extends the timeline for schools to develop these plans from five to seven school days after receiving notification, provides additional flexibility during summer breaks, and allows schools to tailor plans based on individual student risk levels and needs. The bill does not change core requirements like the multidisciplinary team composition or the types of interventions (behavioral, mental health, academic) that must be included. Schools must still address specific safety concerns and cannot reintegrate students if protective orders or certain crimes are involved. (3 sentences)

Maddy summaryHB 30 creates Utah's "Indian Family Preservation Act" to replace references to the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in state law. It directly affects Native American families in Utah whose children are involved in custody or foster care cases by establishing new state standards for child placement, requiring consultation with tribes, and clarifying best interests for Indian children. Key provisions include defining tribal affiliation requirements, prioritizing placement with extended family or tribal communities, creating an Office of American Indian-Alaska Native Health and Family Services, and appointing a dedicated liaison to coordinate with tribes. The law makes specific policy changes to how state agencies handle child welfare cases involving Native children, ensuring tribal sovereignty and cultural considerations are integrated into state processes.

Maddy summaryHB 125 reestablishes Utah's Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives Task Force, which directly affects Native American communities and law enforcement agencies by addressing cases of missing or murdered Indigenous individuals. The task force consists of nine members, including tribal representatives, government officials, and victim advocates, with legislative co-chairs and a requirement for a five-member quorum to make decisions. It mandates the task force to develop protocols for law enforcement, improve data sharing across agencies, and address jurisdictional challenges, with a report due to the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee by September 2026. The bill repeals the previous task force structure and requires no state funding for implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 101 modifies Utah's election code to require the Office of Legislative Research to create impartial ballot titles and analyses for constitutional amendments, statewide initiatives, and referendums. This change directly affects voters by providing clearer, neutral descriptions of ballot measures, and impacts election officials who must now prepare these nonpartisan summaries. The bill establishes a standardized process where the Office of Legislative Research, not the sponsoring body, develops the official language and financial analysis for these measures. These updates ensure voters receive consistent, factual information about proposed laws before casting their ballots.