Rep. Stephanie Gricius

Maddy summaryHB 164 requires health care providers to give patients written information about reporting unprofessional or unlawful conduct to Utah's Division of Professional Licensing before patients sign any nondisclosure agreement. It makes such agreements legally unenforceable unless the provider first provides a standardized model notice explaining how to file a complaint. The bill directs the Division to create and publish this notice online, including details on what constitutes misconduct and the reporting process. This affects patients seeking to report provider misconduct and health care providers using nondisclosure clauses, effective May 6, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 378 amends Utah's air quality laws to regulate dust emissions from specific industrial sites. It requires facilities like sand/gravel operations, excavation sites, and bulk material handling areas (over a quarter acre) to post visible public signage with facility details and contact information. The bill establishes a tiered annual fee system based on dust emissions: $750 for under 20 tons, $1,500 for 20-79 tons, $3,500 for 79-99 tons, and $4,500 for 99+ tons, starting in 2027 (with rules finalized by 2028). These fees apply to "aggregate operations" defined as facilities extracting or processing rock materials like sand, gravel, and stone, excluding agricultural sites or road salting. The bill repeals an outdated section and has no budget impact.

Maddy summarySB 72 creates a new legal definition for "obscene animal abuse material" and makes distributing it a standalone criminal offense in Utah. The bill specifically adds "animal crushing" (graphic abuse of animals for sexual purposes) to the prohibited material, separating it from existing definitions of pornographic content. It requires that this material be treated identically to pornographic materials under Utah law for enforcement and penalties. The bill affects anyone distributing such material, with no budget impact or new funding required.

Maddy summaryHB 436 modifies reporting requirements for municipalities implementing moderate income housing strategies and adds a new transportation priority. It requires municipalities to submit detailed annual reports tracking housing strategies, new home construction, and zoning changes, with stricter compliance standards for those without public transit stations. Crucially, it grants priority consideration for transportation projects if a municipality adds 2.5% or more new residential units annually. The bill affects all "specified municipalities" defined under Utah law, with no new state funding required. It takes effect May 6, 2026, and makes technical updates to existing housing reporting codes.

Maddy summarySB 326 modifies term lengths for school board president and vice president in *new* Utah school districts. It allows newly formed districts to set initial terms as either: (a) the remainder of the calendar year they join plus one additional year, or (b) the remainder plus three additional years. This change applies only to the first terms of officers in districts established after the bill takes effect in 2026. Existing districts and subsequent terms remain unchanged under current two-year election cycles. The bill does not appropriate funds or alter voting procedures for regular elections.

Maddy summarySB 296 requires Utah schools and colleges to obtain clear, informed consent from students before sharing their educational data (like transcripts, enrollment records, and course history). It mandates a secure digital consent system by July 2027, prohibits bundling unrelated terms with consent requests, and ensures students can revoke consent anytime. The bill directly affects students (including minors, where parents must consent) and educational institutions, while prohibiting schools from restricting consent rights or requiring waivers of unrelated privacy protections. It aligns with federal FERPA law but adds Utah-specific rules for data disclosure, including creating a private right of action if third parties violate these requirements.

Maddy summarySB 257 updates Utah's domestic relations laws to clarify parent-child relationships and improve child support and custody processes. It aligns definitions with the Uniform Parentage Act, creates a new table for minimal child care awards (effective 2027), and automatically adjusts child support when parental rights are terminated. The bill modifies parent-time schedules (removing Columbus Day/Veterans Day, adding Juneteenth coordination), prohibits requiring address disclosure for domestic violence survivors, and clarifies court procedures for genetic testing and custody modifications. These changes directly affect parents, children, and family courts handling custody, support, and parent-time cases.

Maddy summaryHB 512 updates Utah's land surveying standards by adopting the National Geodetic Survey's (NGS) 2022 State Plane Coordinate System for all new surveys. It maintains recognition of historical coordinate systems (1927 and 1983) for existing documents and requires surveyors to use NGS-defined units (survey feet/meters) for new work. The bill creates additional licensure pathways for professional land surveyors and ensures all new land descriptions conform to NGS standards. This affects land surveyors, property developers, and government agencies handling land boundaries, with no new funding required.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes permanent a budgeting mechanism that adjusts Medicaid reimbursement rates for applied behavior analysis (ABA) services based on Utah's General Fund revenue growth. It ensures ABA providers receive rate increases tied to the state's budget growth factor (e.g., 100% if growth is below 100%, or 102% if growth is 102% or higher). The policy directly affects Medicaid providers delivering ABA services to beneficiaries and ensures these rates stay aligned with reimbursement for similar services under Medicaid managed care plans. The bill does not appropriate new funding but modifies how existing funds are allocated to maintain these rate adjustments.

Maddy summaryHB 62 amends the legal descriptions of two Utah state highways - SR-73 and SR-145 - to correct outdated references in state law. Specifically, it updates SR-73's route to properly reference Route 85 and Route 145 in Saratoga Springs, and revises SR-145's description to align with current road connections. The bill makes no new policy changes, appropriations, or physical road modifications; it solely clarifies existing highway boundaries for administrative accuracy. This technical correction affects state transportation records and planning but does not alter road maintenance, funding, or public access. The changes take effect on May 6, 2026.