Rep. Ryan Wilcox

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution commemorates the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks in 2026. It honors victims, first responders, and those affected by the attacks while encouraging Utah schools and local governments to hold educational events and ceremonies. The resolution urges public and private schools to conduct age-appropriate activities to foster understanding of the day's significance. It has no funding impact and serves solely as a commemorative statement, not a new law.

Maddy summarySB 336 modifies the legal structure and operational authority of Utah's Fairpark Area Investment and Restoration District. It broadens permissible uses for fair park land leases, allows the district to create a public infrastructure district that can levy property taxes and use bond funds for utility infrastructure development, and clarifies taxing authority between the district and host municipalities. The bill also establishes annual conflict of interest disclosure requirements for board members and designates the district as eligible to receive tax information from the State Tax Commission. These changes primarily affect the Fairpark district's management of its land, funding mechanisms, and relationships with local governments. The bill does not appropriate new funds but makes technical adjustments to existing statutes.

Maddy summaryHB 148, titled "Child Sexual Abuse Amendments," adds a sentencing factor for specific child sexual offenses when the defendant traveled over 45 miles from their home to commit the crime, or paid a child to travel over 45 miles for the crime. It directly affects defendants convicted of offenses like unlawful sexual activity with minors (Section 76-5-401), human trafficking of children (Section 76-5-308.5), or sexual abuse of a child (Section 76-5-404.1). The key mechanism requires courts to consider this travel distance as an aggravating factor during sentencing and include it in the judgment, with parole boards also factoring it into imprisonment length. This change, effective May 2025, modifies sentencing guidelines for these specific crimes without creating new funding or procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 353 makes technical updates to Utah's criminal code, primarily removing a criminal penalty for flag abuse (repealing Section 76-9-601) and lowering penalties for unauthorized name use in charity solicitation. It requires state agencies to review criminal laws and report findings to the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, which must compile and submit these reviews. The bill also includes coordination clauses to align with related bills (HB 21 and HB 38) for technical consistency. No new funding is appropriated, and it does not create new programs or significantly alter existing criminal justice policies.

Maddy summaryHB 474 requires the Office of Professional Licensure Review to create a public feedback system for individuals seeking to modify or repeal occupational regulations, such as those for healthcare or trade licenses. It mandates that this feedback be included in the office’s annual report to the Business and Labor Interim Committee. The bill also imposes a cost limit on implementing new agency rules and makes technical updates to existing licensing oversight statutes. These changes directly affect state agencies regulating professions and the public seeking to influence licensing rules.

Maddy summaryHB 354 standardizes data collection and reporting requirements across Utah's criminal justice system. It requires county jails to collect biometric data for all individuals processed, mandates law enforcement agencies to report DUI crash and firearms data, and obligates prosecutors to submit case data to the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. Key policy changes include reducing the waiting period for sex offenders on the registry to petition for early removal and requiring risk assessments for all sex offense convicts. The bill affects county jails, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the state commission, focusing on administrative data processes rather than altering criminal penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 273 requires law enforcement to obtain a warrant before accessing reverse-keyword information (data about who searched for specific terms online or visited websites) for certain serious felony investigations or public safety threats. It mandates that warrant applications include a specific notice explaining the data may capture innocent individuals and requires anonymizing device data before disclosure. The bill applies to law enforcement agencies and data holders, with a sunset provision expiring January 1, 2033. It does not appropriate funds or affect other policy areas.

Maddy summarySB 14 permanently removes the sunset date for Utah's requirement that private firearm sellers conduct background checks before transferring a firearm. This bill amends Section 76-10-526.1 of Utah Code, which mandates background checks for private sales, by eliminating its scheduled repeal on July 1, 2025. The change makes the background check requirement permanent for private firearm transactions in Utah, directly affecting private sellers and buyers. The bill contains no new funding or substantive policy changes, only removing the expiration date and making technical updates. It takes effect on May 7, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 170 regulates how schools may use physical restraint and seclusion on students. It directly affects Utah schools and local education agencies by requiring them to follow clear standards for these interventions. The bill consolidates existing rules into one section, mandates data collection on confinement incidents, and requires the State Board of Education to create specific administrative rules. Schools must now report restraint/seclusion data and face consequences for violations, but the law does not appropriate new funding. This bill, signed into law in March 2025, replaces older, fragmented provisions to improve student safety and accountability.

Maddy summarySB 157 requires minors to receive legal advice before declining a nonjudicial adjustment agreement in legal proceedings. It mandates the Office of Indigent Defense Services to provide free legal counsel to minors considering such agreements and directs the Indigent Defense Commission to develop resources for minors to access this advice. The bill modifies Utah law to prohibit minors from waiving legal representation without first consulting counsel, with specific notice requirements before declining agreements. No new funding is appropriated for these changes, and the law directly affects minors in juvenile or delinquency cases involving nonjudicial adjustments.