Sen. Wayne Harper

Maddy summarySB 36 requires the Utah Department of Transportation to conduct two specific studies: one on the composition of the Transportation Commission and another on the qualifications needed for the executive director position. These studies must be completed by January 1, 2027, after which the requirements for these studies are repealed. The bill does not create new policies, allocate funding, or change existing laws - its sole purpose is to mandate these temporary studies. It directly affects the Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation's leadership structure through this procedural requirement.

Maddy summarySB 122 requires Utah's Homeowners' Association Ombudsman office to increase transparency and accessibility for HOA members. The bill mandates that the office publicly share all advisory opinions, provide a clear list of relevant laws and FAQs on its website, and publish easy-to-understand educational materials about HOA rights and responsibilities under state law. It also directs the office to guide callers to these resources and clarifies rules about lot owners renting without fees. These changes directly affect HOA members, associations, and residents seeking clarity on governing statutes. The bill makes no financial changes but aims to improve understanding of HOA regulations through better information access.

Maddy summarySB 141 amends Utah's child welfare laws to improve transparency and coordination for families and foster care systems. It requires the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) to notify all parties when filing court reports or child and family plans, clarifies timelines for foster parent rights, and sets deadlines for resolving placement objections. The bill also allows DCFS to share information with the Division of Professional Licensing regarding child abuse/neglect licensing violations and updates definitions related to "relatives" and post-adoption agreements. These changes directly affect DCFS, foster parents, families involved in custody proceedings, and licensing authorities. The bill makes no new funding commitments and focuses on procedural clarity in child welfare processes.

Maddy summarySB 123 amends Utah's cybersecurity law to expand the Utah Cyber Center's responsibilities and structure. It requires the Center to collaborate with the Department of Environmental Quality and include local education agencies in its cybersecurity efforts, while adding a representative from the Utah Education and Telehealth Network to the Cybersecurity Commission. The bill changes the deadline for the statewide cybersecurity plan to January 1, 2027, and creates a restricted account for nonlapsing funds to support cybersecurity tools, incident response, and strategic planning using existing and future funding sources without new legislative appropriations. These changes directly affect the Cyber Center, local education agencies, and the Cybersecurity Commission.

Maddy summarySB 39 reorganizes and updates Utah's existing investment zone designations, including convention center zones, housing and transit zones, and home ownership promotion zones. It specifically adds provisions allowing home ownership zones to include areas within school boundaries and removes outdated code sections. The bill primarily affects municipalities and counties that operate these zones by clarifying their boundaries and administrative rules. No new funding is allocated, and the changes focus on streamlining existing programs without creating new zones or financial obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 105 amends Utah law to clarify and expand juvenile court authority regarding search and investigative warrants in child welfare cases. It authorizes juvenile courts to issue warrants allowing peace officers or child welfare caseworkers to search for a child, examine a child’s home, or interview a child about their health, safety, or welfare when there is probable cause to believe the child faces a credible threat. The bill requires these warrants to be based on verified petitions or sworn affidavits, and specifies that officers must first attempt other legal means to ensure a child’s safety before seeking a warrant. It directly affects child welfare caseworkers, law enforcement, and children in dependency or neglect cases by establishing clearer legal procedures for interventions. The bill makes no changes to funding or policy outcomes, only to the procedural framework for warrant issuance.

Maddy summarySJR 13 is a symbolic resolution honoring Irish and Irish-American contributions to the founding of the United States, specifically commemorating the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding. It highlights historical figures like Irish-descended Declaration of Independence signers (e.g., Charles Carroll, Thomas McKean), Irish immigrants involved in the Revolutionary War (e.g., General John Sullivan), and early uses of "United States of America" by Irish-born aides. The resolution encourages Utah to strengthen ties with Ireland by establishing a cooperative committee with Irish officials and urges Ireland to appoint an Honorary Consul General in Utah. As a non-binding resolution, it has no funding or legal effect, focusing solely on recognition and future collaboration.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 561 updates Utah's vehicle laws to clarify that mini-motorcycles are legally treated the same as motorcycles. This means minors riding mini-motorcycles must now follow the same rules as motorcycle riders, including needing proper driver licenses, registration, and insurance. The bill also adds provisions allowing law enforcement to impound motorcycles involved in certain traffic violations. These changes directly affect minor riders of mini-motorcycles and impact how law enforcement handles related traffic offenses.

Maddy summarySB 64 amends Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act to update rules for public record requests. It directly affects Utah government agencies and employees by requiring them to provide staff summaries of record rules, modify response deadlines and fees for requests, and establish annual reviews of record retention. Key changes include adding federal employees to "at-risk" protections, making record destruction to avoid disclosure a crime, and clarifying appeal processes for denied requests. The bill makes no new funding commitments and focuses on streamlining access while strengthening record-keeping compliance for state and local entities.