Maddy summaryHB 291 tightens Utah's restrictions on foreign ownership of land by lowering the threshold for classifying an entity as a "restricted foreign entity" from 51% to 25% ownership by governments or entities from China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. It requires the Department of Public Safety to investigate suspected violations, send entities 30 days to prove they aren’t restricted, and impose daily fines for non-response. The bill directly affects foreign-owned companies or their affiliates attempting to purchase or hold land in Utah, including agricultural, public, or private property (excluding federal land). Key mechanisms include mandatory evidence submission, coordination between state agencies during land sales, and penalties for non-compliance, with no new funding allocated.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 329 increases state employee paid leave for childbirth, adoption, and foster care. It extends postpartum recovery leave from 3 to 9 weeks and adds 9 weeks of paid leave for adopting children under six, plus 3 weeks for fostering children under six. School districts (LEAs) can apply for reimbursement through a new program if they implement similar paid leave policies for their employees, with $3 million appropriated for fiscal year 2027. The bill also updates the Breastfeeding Protection Act to include breast pump use and requires the Department of Human Resource Management to establish rules for administering these leave provisions.
Maddy summaryHB 274 amends Utah's sentencing structure by changing the membership of the Sentencing Commission and updating its responsibilities. The bill requires the Commission to consider specific factors - like public safety, rehabilitation, and risk reduction - when setting adult sentencing and supervision guidelines, directly affecting courts, offenders, and correctional systems. Key provisions include adding new member roles (e.g., prosecutors, sheriffs, victim services representatives), mandating a full review of sentencing guidelines by November 2026, and requiring guidelines to address probation/parole violations and incentives. It makes technical updates to existing statutes (63M-7-401.2, 63M-7-404.3, and 76-3-201) without appropriating new funds.
Maddy summaryHB 537 exempts sales of tickets for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games from Utah's sales and use tax. This directly affects ticket buyers purchasing tickets for these specific events. The bill amends existing tax code sections to add Olympic tickets as a defined exemption, making them tax-free like other listed exemptions (e.g., certain food sales or religious institution transactions). The exemption applies only to tickets for the 2034 Games and does not involve new state spending.
Maddy summarySB 313 amends Utah's Adult Probation and Parole Employment Incentive Program to tie funding to measurable outcomes. It defines key terms like "parole employment rate" and "recidivism percentage," then requires regional probation/parole offices to report annual employment rates and reoffending data. Regions earn funding by showing improved employment rates for people on parole/probation compared to baselines, calculated by multiplying the rate difference by the region's average daily population and $2,500. However, funding is reduced to zero if recidivism increases compared to the previous year, directly affecting how probation/parole departments allocate resources to support employment programs.
Maddy summarySB 310 proposes changes to laws regarding intimate image disclosure by limiting when people can be held liable for sharing or threatening to share such images. It creates two key exceptions: disclosure isn't liable if it's already illegal under other laws, or if done for sexual arousal, humiliation, degradation, or financial gain. The bill also clarifies that disclosing intimate images of public figures doesn't automatically become a "matter of public interest." This bill is currently pending in the House Judiciary Committee and would directly affect individuals who share intimate images, particularly concerning children and public figures.
Maddy summaryHB 303 amends Utah family court procedures to clarify how courts handle costs, fees, and custody decisions. It requires courts to consider "coercive control" (patterns of isolating, controlling, or threatening behavior) when making child custody or parent-time rulings, and adds specific criteria for awarding attorney fees based on financial need and ability to pay. The bill also creates new processes for ordering mental health treatment in custody cases and establishes formal guidelines for child custody evaluations. These changes directly affect parents, children, and courts handling divorce, custody, and family law disputes in Utah.
Maddy summaryHB 382 replaces Utah’s outdated assignment law with a uniform system for businesses and individuals to transfer assets to creditors to settle debts. It creates clear rules for how assets are transferred, how creditors submit and dispute claims, and how money is distributed from the transferred assets. The law establishes legal duties for the person managing the assets (the assignee) to act in creditors' best interest and requires transparency throughout the process. This standardizes a debt resolution method previously handled under inconsistent rules, repealing the old code and aligning Utah with a national framework.
Maddy summaryHB 181 enacts Utah's adoption of the Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act. It allows electronic versions of non-will estate planning documents (like powers of attorney, living wills, and trust documents) to have the same legal standing as paper copies. The bill requires electronic signatures to be attributable to the person signing and sets standards for notarization, witnessing, and document retention. It ensures these electronic documents cannot be rejected in court solely because they are digital. This directly affects individuals creating estate plans and legal professionals handling such documents.
Maddy summarySB 194 modifies Utah's election laws to implement a two-tier voting system starting January 1, 2028. It requires voters to choose whether to provide U.S. citizenship proof when registering or voting; those who do not provide proof can only vote in federal races. The bill also reclassifies most private voter registration records as public (unless voters opt for extra privacy protection) and mandates an audit to verify citizenship documentation for all voter records. These changes directly affect all Utah voters participating in elections and election officials managing voter records.