Maddy summaryHB 496 amends Utah law to clarify enforcement powers for the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands regarding wildland fires and heritage trees, and establishes the Utah Wildfire Fund. The fund will cover wildfire suppression costs on state lands and, under specific conditions, private land and federal land rehabilitation, using existing revenue sources like federal funds and costs billed to landowners without cooperative agreements. It sets a $300,000 annual limit on grants to fire departments and requires the fund to pay at least $10 million for prevention costs yearly, or $3 million plus 10% of unspent funds from the prior year, whichever is greater. The bill also mandates annual reporting to the legislature on the fund’s balance and expenditures.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 135 amends Utah's energy development laws to establish a formal process for nuclear fuel recycling facility planning. It authorizes the Office of Energy Development to coordinate with private companies and local communities on facility development, and the Utah Energy Council to provide strategic guidance and preliminary assessments. The bill requires both agencies to include annual reports on their nuclear fuel recycling activities in their existing annual reports. These changes directly affect state energy agencies, private entities seeking to develop nuclear recycling facilities, and local communities near proposed sites. The bill makes no funding changes and focuses on procedural coordination rather than altering facility operations or environmental standards.
Maddy summaryHB 185 establishes new rules and funds for carbon credit transactions in Utah. It creates a Carbon Credit Investment Fund funded by a 19% assessment on carbon credit sales (administered by the State Tax Commission) and a Carbon Credit Litigation Fund. The bill requires carbon credit brokers to hold licenses, imposes criminal penalties for unlicensed sales, and gives the Office of Energy Development a right of first refusal to purchase in-state carbon credits. State agencies must report carbon credit details and deposit sale revenue into the General Fund, while 5% of the Investment Fund’s annual earnings go to rural counties and eligible rural colleges meeting specific enrollment and completion rate criteria.
Maddy summarySB 209 designates Gooseberry Narrows as a state park upon meeting three conditions: the Division of State Parks managing all federally-owned land there, completing a feasibility study by November 2026, and securing legislative funding. The bill requires the Division to study dam feasibility, land acquisition costs, and water rights needs, then report findings to the Natural Resources Committee. It authorizes the Division to acquire land via donations, exchanges, or purchases, coordinate with the U.S. Forest Service for land management, and consult with local governments holding property or water rights in the area. The bill has no funding attached and takes effect May 2026.
Maddy summaryHB 412 requires developers of utility-scale solar and wind power plants (over 1 megawatt capacity) to consult with Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources before seeking local government permits. The bill mandates that developers submit project details, hold meetings with wildlife officials, and incorporate the division’s recommendations for minimizing wildlife impacts. Local governments must consider these recommendations when reviewing permits, though the wildlife division cannot approve or deny projects. The law takes effect May 6, 2026, and does not appropriate funds or change local permitting authority.
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 summaryThis resolution expresses Utah's intent to pursue state-level regulation of nuclear energy processes (like waste handling or reactor operations) not prohibited by federal law, and asks the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to clarify which parts of the nuclear fuel cycle are federally reserved versus subject to state control. It does not create new laws but formally states the legislature's position on regulatory jurisdiction. The resolution was referred to a committee for review in January 2026 and is currently pending further action. It directly addresses the NRC and Utah's future regulatory approach to nuclear energy.
Maddy summaryHB 78 creates a new Nuclear Energy Regulatory Office within Utah's Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control to oversee state-level nuclear energy regulation. It directly affects nuclear facilities and operators in Utah by establishing state authority for licensing and oversight of nuclear fuel cycle activities like fuel fabrication, storage, and waste management - previously managed federally. Key provisions include granting the division rulemaking power for safety and environmental standards, authorizing fees to cover regulatory costs, and directing efforts to expand Utah's "Agreement State" status with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The bill reorganizes existing regulatory structures without new funding, focusing on coordinating state and federal oversight of nuclear energy operations.
Maddy summaryHB 240 establishes licensing and certification requirements for businesses and individuals servicing large carbon dioxide systems in Utah. It directly affects technicians and companies that install, maintain, or repair systems holding 100 pounds or more of carbon dioxide, commonly used in fire suppression. The bill requires the Utah Fire Prevention Board to create rules, application forms, and fees for a state licensing program, mandating certification for all personnel performing service work on these systems. It defines "carbon dioxide system" to include related equipment like pipes and gas detection, and makes technical updates to existing fire safety codes. The bill does not appropriate funds or change current fire safety standards beyond this new regulatory framework.
Maddy summarySB 93 amends Utah's correctional laws to affect offenders under supervision and correctional facilities. It eliminates unpaid probation and parole supervision fees from offenders' debt records, directing these fees to the state debt collection office instead. The bill also prohibits removing any item from within a correctional facility's property (a change related to drone-related offenses) and updates definitions for direct supervision and correctional facility operations. These changes make technical adjustments to existing statutes without new funding.