Sen. Evan Vickers

Maddy summarySB 41 is a technical renumbering bill that updates the chapter and section numbers for Utah's business entity laws. It moves provisions about limited liability companies (LLCs), benefit LLCs, and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) from Title 48 to Title 16 in the Utah Code. This change ensures references to these laws in other statutes remain accurate without altering any legal requirements or business rules. The bill affects how these laws are cited in the code but does not create new obligations or change existing business practices.

Maddy summarySB 31 amends Utah's professional licensure laws for health care providers, directly affecting physical therapists, occupational therapists, acupuncturists, nurse practitioners, and medication aides. It expands practice authority - allowing physical therapists to prescribe medical equipment and order certain imaging, and letting occupational therapists prescribe adaptive devices - and changes licensing requirements, such as replacing certification with a license for medication aides. The bill also increases registered nursing experience needed for nurse practitioner licensure, adjusts supervision rules for therapists, and clarifies prescriptive powers for acupuncturists. These changes aim to modernize scope-of-practice standards while maintaining safety protocols.

Maddy summaryHB 40 reorganizes Utah's construction trades licensing structure without creating new requirements. It moves alarm company and alarm agent licensing into a new chapter while restructuring licensing rules for other construction trades under the existing act. The bill primarily focuses on clarifying definitions, updating code references, and making technical adjustments to improve the organization of licensing provisions. This affects construction trades businesses, including alarm companies, by updating how their licensing is governed under Utah law. The changes are procedural and administrative, with no new funding or substantive policy shifts.

Maddy summaryHB 58 modifies Utah's insurance code to update regulatory processes and requirements. It requires insurance companies and title producers to pay examination costs, report wire transfer issues, and provide closing protection letter details to consumers. The bill mandates quarterly financial reports for insurers, increases liability coverage for title producers, and adds new reporting rules for public adjusters. These changes directly affect insurers, title insurance producers, and consumers by altering financial reporting, operational standards, and consumer disclosures. The bill makes technical updates to 30+ insurance code sections without appropriating new funds.

Maddy summarySB 55 requires health care providers who offer stem cell therapies not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide patients with a specific written notice. This notice, written in 40-point type on standard paper, must state that the therapy is unapproved and encourage patients to consult their primary care provider. The bill also mandates that providers display this notice prominently in their offices, include it in advertisements, and obtain a signed consent form detailing the therapy's FDA status, risks, and alternatives. It directly affects providers using placental-derived or other unapproved stem cell therapies, excluding those with FDA investigational approval or working under specific accredited institutions. The law takes effect in May 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 59 requires businesses serving alcohol (including restaurants, bars, taverns, and beer retailers) to verify the age of individuals appearing to be 35 years old or younger before serving them alcohol or admitting them to the premises. It mandates electronic verification of ID using state-approved technology, limits displayed information to basic details (name, age, ID number), and requires businesses to retain verification data for seven days. The bill also allows authorized personnel to confiscate suspected fake IDs and report them to law enforcement. This law takes effect May 6, 2026, and applies retroactively from January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 45 updates Utah's State Fire Code to incorporate the 2024 editions of the International Fire Code and related National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. It makes technical corrections to existing code sections, adds new definitions (like "ambulatory surgical center" and "assisted living facility" types), and clarifies administrative procedures for fire code officials. The bill directly affects building owners, contractors, and fire code officials who must follow these updated references. No new funding is required, as it primarily aligns Utah's code with current national standards without creating new requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 469 amends Utah's hemp product regulations to clarify definitions, strengthen safety rules, and update business requirements. It requires hemp retailers to verify purchasers are 21+ via ID checks, updates disposal rules for hemp-related hazardous waste, and repeals mandatory video surveillance for retailers. The bill also explicitly bans specific synthetic cannabinoids (like THCP, HHC, and THC acetates) and sets strict THC limits (under 0.3% dry weight, with additional per-serving limits). These changes directly affect hemp retailers, processors, and consumers purchasing hemp-derived products in Utah.

Maddy summaryHB 168 creates the Poaching Mitigation Fund to use restitution from poaching violations for anti-poaching efforts like education programs, wildlife crime detection equipment, and law enforcement training. It modifies the Guide and Outfitter Fund to allow the Division of Law Enforcement to use its money for wildlife enforcement, removes outdated references to "spotters," and updates definitions for guides and outfitters. The bill also clarifies rules about the number of people allowed to provide guide services, addresses unlawful aircraft activity during hunting/fishing, and requires reimbursement for investigatory expenses related to violations. These changes directly affect wildlife law enforcement, licensed guides/outfitters, and individuals violating hunting/fishing regulations. The bill makes technical updates to Utah code sections without appropriating new funds.

Maddy summaryHB 224 modifies how Utah electrical corporations recover energy costs through "energy balancing accounts." It establishes a baseline cost set by the Public Service Commission in rate cases, requiring companies to share 80% of cost differences (both above and below the baseline) with customers for expenses incurred on or after January 1, 2026. Costs before this date remain fully recoverable by companies (100% recovery). This directly affects utility customers and electrical corporations by changing how energy cost fluctuations are shared, with refunds or additional charges triggered when actual costs deviate from the baseline.