Sen. Jen Plumb

Maddy summarySB 137 amends Utah's Homeless Services Board by requiring two new members with health care expertise: one appointed by University of Utah Health and one by Utah's largest non-profit hospital system with multiple hospitals. This changes the board's composition to ensure direct representation from health care providers specializing in physical or mental health. The bill makes no new services or funding changes - it only adjusts membership requirements. The board's existing structure and responsibilities remain unchanged.

Maddy summarySB 168 modifies Utah's high school graduation requirements to support students experiencing homelessness or involved in the child welfare system (defined as "eligible students"). It requires local schools to award diplomas based solely on state-established standards, prohibits additional local requirements that would delay graduation, and mandates acceptance of partial credits from various sources like mental health programs or prior schools. The bill also protects students during school transfers, ensures academic support plans and counseling, and restricts disciplinary removals for eligible students. These changes aim to remove barriers to graduation for vulnerable youth while requiring schools to track progress and provide targeted resources.

Maddy summarySB 104 organizes and consolidates existing Utah school medication rules into a single, clearer section of law. It defines key terms like "anaphylaxis," "qualified adult," and "epinephrine nasal spray" to standardize how schools handle student health emergencies. The bill makes technical updates by repealing outdated sections and renumbering related laws, but does not create new requirements or allocate funding. This affects public and private schools, school staff, and healthcare providers who administer medication during school hours. The changes streamline existing procedures without altering current medication access policies.

Maddy summarySB 102 classifies animal control officers as "first responders" under Utah law, expanding their inclusion in existing definitions within statutes related to substance use referrals, workers' compensation, and driver's license procedures. This change directly affects animal control officers in Utah by extending the same legal protections and procedural frameworks currently applied to law enforcement, EMTs, firefighters, and dispatchers. The bill does not create new duties or funding requirements but updates specific code sections to ensure animal control officers are recognized in contexts like offering substance use service referrals or workers' compensation claims. It focuses solely on reclassifying personnel within existing legal frameworks, with no additional financial or procedural obligations.

Maddy summarySB 103 creates a fee waiver for individuals experiencing homelessness who apply for a Utah driver license or renew/extend their license. It directly affects unhoused residents seeking to obtain or maintain a driver license by removing the standard $52 application or renewal fee. The bill requires applicants to submit written verification of homelessness from approved sources like homeless shelters, housing facilities, or the Department of Workforce Services. This change amends Utah's driver license fee structure to align with existing identification card fee waivers for unhoused individuals. The policy makes no new funding requests and applies to both new licenses and renewals/extensions.

Maddy summarySB 76 creates an optional system for landlords with 16 or more rental units to report rent payments to credit bureaus at a renter’s request. Landlords may charge a fee up to their actual reporting cost, and renters can join or leave the program anytime during their lease. However, renters who miss a fee payment or voluntarily leave the program cannot rejoin for six months. The law applies only to large landlords (entities or individuals owning 16+ units), not small-scale property owners.

Maddy summarySB 118 creates a $1.5 million grant for Utah public universities to improve student mental health services. It requires institutions to either establish peer coaching programs - where trained student volunteers provide non-clinical support - or use funds for other mental health services. Peer coaches, defined as student volunteers (not licensed professionals), can offer support like mentoring or resource referrals but cannot diagnose or provide clinical therapy. The grant, funded by reallocating existing income tax revenue, takes effect July 2026 and exempts peer coaches from liability for their non-clinical support.

Maddy summarySB 126 requires Utah public schools to include water safety instruction in physical education curriculum starting in the 2028-2029 school year. It mandates specific topics like safe water behaviors, pool safety, emergency response, and CPR training, while allowing exemptions for students with parental requests or IEPs that conflict with the instruction. Schools may offer swim lessons, lifeguard training, or swim instructor certification as physical education credits, either through school programs or partnerships with community facilities like recreation centers. The bill also establishes rules for verifying outside course completion toward credit requirements. This applies to all Utah public school students and takes effect July 1, 2026, with implementation beginning in 2028-2029.

Maddy summarySB 224 amends Utah's vital records access law to allow a designated liaison for homeless youth or children (as defined under the federal McKinney-Vento Act) to obtain a minor's vital records on their behalf. This change adds homeless youth liaisons to the list of individuals permitted to access vital records, alongside immediate family members, guardians, and designated legal representatives. The bill directly affects homeless youth and children without stable housing, enabling their school or social service liaisons to help them access critical documents like birth certificates. The amendment does not alter existing rules about public access to records after specific time periods (e.g., 100 years for birth records) or other access categories.

Maddy summarySB 49 allows funeral service establishments in Utah to offer "natural organic reduction" (human composting) as a new disposition option. It defines key terms, requires funeral directors to meet specific training standards if providing this service, and grants legal immunity to establishments using proper authorization forms. The bill prohibits using the resulting soil for growing food and updates recordkeeping and authorization requirements. It amends existing Utah funeral service laws (primarily in Title 58, Chapter 9) without appropriating new funds, making it a technical update to regulate this emerging practice.