Rep. Nicholeen Peck

Maddy summaryHB 315 requires Utah public schools to include two specific videos in human growth and development instruction for students in grades 3-12: a high-definition ultrasound showing fetal organ development and a video depicting fertilization and pregnancy stages. It mandates that schools make all instructional materials available to parents upon request and directs the State Board of Education to publish approved materials, conduct compliance audits, and share audit results. The bill affects all local education agencies (LEAs) in Utah and their students, while giving parents access to curriculum content. No new funding is provided, and the policy focuses on specific educational content requirements within existing health curriculum standards.

Maddy summaryHB 411 requires Utah's attorney general to petition the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by December 31, 2026, to establish a three-digit dialing code for the National Human Trafficking Hotline. This would simplify access for Utah residents seeking help with human trafficking or reporting suspected cases, as the hotline currently uses a 10-digit number. If approved, the attorney general would coordinate with phone providers and run public education campaigns about the new dialing code. The bill explicitly states Utah cannot control phone numbering resources or mandate call routing, operating strictly within federal authority. This change aims to improve accessibility to a federally operated hotline without altering its existing structure.

Maddy summaryHB 197 (School Materials Amendments) requires Utah schools to manage "sensitive material" (defined as pornographic or indecent content per state law) in digital instructional resources. It directly affects parents, school staff, and vendors providing digital learning tools by mandating: (1) annual parent notifications during student registration, (2) school libraries to prioritize certain books, (3) LEAs to maintain online reporting systems for sensitive material, and (4) school devices to use filters blocking such content. The bill also allows school entities to terminate vendor contracts if digital materials aren’t removed after violations. It does not appropriate new funds and amends Utah Code sections related to school materials and parent portals.

Maddy summaryHB 95 prohibits public employers (including schools and state agencies) from disciplining employees who use gender-specific language (like names or pronouns) related to a student's birth name or biological sex, or that aligns with parental preference, without knowledge of a student's preference. It also requires employers with policies mandating gender-specific language to exempt employees from discipline if using such language conflicts with their religious or moral beliefs in a reasonable, non-disruptive way. The bill amends Utah education law and adds new provisions to protect employees from disciplinary action in these specific circumstances. It does not require employees to use any specific language, only ensures they cannot be punished for using language consistent with the outlined conditions. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 233 prohibits Utah public school districts from allowing entities that perform elective abortions or their affiliates to provide health education instruction, materials, or media in state-funded schools. It defines "affiliate" broadly to include entities sharing ownership, management, or branding, and bans even debranded health curriculum tied to such organizations. The state board can impose fines or withhold state funding for violations, with enforcement rules to be developed under Utah Administrative Rulemaking. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 209 simplifies homeschooling requirements in Utah by removing several administrative burdens for parents. It eliminates the need for parents to submit a formal affidavit at the start of each academic year and removes the requirement to attest to criminal background history. The bill also establishes clear procedures for school boards to process homeschool enrollment requests and clarifies that school boards are no longer liable after a student leaves homeschool. These changes directly affect homeschooling parents and local school boards, streamlining the process while maintaining parents' sole responsibility for their child's education.

Maddy summaryUtah's SB 82, the Autopsy Photo Amendments, makes it a class B misdemeanor to knowingly share, publish, or distribute non-public autopsy photographs or videos from medical examiner records without authorization. This law directly affects the general public, including media and social media users, who might share such images, but includes key exceptions for medical examiners, law enforcement, and researchers under strict conditions. The bill prohibits sharing images that are part of the medical examiner's confidential records and not already in the public domain, while allowing sharing for legitimate professional purposes like medical consultation, training, or court proceedings. It requires deidentification of images for research and educational use, aligning with existing medical examiner confidentiality rules.

Maddy summaryHB 487 establishes June 12 as Women Veterans Day in Utah to honor biological women who served or are serving in the U.S. military, specifically commemorating the 1948 Women's Armed Forces Integration Act that allowed them to serve as permanent, regular members. The bill requires Utah's Department of Veterans and Military Affairs to coordinate public activities, programs, and promotional materials related to this observance. It does not create new benefits or allocate funding, but formally adds Women Veterans Day to the state's list of annual commemorative dates. This resolution directly affects the state agency responsible for veterans' programming and honors the contributions of women veterans across all eras of service.

Maddy summaryHB 566 amends Utah law by removing "human sexuality" from the legal definition of "sex education instruction" that requires parental consent. This change affects Utah schools and parents, as it alters which topics - like human reproduction, anatomy, or contraception - fall under the parental consent requirement. The bill specifically deletes "human sexuality" from the list of covered topics in Section 53G-10-403, making it a technical adjustment to the existing definition. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, with no new funding or major policy shifts beyond this definitional update.

Maddy summaryHJR 11 is a symbolic joint resolution (not a binding law) that expresses the Utah Legislature's support for policies promoting married-parent households and family stability. It cites statistics linking higher rates of married-parent households to lower child poverty and greater economic mobility, while promoting Utah's "Success Sequence" program (encouraging education, full-time work, and marriage before having children) and career training. The resolution has no funding or new requirements - it simply affirms legislative priorities without creating enforceable policy changes. It does not address single-parent families directly or propose new legislation.