Rep. Stephanie Gricius

Maddy summarySB 29 allows Utah's State Board of Education to adjust funding for new or expanding charter schools that underestimated enrollment by more than 10% in their initial budget. The bill authorizes the state board to reallocate unencumbered funds from specific sources - starting with unspent start-up grants, then charter school levy guarantees, and finally general school funds - to cover the enrollment shortfall. It requires the state board to report all adjustments to the Legislative Fiscal Analyst and Governor's Office, and exempts these adjustments from standard budget rules. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and does not appropriate new funds.

Maddy summaryHB 404 amends Utah's government employment rules, primarily focusing on the state's pay for performance management system. It allows independent state entities to opt into the system, clarifies which employees can participate, and repeals outdated Section 63A-17-111. The bill also adds a bereavement leave provision for employees experiencing pregnancy loss (miscarriage or stillbirth) or supporting a partner in such circumstances. These changes directly affect state agencies and their employees participating in the pay for performance program, with no new funding required.

Maddy summaryHB 379 updates Utah's population data procedures to standardize how local governments and state entities use population estimates. It requires local governments to use the Utah Population Committee's annual sub-county population estimates for planning and legal purposes, only turning to U.S. Census data if the committee's estimate isn't available. The bill also mandates that government agencies share necessary data with the committee to support accurate population reporting. This affects all municipalities, counties, and state agencies that rely on population data for redistricting, funding, or legal decisions. The changes apply to multiple state codes governing local government operations and planning.

Maddy summaryHB 281 requires parental consent for most health services provided to students in Utah public schools, including telehealth and counseling. It defines "restricted services" (like mental health counseling), mandates written parental consent before starting such services, and requires schools to notify parents after each session about topics discussed. The bill also updates health education curriculum to include "situational awareness" and the "success sequence," while clarifying that schools cannot promote or disparage religious views in instruction. These changes directly affect students, parents, and school health staff in Utah public schools, with no new funding required.

Maddy summarySB 268 amends procedures for Utah's Rules Review and General Oversight Committee, allowing it to hold closed meetings under specific circumstances and delay the effective date of certain administrative rules. This affects the committee itself and state agencies that create administrative rules, as the committee oversees rule legality, impact, and compliance. Key mechanisms include new authority for closed sessions and rule delay powers, while maintaining the committee's existing role in reviewing rule impacts on economy, government, and regulated entities. The bill focuses solely on procedural changes to oversight processes with no funding or substantive policy shifts.

Maddy summaryHB 69 protects voter privacy by classifying as private the specific information about whether a voter returned a ballot with postage attached. It prohibits government officers from accessing or using government records for personal purposes (requiring them to access records like the public), and makes violations a crime. The bill directly affects voters whose ballot return method is protected and government officers handling voter records. These changes amend Utah’s government records laws to strengthen privacy safeguards around election data.

Maddy summaryHB 75 reauthorizes all existing administrative rules used by Utah state agencies, ensuring they remain in effect without requiring new legislative action. This procedural bill directly affects state agencies by preventing their current rules from expiring, without creating new policies or requiring additional funding. The bill takes effect on May 7, 2025, as signed into law by the governor on March 25, 2025, and is a routine renewal of established regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 29 amends Utah law to update the legal standard for granting custody or visitation rights to individuals who are not parents (such as grandparents or family friends). The bill requires courts to find specific criteria before overriding parental rights, including evidence that the non-parent has formed a substantial emotional bond with the child, contributed to the child’s well-being, and that ending the relationship would substantially harm the child. It also clarifies that courts must make findings about a parent’s ability to care for the child or claims of parental abuse/neglect when reviewing these petitions. The changes directly affect non-parent petitioners, parents whose custody is challenged, and courts handling these cases, while prohibiting petitions against active-duty military parents.

Maddy summarySB 53 amends Utah's Election Code to streamline municipal incorporation processes and update signature-related procedures. It removes in-state residency requirements for people collecting signatures for political parties or candidate nominations, standardizes how voters can request signature removal from petitions, and reduces the deadline for new municipalities to finalize government structures from 60 to 30 days. The bill also clarifies that county clerks determine signature removal requests and updates election result transmission rules for boards of canvassers, eliminating the need for phone/fax/mail transmissions for certain data. These changes directly affect voters, petition circulators, county clerks, and local government organizers in Utah.

Maddy summarySB 245 amends Utah's Public Employees' Benefit and Insurance Program (PEHP) to require that public employees covered under the program can add a newly born or adopted child to their health plan within 60 days of the birth or adoption. This change directly affects public employees who become parents through birth or adoption, replacing the previous requirement that allowed a longer timeframe. The bill repeals the existing Section 34-49-101 and enacts new Section 49-20-407.1, establishing the 60-day window as the standard procedure. The law takes effect on May 7, 2025, with no new funding required.