Rep. Lisa Shepherd

Maddy summaryHB 138 clarifies that a person can be charged with child abuse homicide if a child dies by suicide directly caused by the abuse or torture. The bill amends Utah Code Section 76-5-208 to explicitly include suicide as a possible outcome under the child abuse homicide statute when abuse is the direct or immediate cause. It also corrects a technical error in the penalty structure for these offenses and adds a coordination clause for potential overlap with another bill (S.B. 32). This change affects how prosecutors charge individuals whose abuse leads to a child's suicide, making it a criminal offense under the specified felony classifications.

Maddy summaryHB 386 ends several existing Utah immigration programs, including the Guest Worker Program and the Utah Pilot Sponsored Resident Immigrant Program. It also removes a planned restriction on employer verification systems and eliminates a related identity theft victim account. These changes apply to employers and workers who would have been affected by the repealed programs. The bill makes no new funding commitments and focuses solely on repealing specific provisions without creating new policies.

Maddy summaryHB 388 amends Utah law to clarify procedures for addressing properties contaminated by methamphetamine or fentanyl. It requires law enforcement to report suspected contamination (e.g., drug lab paraphernalia or residue evidence) to local health departments, which must then determine if properties are contaminated and maintain a public contamination list. The bill directly affects property owners in affected areas, health departments (who must verify contamination and manage records), and law enforcement (who must follow reporting protocols). Key changes include defining "contaminated" properties, mandating health department verification after reports, and updating record-keeping rules for public transparency. The bill makes technical updates to existing code without new funding or broad policy shifts.

Maddy summaryHB 391 changes how vacancies in elected offices are filled in Utah. It requires governors to appoint candidates from the previous officeholder's political party for U.S. Senate, state legislature, or State Board of Education seats, while county offices must be filled by county legislative bodies. Crucially, it prohibits local governments from appointing replacements for municipal, school board, or special district vacancies during the period between general elections and the start of a new term. The bill makes these procedural adjustments without altering eligibility rules or adding costs.

Maddy summaryHB 27 requires election officials to post the name, precinct, and signature date of voters who sign candidate nomination petitions on the lieutenant governor's website for 90 days after an election. It also mandates emailing voters to inform them their information is posted and to provide a process for requesting signature removal. The bill shortens the deadline for candidates to submit signatures to election officials from 14 to 21 days before a party convention. These changes directly affect voters who sign petitions and election officials managing candidate nominations, with no new funding required.

Maddy summaryHB 25 amends Utah's candidate nomination petition rules to require signatures to be submitted to county clerks in the voter's specific county of residence, rather than any county. For offices elected across multiple counties, it mandates county clerks to verify and count only signatures from their own county, then forward totals to the lieutenant governor for ballot qualification. The bill also shortens the deadline for signature submission from 14 to 21 days before a political party's convention. These changes directly affect candidates, county clerks, and political parties seeking ballot access through signature-gathering.

Maddy summaryHB 85, titled "State Sovereignty Amendments," prohibits Utah's governor and local officials from declaring a state of emergency solely based on an international organization's (such as the UN, WHO, or World Economic Forum) declaration. The bill declares that international organizations have no legal authority in Utah and bans state agencies, counties, cities, and other local governments from implementing or enforcing their directives. It defines key terms like "chief executive officer" and "international organization" to clarify which officials and actions are covered by the law. The bill amends existing Utah code sections and does not appropriate new funds.

Maddy summaryHCR 3 is a concurrent resolution expressing the Utah Legislature's support for Rugby League in the state. It encourages public and private stakeholders - including schools, local governments, and sports organizations - to expand access to Rugby League, which Utah has identified as having the most teams in the U.S. The resolution highlights Rugby League’s role in promoting community engagement, youth development, and economic opportunities, aligning with Utah’s "State of Sport" initiative. It does not appropriate funds or create new laws, but formally endorses the sport’s growth.

Maddy summaryHB 504 requires candidates for county, municipal, special district, state school board, or statewide offices to file conflict of interest disclosures when declaring candidacy or seeking to fill a midterm vacancy (e.g., if an officeholder resigns mid-term). It eliminates the need to disclose spousal information, allows candidates to redact personal details if they or their spouse are at-risk government employees, and mandates public online access to these disclosures. The bill also clarifies vacancy timelines, updates financial reporting deadlines for midterm vacancies, and amends related election codes to streamline processes. No new funding is required, and the changes aim to increase transparency in candidate disclosures without altering campaign contribution limits.

Maddy summaryHB 457 requires Utah election officials to post the name, voter ID, precinct, and signature date of any registered voter who manually signs a petition nominating a candidate for office on the lieutenant governor’s website for 90 days. If a voter’s registration includes a valid email address, officials must email them to notify them of the posting and provide a way to request removal of their signature. The bill updates nomination petition forms to include this notice and applies these rules specifically to candidates not affiliated with a political party. These changes amend Utah’s election code to standardize signature verification processes for non-partisan candidates. The bill makes no changes to funding or party-affiliated nomination procedures.