Sen. Scott Sandall

Maddy summaryHB 63 creates a new process for livestock water right claims in Utah, specifically for water used to water livestock from existing surface sources. It defines "sub-basin livestock watering claims" requiring landowners to map and get state engineer approval for geographically limited sub-basins (not impairing other rights), while restricting claims to historically used water levels without increasing total usage. The bill allows ranchers to build small ponds (≤900 sq ft) without permits but requires approval for large ponds (>900 sq ft) and dam safety compliance. It directly affects livestock water right holders on private or public grazing land with documented historical watering practices, ensuring no net increase in water use beyond past levels.

Maddy summaryHB 348 amends Utah's water rights laws to clarify and streamline the handling of "dedicated water" applications, which are water rights set aside for specific future uses like instream flow protection. It prohibits separating dedicated water applications from the underlying water right they're tied to, updates fee structures for these applications, and specifies requirements for reporting and approval processes. The bill directly affects water rights applicants and the state engineer's office when processing these specialized applications. These changes aim to reduce administrative confusion while ensuring dedicated water uses are properly documented and managed under existing law.

Maddy summaryHB 410 establishes the Great Salt Lake Preservation Program and its governing board to manage water leasing specifically for preserving Great Salt Lake. It appropriates $5 million (nonlapsing) for the program, creates streamlined leasing processes for water dedicated to the lake, and authorizes the board to enforce leases and address violations. The bill defines key terms, requires reporting by the board and state engineer, and sets a sunset date for the program. It directly affects water rights holders and entities leasing water for Great Salt Lake preservation, focusing on concrete administrative and funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 76 requires large data centers (over 10,000 square feet) to report water use before construction and annually after 2027. Operators must communicate with local water providers before building and submit detailed water usage reports to the state. The bill defines "large data center" and amends Utah water law to include these reporting requirements as a compliance obligation. It applies directly to operators of qualifying data centers and aims to increase transparency around water consumption for these facilities. No new funding is appropriated for this policy change.

Maddy summaryThis bill approves a settlement agreement transferring 22,311 acres of state-owned land to the United States government along the Great Salt Lake. The transfer resolves a long-standing ownership dispute between Utah and the federal government and includes a requirement that the state receive at least $60 million in payment for the land. The agreement ensures the state retains all mineral rights within the lake and establishes a process for future transfers of 500 or more acres to require legislative approval. Public access to the transferred land will be managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Maddy summarySB 117 updates Utah's occupational licensing laws by removing outdated language, pronouns, and typographical errors from multiple code sections. It creates a new "legacy" cosmetology and barbering license to help current practitioners transition under older rules. The bill makes technical corrections to 30+ licensing provisions without adding new requirements, costs, or altering existing licensing processes. This is a procedural update affecting licensing boards and professionals governed by Title 58.

Maddy summarySJR 6 amends Utah's court rules to change how medical malpractice trials are handled. Specifically, it adds a provision requiring that in medical malpractice cases against healthcare providers, juries cannot consider a patient's past medical expenses or equipment costs until after the court has first determined the provider's liability and resolved any non-economic damages claims. This change aims to prevent juries from being unfairly influenced by financial details before liability is established. The bill is procedural, making technical updates to Rule 42 of Utah's Civil Procedure Rules with no new funding or direct impact on specific individuals beyond standard court proceedings.

Maddy summaryHB 516 amends Utah law to give renters clearer rights when landlords fail to fix housing issues. It allows tenants to take "commercially reasonable steps" to repair deficient conditions (like broken heating) and deduct costs from rent, up to two months' rent, or choose rent abatement if the landlord doesn't act within 3-10 days. Tenants must provide written notice detailing the issue, the required fix timeline, and their chosen remedy before taking action. The bill also defines "dangerous conditions" requiring landlords to fix problems within 24 hours and clarifies when tenants cannot be evicted for lease violations.

Maddy summaryHB 521 creates a new Public Education Economic Stabilization Trust Fund managed by the state treasurer, which must receive $350 million annually starting in 2027 from the existing Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account. The bill requires this trust fund to be funded before other one-time appropriations for public education, ensuring priority for education funding during budget cycles. It also exempts the trust fund from standard state financial management laws and corrects how minimum funding levels apply. This directly affects Utah's public education system by mandating a dedicated funding stream for schools and specific programs like the Catalyst Center Grant Program.

Maddy summaryHB 501 requires secondary water suppliers (like cities or water districts providing non-culinary irrigation water) to install meters for all new commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential connections by specific deadlines (2020 for some counties, 2022 for others) and achieve full metering for all users by January 1, 2030. It mandates annual reporting to the Division of Water Resources on metered usage, service boundaries, and water sources, and restricts rate increases related to metering to 10% per year without justification. The bill also defines key terms like "secondary water" and "commercial user" to clarify coverage, and includes requirements for suppliers to develop and submit metering implementation plans by 2025. This affects water suppliers across Utah, particularly those serving non-agricultural or non-residential irrigation needs.