Maddy summarySB 239 establishes rules for Utah's "homeless services campus," a single facility providing emergency shelter, mental health treatment, and support services to people experiencing homelessness. It requires the state coordinator and Homeless Services Board to create a comprehensive plan covering safety, transportation, services offered, and staff requirements within a set timeframe after selecting a campus location. The bill also creates an ombudsman role to investigate campus violations, recommend remediation, and potentially halt operations, while mandating reporting and coordination with public safety entities. These changes directly affect the Office of Homeless Services, the Utah Homeless Services Board, campus operators, and the people using these facilities.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 246 amends Utah's Homeless Services Board membership requirements to ensure local community representation when a new homeless services campus location is announced. Specifically, it requires the board to appoint a member who either lives within five miles of the campus (chosen by a community organization) or represents the west side of Salt Lake City (appointed by the Westside Coalition) within 30 days of the campus location being announced. This change directly affects the board's composition and communities near proposed campus sites. The bill makes technical adjustments to the board's structure but does not appropriate funding or alter service delivery. It focuses on procedural updates to governance rather than substantive policy changes.
Maddy summaryHB 453 creates a new "Unspent Balances Restricted Account" to manage state funds that would otherwise expire at fiscal year-end. It requires the Division of Finance to annually transfer specified percentages of unspent balances from various state accounts into this restricted account. The bill directs how money in this account can be used, though it does not appropriate new funds. This affects all state agencies and departments that hold unspent funds at the end of the fiscal year, ensuring those funds are redirected for specific purposes rather than returned to the general fund.
Maddy summarySB 285 creates a new "Uninsured Children Dental Care Restricted Account" within Utah's General Fund and appropriates $5 million for fiscal year 2027 to fund dental care for uninsured children. The bill directs the University of Utah School of Dentistry's Oral Health Assistance Program to provide these services across all counties. Funds are nonlapsing for FY2027-28, with excess amounts over $200,000 lapsing to the General Fund starting FY2028-29. This bill directly affects uninsured children in Utah by expanding access to dental care through a dedicated funding mechanism.
Maddy summarySB 248, the Child Care Expansion Act, requires licensed child care providers to maintain specific insurance coverage (general liability, property, and workers' compensation) at minimum levels set by the Division of Risk Management. It also mandates that employer-sponsored child care facilities reserve 50% of their capacity for the children of the employer's employees, with the remaining space available to the broader community. The bill directly affects licensed child care providers and employer sponsors operating such facilities. It failed in the House during third reading on March 4, 2026, and did not advance further. The bill focuses on regulatory standards for insurance and space allocation, not on expanding access or providing new funding.
Maddy summaryHB 345 modifies Utah's victim reparations law to expand access for specific victims. It specifically allows mental health counseling as part of reparations for individuals who experienced sexual assault while incarcerated in a prison, jail, or correctional facility. The bill also updates the legal definition of "criminally injurious conduct" and makes technical changes to existing code sections (63M-7-502, 63M-7-509, and 63M-7-510). These changes directly affect incarcerated sexual assault victims seeking reparations for psychological harm. The bill does not appropriate new funds.
Maddy summarySB 188 updates Utah's Construction Trades Licensing Act by expanding the list of organizations authorized to offer continuing education courses required for contractor license renewals. It adds the Utah Roofing Contractors Association and Utah Masonry Council to the approved list of providers, while clarifying that other associations (like electrical or plumbing groups) may only offer courses to their own members, with specific exceptions for certain trades. The bill maintains the existing requirement of six hours of approved continuing education every two years for licensees, including three hours specific to HVAC for those licensed in that specialty. No new fees or funding are introduced, and the changes take effect May 6, 2026.
Maddy summaryHB 277 exempts traditional healing providers from state licensing requirements when offering services defined under Utah law and developed in consultation with Utah Native American tribes and indigenous communities. The bill amends Utah’s licensing code to explicitly include traditional healing as a licensed exemption under Section 58-1-307, clarifying that providers practicing traditional healing services do not need a state license. It makes no changes to funding or other requirements, focusing solely on removing licensing barriers for these practitioners. This directly affects traditional healing providers operating within Utah’s defined framework. The exemption applies only to services conducted in accordance with tribal consultations and existing legal definitions.
Maddy summarySB 214 creates a $2.3 million grant program (funded from the General Fund) to expand home-based childcare capacity in Utah. It requires home-based childcare providers caring for qualifying children (under 13 years old or with disabilities, not related to the provider) to register with the state, updates criminal background check requirements, and ensures funds remain available ("non-lapsing"). The bill directly affects home-based childcare providers who serve these children, with key provisions including mandatory registration, revised background checks, and the new grant program to help providers increase their capacity.
Maddy summarySB 180 redirects 10% of Utah's liquor sales revenue to the Uniform School Fund to support school meal programs. It expands eligibility for free school lunches to include students from families earning at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, even if they don't qualify for the National School Lunch Program. The bill requires the State Board of Education to use at least 20% of these funds specifically for free lunches for these eligible students. This policy change uses existing liquor tax revenue without new appropriations to increase access to school meals for low-income Utah students in grades K-12.