Sen. Karen Kwan

Maddy summaryHB 565 requires counties in Utah to separately list city library taxes on property tax notices sent to owners of real property in first-class counties. This change affects property owners who pay city library taxes, ensuring these levies are clearly itemized alongside other taxes. The bill amends existing property tax notice requirements (Utah Code 59-2-919.1) to mandate this separate listing in the "itemized tax information" section of notices. It does not create new taxes or appropriates funds, but updates how current library levies are presented to taxpayers.

Maddy summaryHB 420 modifies Utah's process for filling vacant municipal positions, such as mayors or city council seats, affecting local city councils. It requires councils to appoint a qualified resident within 30 days of a vacancy, provide 14 days of public notice, and interview candidates before voting. If no candidate wins a majority in the initial vote, the two top candidates face a second vote, with ties broken by a coin toss conducted by the municipal clerk. If councils fail to act, the lieutenant governor then directs them to comply, and the governor may step in after 45 days if still unresolved. The bill makes no policy changes but streamlines procedural steps for filling vacancies.

Maddy summarySB 314 requires Utah's Division of Population Health to create public education materials and outreach programs about sleep disorders, directly affecting Utah residents, healthcare providers, and schools. The bill mandates coverage of specific conditions like sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and circadian disorders, with goals to increase awareness, promote early diagnosis, reduce stigma, and address safety risks like drowsy driving. The division may partner with health organizations, insurers, school districts, and transportation agencies to distribute materials. No new funding is allocated, and the law takes effect in May 2026. This focuses on public health education, not treatment or regulation.

Maddy summaryHB 531 establishes safety rules for body art facilities offering scarification (a permanent skin-marking practice involving cuts, distinct from tattoos). It requires facilities to use dedicated rooms, verify client age before procedures, and provide written aftercare instructions. The bill also creates a new criminal offense for performing scarification on minors for payment or in business, punishable as a class B misdemeanor with a $1,000 minimum fine. Additionally, it mandates the Office of Professional Licensure Review to study scarification practices and report findings by November 2026. The bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 175 updates Utah's health insurance requirements for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) coverage. It requires health benefit plans to cover ASD treatment - including applied behavior analysis - and expands the list of qualified providers (like psychologists and social workers) eligible for reimbursement for diagnosis and treatment. The bill also removes outdated language about preexisting conditions and clarifies definitions for ASD diagnosis and treatment under Utah law. These changes directly affect health insurance plans sold in Utah's individual and large group markets, ensuring coverage for children aged 2-10 years with ASD. The law amends specific Utah Code sections (26B-3-904 and 31A-22-642) without appropriating new funds.

Maddy summarySB 79 makes technical corrections to the formatting and content requirements for signature forms used in Utah's initiative and referendum processes. It updates specific sections of the law governing how signature packets must be printed, including table layouts, required statements about tax increases, and verification notices. These changes directly affect petitioners gathering signatures and election officials verifying them, ensuring forms meet precise administrative standards without altering any substantive policy requirements. The bill contains no new funding or policy changes, only procedural fixes to existing form specifications.

Maddy summarySB 106 preserves current educator salary adjustments by removing a legal dependency on the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program's status. It ensures educators (including teachers, counselors, librarians, and specialists) receive a fixed $10,350 salary adjustment for fiscal year 2026, regardless of litigation affecting the scholarship program. The bill makes this change to prevent potential pay reductions if the scholarship program faces legal challenges. No new funding is appropriated, and the amendment applies to all school districts, charter schools, and Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the expiration date for the Utah Commission on Aging from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2031. It directly affects the Utah Commission on Aging by giving the body five additional years to continue its work before its statutory termination. The bill makes only a technical change to the commission's sunset date in Utah Code, with no new programs or funding. This is a routine procedural amendment to delay the commission's automatic repeal, requiring no additional legislative action.

Maddy summarySB 29 extends the expiration date for Utah's Child Care Advisory Committee from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2029, as specified in Utah Code Section 63I-1-235. This procedural bill directly affects the committee by allowing it to continue operating for an additional three years without needing reauthorization. The change modifies the existing sunset provision in the code, with no new funding or policy changes required. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and is now moving through the House.

Maddy summaryHB 74 amends Utah's rules for gathering signatures on initiative and referendum petitions. It requires that petition signers had the opportunity to read the full statement in the petition packet, and that signature gatherers believe signers read the law being petitioned. The bill also allows using spiral binders for petition packets and permits signature gatherers to remove individual sheets during collection. These changes directly affect individuals signing or collecting signatures for voter initiatives and referendums.