Sen. Kathleen Riebe

Maddy summarySB 274 provides supplemental funding to Utah's local schools based on student reading assessment results. It directs the state board to give additional literacy coaching support to school districts (LEAs) and small schools (under 300 students) where average reading performance falls below statewide averages on benchmark assessments. Funding amounts are set as half a full-time equivalent for most districts and a full-time equivalent for small schools showing significant reading growth gaps. The bill does not appropriate new state funds but triggers existing budget allocations based on prior year assessment data, effective July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 243 amends tax increment financing rules for public transit-oriented developments in designated counties. It limits new projects to a 1/3-mile radius of transit hubs, restricts total project area to 125 noncontiguous acres, and caps the capture of property tax increases at 50% (not 80%) over a 15-year period per parcel. These changes apply specifically to projects approved under the bill's framework within a 30-year overall timeline. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Rules Committee after committee recommendations failed.

Maddy summarySB 105 amends Utah's self-defense laws to limit when a person can claim justification for using force. It removes the defense if someone causes injury or death to an innocent person while using force against another individual, and denies pretrial hearings for defendants charged with reckless or negligent harm to others during such incidents. The bill specifically targets cases where the defendant’s claimed self-defense against one person results in unintended harm to a third party. These changes affect criminal defendants in Utah who attempt to use self-defense as a legal justification but are charged with causing harm to an unrelated individual. The amendments take effect on May 6, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 95 requires Utah public universities to conduct content-neutral risk assessments for events featuring outside speakers before approval. It establishes a five-tier threat classification system (Levels 1-5) based on objective factors like credible threats, historical disruptions, venue security, and expected attendance, not speaker viewpoints. Institutions must implement security measures matching assigned threat levels - including enhanced patrols or venue modifications - and report to oversight bodies. The bill also mandates insurance coverage, authorizes security fees tied to threat levels, and protects certain assessment records while ensuring public access to key information. This directly affects universities, student groups sponsoring events, and outside speakers at public gatherings on campus.

Maddy summarySCR 3 is a Utah legislative resolution urging the U.S. government not to resume explosive nuclear weapons testing. It directly addresses the federal government, referencing Utah's historical exposure to radioactive fallout from Nevada tests and citing international consensus (187 countries supporting the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty) and 75% U.S. public opposition. The resolution emphasizes that the U.S. already maintains nuclear safety through the Stockpile Stewardship Program and that restarting tests would escalate global nuclear arms races. As a symbolic measure with no funding or legal effect, it does not change federal policy but formally expresses Utah's position.

Maddy summarySB 159 requires public schools in Utah to screen all kindergarten through second-grade students for dyslexia. Large school districts (over 3,000 students) must administer screenings annually, while regional education agencies handle screenings for small districts and charter schools upon request. Parents can also request screenings for their children in grades K-2, including students in home schools or scholarship programs. The bill mandates state funding distribution for implementation but does not appropriate funds in this bill. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryUtah's SB 56 requires public schools to provide legal awareness education to all 10th-grade students starting in the 2026-27 school year. The bill mandates coverage of specific topics like voting rights, jury duty, contracts, healthcare consent, tax obligations, workplace protections, and interactions with law enforcement. Schools may deliver this information through existing courses, assemblies, or digital resources, without creating new courses or requiring student testing. The law emphasizes using current, age-appropriate materials and does not alter existing curricula or create new assessments. It directly affects Utah's 10th-grade students and public school districts.

Maddy summaryHB 120 prohibits operating a vehicle with a cargo carrier (including hitch-mounted racks, bicycle racks, cargo trays, or baskets) that blocks the tail light unless red auxiliary lighting or reflectors meeting visibility standards are installed. Drivers must attach these to the carrier, ensure lights activate with brake lights, and be visible from 500 feet to the rear. Violations carry fines up to $100 for a first offense and $200 for repeat offenses within three years. This directly affects drivers using cargo-carrying equipment on Utah roads.

Maddy summarySB 229 requires Utah's individual income tax booklets to include clear information about registering as an organ donor and instructions for accessing the state's donor registry. This affects all Utah residents who receive income tax materials, as the tax booklets will now feature this organ donation information alongside existing tax details. The bill amends Utah Code Section 59-10-103.1 to add this requirement without changing the donor registry system or requiring new funding. It takes effect on May 7, 2025, and is designed to increase organ donation awareness through routine tax communications.

Maddy summarySB 167 amends Utah's guardianship law to require courts to address voting rights for incapacitated individuals. For new guardianship cases starting May 7, 2025, courts must determine (using clear and convincing evidence) if the person is "mentally incompetent" under Utah Constitution Article IV, Section 6, which restricts voting or holding office. For existing guardianships appointed before that date, the bill creates a presumption that the person cannot vote until the court makes a specific finding. This affects individuals under guardianship who may have voting rights under state law. The bill takes effect May 7, 2025, and makes no changes to voting eligibility rules - only clarifies court procedures for addressing them.