Sen. Ron Winterton

Maddy summaryHB 112 updates Utah's political advertising rules to address modern communication methods. It explicitly includes social media platforms as venues for political ads and clarifies that if multiple people fund a single advertisement, all contributors must disclose their payments. The bill also authorizes election officials to impose fines for violations of these advertising rules. These changes apply directly to campaigns, political committees, and organizations running political ads on platforms like Facebook or X. The law does not appropriate funds or alter election timing.

Maddy summaryHB 75 amends Utah's education laws to better support American Indian and Alaska Native students. It defines "American Indian and Alaska Native concentrated schools" (those with ≥29% Native students), expands grant eligibility for schools serving these students (prioritizing certain counties), and requires the state board to adopt a specific education plan by 2027. The bill mandates annual reporting to the Native American Legislative Liaison Committee on grant use, program effectiveness, and plan implementation. It updates existing grant rules and creates new reporting requirements without appropriating new funds. The policy directly affects Utah schools with significant Native student populations and tribal communities through improved resource targeting and accountability.

Maddy summaryThis Utah Senate resolution (SJR 12) urges the President to issue an executive order reinforcing federalism by requiring federal agencies to conduct impact assessments on state authority before new rules, mandate early consultation with states during rulemaking, and publish justifications when federal actions override state laws. It references Executive Order 12612 (1987) and a Government Accountability Office report on improving federalism compliance. The resolution has no legal effect and is a symbolic request to strengthen the balance between federal and state governments, not a new law affecting specific groups.

Maddy summaryHB 104 requires Utah public schools to provide age-appropriate firearm safety instruction to students, mandating at least three sessions in K-6 and two sessions (once in middle school, once in high school). Schools may use existing curricula like hunter safety courses or health/PE classes, but must ensure all content is politically neutral and emphasizes safe handling and storage practices. Parents must be notified in advance and can opt their child out, with schools offering alternative activities for those students. The bill also requires instructors using actual firearms to hold legal exemptions under state weapons laws, and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 166 allows owners of qualifying commercial trailers (specifically intrastate trailers not used as travel trailers) to pay a single one-time fee for lifetime registration instead of paying annual property taxes. This replaces ongoing property tax payments with a fixed, uniform fee at the time of registration. The bill affects commercial trailer owners who choose this option, eliminating future annual tax obligations for their trailers. It amends Utah's registration code to establish this lifetime registration process, effective January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 201 requires Utah utilities to include full costs of backup resources (like storage or grid adjustments) in their energy plans and report different energy types (baseload, variable, storage) with specific metrics like expected delivery. It prohibits mandatory demand management programs that reduce electricity use and bans counting such reductions as equivalent to power generation capacity. The bill affects utilities filing integrated resource plans with Utah's Public Service Commission, mandating clearer reporting on variable resources (e.g., solar/wind) and excluding voluntary conservation programs from capacity calculations. Key changes include new cost attribution rules and restrictions on how demand reductions can be factored into planning.

Maddy summaryHB 373 establishes a legal presumption that daycare providers using service marketplace platforms (like apps connecting caregivers with families) are independent contractors, not employees, unless clear evidence shows otherwise. It directly affects daycare providers who use these platforms to find clients, clarifying their employment status under Utah law. The bill adds new Section 34-53-202 to the Utah Code, mirroring existing rules for building service contractors but specifically applying to daycare services. This change takes effect on May 7, 2025, and does not involve funding or broader policy shifts.

Maddy summarySB 207 imposes a local impact mitigation tax on oil and gas producers in Utah, effective January 2026 through 2029. It charges 5 cents per barrel of oil and 0.25 cents per thousand cubic feet of gas, collected quarterly from producers on oil and gas saved, sold, or transported within the state. Revenue must be distributed to the counties where the production occurred and can only be used for transportation-related projects on specific paved roads. The bill prohibits counties from imposing separate oil or gas mitigation fees and requires counties to report how they spend the funds.

Maddy summaryHB 404 amends Utah's government employment rules, primarily focusing on the state's pay for performance management system. It allows independent state entities to opt into the system, clarifies which employees can participate, and repeals outdated Section 63A-17-111. The bill also adds a bereavement leave provision for employees experiencing pregnancy loss (miscarriage or stillbirth) or supporting a partner in such circumstances. These changes directly affect state agencies and their employees participating in the pay for performance program, with no new funding required.

Maddy summaryHB 91 amends Utah's rules for technical colleges regarding new facility construction and capital projects. It requires technical colleges to prioritize maintaining existing facilities for students before pursuing new buildings, and mandates coordination with their partner universities (like Utah State for Bridgerland Tech or Weber State for Ogden-Weber Tech) to maximize use of current resources. The bill establishes a process where colleges must verify they've exhausted existing options and secured partner agreements before submitting funding requests for new facilities. This change affects all Utah technical colleges and their degree-granting university partners, effective May 2025.