Sen. Keven Stratton

Maddy summaryThis bill designates Election Day (the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November) as a state holiday in Utah. However, it specifically clarifies that state agencies are not required to close on Election Day, unlike other state holidays. The bill makes technical updates to multiple Utah statutes to align with this change in holiday designation. It does not appropriate funds or create new voter requirements.

Maddy summaryHCR 15 is a symbolic resolution (not a law) passed by Utah's legislature expressing support for religious freedom in public spaces. It encourages public school students and teachers to openly express their faith, supports religious symbols in public areas, and promotes accommodating religious observances in government and community settings. The resolution also calls for fostering respectful dialogue among different faiths, citing historical and legal precedents like the First Amendment and recent Supreme Court rulings. It has no funding or binding requirements and directs copies to local school boards and government bodies for awareness. This resolution does not change existing laws or create new obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 374 amends Utah's election code to change how voter signatures on candidate nomination petitions are handled. It allows voters to request removal of their signature from a petition for a candidate of a non-qualified political party, requires election officials to post all signature names and dates online, and mandates officials to notify prosecutors if a signature is disputed. These changes apply directly to voters who sign petitions and election officials processing them. The bill makes no funding changes and updates existing election code sections (20A-9-403, 20A-9-405, etc.) without altering ballot access rules.

Maddy summaryHB 72 changes how Utah electric utilities recover costs from customers. It requires utilities to prove that costs directly benefit Utah ratepayers before recovering them, and prevents utilities from charging Utah customers for facilities primarily benefiting other states. The bill creates new rules for allocating costs of shared power plants, requiring utilities to show Utah customers receive proportional benefits. Utilities must file state-specific plans for new power projects and get commission approval before recovering costs for those projects. This affects all large Utah utilities operating across state lines.

Maddy summaryHB 147 updates Utah's rules for preventing invasive mussels (like zebra mussels) from spreading through waterways. It clarifies definitions of terms like "vessel" and "invasive mussel," exempts certain government agency vessels from inspection fees, and revises how annual aquatic invasive species fees are collected by removing outdated language. The bill affects all boat owners and operators launching vessels on Utah waters, including those using public ramps or facilities. It makes technical adjustments to existing code without adding new costs or requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 499 amends Utah's Air Quality Board member qualifications, requiring appointees to have specific air quality expertise (e.g., licensed engineers or scientists) instead of general industry non-connection. It removes water heater emission regulations for natural gas units in areas meeting federal ozone and PM2.5 air quality standards, affecting homeowners in those regions. The bill also updates board transition rules and makes minor technical corrections to environmental code. These changes directly impact the board's composition and homeowners in nonattainment areas. No new funding or major policy shifts are introduced.

Maddy summaryHCR 5 is a Utah legislative resolution urging Congress to reform federal permitting processes for energy infrastructure. It highlights that current federal reviews under laws like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) take an average of 4.5 years, delaying over 2,000 gigawatts of energy projects and increasing costs. The resolution specifically calls for streamlining permitting timelines, limiting excessive litigation delays, and ensuring environmental protections remain intact during faster approvals. It directly addresses Congress and federal agencies, seeking action to accelerate domestic energy development without weakening environmental standards. This resolution does not create new laws but formally requests legislative changes to address permitting bottlenecks affecting energy infrastructure deployment.

Maddy summarySB 7 is a funding bill that allocates $180.6 million for Utah's fiscal year 2025 and $8.37 billion for fiscal year 2026 to support state government operations, primarily funding the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and other agencies. It provides specific funding for DHHS programs like clinical services, health care administration, and oversight, including $1.9 million for Primary Care and Rural Health. The bill uses multiple funding sources, including $82.7 million from the General Fund for 2025 and $1.5 billion from the General Fund for 2026. This bill does not create new policies but allocates existing budget resources for essential social services and agency operations.