Sen. Evan Vickers

Maddy summarySB 101 removes a $50 fee for issuing or renewing a specific retail license, making it free for businesses. It requires the commission to establish additional information retailers must provide when applying for this license. The bill clarifies this license is separate from other permits required under Section 4-41-103.3. It directly affects retailers seeking this specialized license, with no fee cost and updated application requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a Cannabis Production Establishment and Pharmacy Licensing Advisory Board to oversee medical cannabis pharmacy licensing in Utah. The board, composed of eight to nine members with strict conflict-of-interest rules (e.g., no industry ties), reviews license applications and location changes. Key provisions require the board to consider geographic access, patient cost efficiency, and medical cannabis availability when approving pharmacy location shifts. It directly affects medical cannabis pharmacies seeking new locations or operational changes, ensuring decisions align with public health and geographic distribution goals. The bill amends Utah code sections governing licensing procedures but does not appropriate funds or change patient eligibility.

Maddy summarySB 121 amends Utah's medical cannabis program to clarify rules and improve accessibility for patients and providers. Key changes include allowing legal guardians to obtain medical cannabis cards for incapacitated adults, creating a voucher program for patients to access cannabis or devices, and updating transportation and safe storage requirements for deliveries. The bill also streamlines administrative processes, such as revising how providers access patient information and simplifying identification requirements for cardholders. These changes affect medical cannabis patients, licensed providers, and delivery services operating under Utah's current program.

Maddy summaryHB 269 amends Utah's ambulance payment rules to directly affect ambulance providers and health insurers or workers' compensation carriers. It requires the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services to annually adjust base rates based on medical inflation, explicitly includes medication costs in the base rate (previously excluded), and allows providers to collect both base rates and mileage fees. The bill also clarifies that health plans must pay providers directly for covered ambulance services without balance billing for uncovered portions. These changes take effect January 1, 2027, with no new state funding required.

Maddy summaryHB 572 updates Utah's behavioral and mental health systems to improve coordination and support. It requires standardized consent forms for disclosing mental health conditions to providers and law enforcement, mandates jail screening tool transparency, and shifts administration of the suicide prevention fund to a dedicated office. The bill creates a peer support specialist program, establishes a family outreach role for suicide/overdose cases, and amends involuntary commitment procedures. It appropriates $750,000 for implementation in fiscal year 2027, directly affecting justice-involved individuals, mental health providers, and families impacted by behavioral health crises.

Maddy summaryHB 238 requires Utah's Public Service Commission to actively participate in regional electricity markets (like regional transmission organizations and independent system operators) when Utah utilities are members. It mandates the Commission to access market data, contract for independent analysis of impacts, and submit annual reports to the legislature by November 30 each year detailing costs, burdens on Utah customers, and regional reliance on Utah infrastructure. The bill also requires the Commission to notify lawmakers within 30 days if denied access to data or processes available to other states. These provisions directly affect Utah's electricity customers and utilities by enhancing transparency and accountability in regional energy markets. The bill takes effect May 6, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 389 amends Utah's medical cannabis laws to simplify licensing for processors, allowing them to make cannabinoid (hemp) products without an extra license. It creates a new fee on medical cannabis purchases for enforcement, moves oversight of the medical cannabis program to the Department of Agriculture and Food, and allows low-THC products (under 0.3% THC) to be sold by pharmacies. The bill also enables patients to get medical cannabis cards via virtual doctor visits and renames the licensing board to the Specialized Product Authority Licensing Board. These changes directly affect medical cannabis processors, pharmacies, patients, and state agencies managing the program.

Maddy summaryHB 41 amends Utah's State Construction Code to adopt the 2024 edition of the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC), updating wildfire protection standards for buildings in fire-prone areas. This directly affects builders, property owners, and local governments enforcing construction codes in Utah, requiring compliance with the new national wildfire safety standards. The bill makes technical updates to existing code references and deletes a specific section (Section 602 in IWUIC), with the changes taking effect July 1, 2026. No new funding is appropriated, and the bill primarily updates code references without altering core requirements.

Maddy summarySB 150 creates a formal process for reviewing whether healthcare practitioners (like nurses or therapists) should be allowed to use new technologies in their practice. It requires Utah's Office of Professional Licensure Review to conduct these "scope of practice reviews" when requested by legislators, healthcare employers, or professional groups. The office must convene advisory groups including affected practitioners, assess if the technology improves care access, outcomes, or costs, and then submit a report to the Business and Labor Committee. The bill does not change current practice standards but establishes a structured method for evaluating potential expansions to healthcare occupations' scope.

Maddy summaryHB 318 modifies Utah's budget procedures for state agencies that charge other state agencies for services (internal service fund agencies). It requires these agencies to submit detailed rate data to the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget and Legislative Fiscal Analyst *before* billing other agencies, including cost breakdowns and justification for fees. The bill also mandates annual reports on actual costs and revenue for each fee charged. These changes aim to increase transparency around interagency billing without appropriating new funds.