Sen. John Johnson

Maddy summarySB 309 requires owners of single-family homes rented to register with local authorities, including property managers. It imposes an excise tax on owners who manage 25 or more rental homes and creates a grant program for municipalities to help transition rental properties to owner-occupied homes. The bill mandates that registration notices be included with 2026 property tax notices and requires the Division of Real Estate to share registered property data with county assessors. It affects rental property owners, local governments, and municipalities, with provisions set to take effect in 2026. The bill includes technical changes but does not appropriate funds for implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 543 amends Utah's Uniform Commercial Code to require securities intermediaries (like banks or brokers holding financial assets) to provide clear written disclosures to customers when certain priority rules apply. Specifically, it mandates that if a financial asset could be prioritized for a creditor over customer claims (under Subsections 2 or 3 of Section 70A-8-511), the intermediary must disclose this fact and explain its practical impact. This directly affects customers holding assets with these intermediaries and the intermediaries themselves, clarifying their disclosure obligations. The bill takes effect on May 6, 2026, with no new funding or procedural changes beyond the disclosure requirement.

Maddy summaryHB 528 requires Utah school districts to report specific open enrollment data - including school capacity, enrollment numbers on key dates, and nonresident student requests - to the State Board of Education. The State Board must then publish this data online, including school-specific enrollment rates and contact information for open enrollment staff. This affects all Utah public school districts and makes enrollment transparency requirements more accessible to families and the public. The bill does not change enrollment standards but mandates standardized reporting to improve visibility into district enrollment patterns.

Maddy summarySB 327 repeals Utah's mandatory licensing requirements for commercial interior designers, deception detection practitioners, and music therapists. This bill directly affects individuals seeking to work in these professions by removing the need for state-issued licenses. The key mechanism is the repeal of specific licensing statutes (including sections 58-64-301 through 58-64-701 and others) that previously governed these occupations. The change eliminates barriers to entry for these professionals without appropriating state funds or creating new regulatory requirements.

Maddy summarySB 322 creates a regulatory sandbox in Utah public schools to safely test educational AI tools under new safety standards. It directly affects public schools, educators, students, and edtech vendors by requiring safety testing, parental opt-out rights, and prohibitions against AI simulating personal relationships with students. Key provisions include mandatory evidence-based evaluations, transparency requirements for vendors, integration with existing student data privacy laws (Title 53E), and a five-year sunset. The bill establishes new oversight through an Education Technology Advisory Council and limits the State Board of Education’s role in approving pilot programs.

Maddy summaryHB 518 modifies Utah's social studies curriculum requirements for K-12 public schools. It mandates that American constitutional government and citizenship be taught as separate semester courses, and requires U.S. history to be taught as two distinct semester courses. The bill also prohibits students from repeating the same semester course for graduation, requires literacy coaches to integrate social studies content into literacy instruction, and mandates regular social studies instruction in elementary grades. Implementation must occur by July 1, 2031, and the bill repeals an adult education citizenship test.

Maddy summaryHB 405 creates a new "State Purchasing Reserve Restricted Account" by imposing a 0.5% administrative fee on state cooperative contracts. Revenue from this fee is deposited into the account and must be invested in precious metals by the state treasurer. The funds can later be used to offset procurement costs for public entities (like local governments or schools) if specific inflation metrics are met, ensuring continuity in purchasing goods and services. This bill directly affects state cooperative contracts and public entities that rely on them for procurement.

Maddy summaryHB 55 requires schools and government agencies contracting with education technology vendors to include specific privacy clauses in their agreements. It mandates that if a vendor illegally sells student data (violating state or federal law), the school must notify the vendor within 30 days and terminate the contract if the violation isn’t fixed within another 30 days. The bill also prohibits vendors from charging fees or seeking damages for contract termination due to privacy violations and repeals a prior provision allowing vendors to respond to student feedback requests. This directly affects schools, their ed tech vendors, and student data privacy protections under Utah law.

Maddy summarySB 274 requires Utah health insurers to report detailed preauthorization data - including approval and denial rates for both non-urgent and urgent services - to the Department of Insurance, while also mandating that insurers share this information directly with patients and healthcare providers. The bill establishes a 30-day notice requirement for insurers before changing a drug formulary for patients on active treatment and prohibits revoking preauthorization without valid reasons, such as a patient’s unchanged medical condition. These provisions apply to all health insurers operating in Utah and directly affect patients, healthcare providers, and the Department of Insurance by increasing transparency and streamlining coverage decisions.

Maddy summarySB 35 amends Utah's Statewide Online Education Program to improve funding for small public high schools (under 1,000 students) that struggle to offer advanced courses like AP, IB, or concurrent enrollment due to enrollment size, geographic isolation, staffing limits, or budget constraints. It requires the state board to create a prioritized funding system based on these needs, implement an annual assessment to adjust funding, and mandate schools receiving funds to report on course usage, student participation, and achievement. The bill does not appropriate new money but modifies how existing funds are distributed and requires annual reports to the Education Interim Committee. It takes effect on July 1, 2025.