Ariel Defay

• S.B. 287 Targeted Advertising Tax · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Rises in support, saying Utah is a national leader in protecting children from social media and that the bill is limited to large technology companies.

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  Thank you, Madam Speaker Pro tem. I rise in support of this legislation. As many of you know, colleagues, we are leading the way and we are setting an example to the rest of the nation in this space in protecting our children from social media. In fact, we are named as one of the top national leaders from the, um, childhood index. And so I would plead with you to think about what we can do. Other states are looking to us. They're watching what we're doing, and they're adopting the same policies that we are putting forward. And when we work together to put pressure and push back on these big tech companies, that's when change happens. And …

  ▶ Watch at 2:03:31

• S.B. 287 Targeted Advertising Tax · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Supports the bill, saying Utah is a national leader in protecting children from social media and that the tax is aimed at large tech companies rather than local businesses.

  Read what they said

  I rise in support of this legislation. As many of you know, colleagues, we are leading the way and we are setting an example to the rest of the nation in this space in protecting our children from social media. In fact, we are named as one of the top national leaders from the, um, childhood index. And so I would plead with you to think about what we can do. Other states are looking to us. They're watching what we're doing, and they're adopting the same policies that we are putting forward. And when we work together to put pressure and push back on these big tech companies, that's when change happens. And I will also add that this …

  ▶ Watch at 2:03:33

• S.B. 290 Victim and Witness Privacy Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Defay says the bill sets a right to privacy for victims, limits prosecutors' turnover to data that is relevant and necessary, and requires other data to be held in a controlled manner.

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  Thank you Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, I want you to think about everything that you have on your cell phones, um, photos, places you've been banking information and imagine having to turn that over to law enforcement and have everything revealed. Um, that is the cost of reporting a crime for some victims. Um, and because of the significant amounts of private data and sensitive data that are being collected and turned over to defense attorney, defense attorneys and defendants were subjecting victims to re-victimization through the criminal justice system. Um, in 2018, U of U student, Lauren McCluskey turned over her data and nude photos of her were copied and shared by officers showing how this can be abused. So …

  ▶ Watch at 2:32:38

• S.B. 290 Victim and Witness Privacy Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Defay closes by urging members to support the bill.

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  for summation. Colleagues, This is an important bill and I urge your support. Thank you. Thank

  ▶ Watch at 2:33:54

• H.B. 306 Reinvestment Fee Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Moves to concur with the Senate amendments to H.B. 306 and speaks to the motion.

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  Motion to concur with the Senate amendments Representative. That motion is ordered. I speak to it.

  ▶ Watch at 2:53:35

• H.B. 306 Reinvestment Fee Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Explains that the Senate amendment removed the requirement for HOAs to post the actual reinvestment fee amount on the Department of Commerce registry, and instead requires them to post that they have a reinvestment fee.

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  Yes. Uh, this amendment just, uh, in the original bill required HOAs to post on the Department of Commerce's registry the, uh, reinvestment fee, um, the actual amount. This just requires them to post the reinve that they do have a reinvestment fee for transparency purposes.

  ▶ Watch at 2:53:41

• H.B. 393 Early Intervention for Dyslexia Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Said the bill is meant to support a statewide dyslexia screening program and that it now adds a statewide intervention program, and urged support.

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  Yes. When we pass this bill, we uh, pass it with the intention of developing a statewide screening program and we have added a statewide, um, intervention program to this bill as well and would urge your support.

  ▶ Watch at 1:03:39

• H.B. 273 Classroom Technology Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Explained that the amendments remove the parental transparency provision because of cost and workability concerns, and clarify that educational technology need not be designed only for education if it has significant educational value.

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  Yes. This bill, uh, these, these amendments do two things. First, it removes the parental transparency provision. There were some questions about costs and workability among the LEAs, so we removed that. And then secondly, it clarifies that an educational technology doesn't need to be specifically designed for education only that it has to have, um, significant educational value. And that's it.

  ▶ Watch at 1:27:07

• H.B. 273 Classroom Technology Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Said a separate bill passed both chambers that covers the parental transparency provision, which is another reason it was removed from this bill, and that the remaining language is more workable.

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  Representative Defay for summation. Yeah, so we actually passed a bill, um, through the house and the Senate that does, does the parental, uh, transparency piece. Um, and that's another reason we took this out. So we have it. The way it was written in my bill was a little less workable than the other way. So we still have that piece.

  ▶ Watch at 1:28:33

• H.B. 276 Artificial Intelligence Modifications · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Explains that the amendments clarify safe harbor for generation services that do not offer the ability to create counterfeit intimate images, and that platforms offering data need only download metadata and provenance data rather than the underlying material.

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  Yes. The amendments do two things. First, it clarifies that if a generation service does not actually offer the ability to create a counterfeit and intimate image, then it would automatically qualify for safe, safe harbor. Secondly, it clarifies Providence related to downloading Providence data. Um, if a platform offers data, it, it originally said they had to be able to download the data with the provenance. This clarifies that they don't have to download the data of the actual material, just the metadata and provenance data.

  ▶ Watch at 1:30:26

• H.B. 329 State Employee Maternity and Leave Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Mar 4, 2026

  Presents HB 329 as a family-strengthening policy that extends paid postpartum leave to nine weeks for mothers and adds adoption and foster leave, and says it also protects pumping breast milk in public.

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  Thank you, Mr. Chair, members of the committee. Um, I was told by Representative Walter that you should all be in a good mood after the presentation of his bill. I don't know if that's correct or not, but it is correct. That's what he told me to convey. Um, uh, I'm here to present House Bill 3 29. It is a bill focused on strengthening Utah families through expanding maternity leave. I don't know if the senate's aware, but, um, because of the dropping fertility rates and the skyrocketing costs of living, we created a pro-family and strong family working group over the interim and worked on policies to see what we could do to help, um, strengthen families. …

  ▶ Watch at 55:18

• H.B. 329 State Employee Maternity and Leave Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Mar 4, 2026

  Shares that after her first child she had six weeks of maternity leave, found it difficult and costly, and says the bill would benefit employers, employees and the state.

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  Thanks. Thank you. And I would just add to that, um, so I, when I had my first child, I was a public employee, um, and I had six weeks of maternity leave and returned to work after. Um, and it was incredibly difficult and costly for our family. It was difficult to leave a child that young find childcare and then pay for it. And so this will be a huge benefit. It'll be good for our employers, it'll be good for our employees. Um, and it'll be good for the state of Utah. Thank you.

  ▶ Watch at 58:40

• H.B. 329 State Employee Maternity and Leave Amendments · Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee · Mar 4, 2026

  Thanks the committee for its conversation and says the bill shows Utah families that the state values them and helps strengthen families.

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  Thank you. I appreciate that. I, we've had good conversation and this is just really important, um, to show Utah families that we truly value them. And I think this is a good step in helping us strengthen Utah families.

  ▶ Watch at 1:11:59

• S.C.R. 6 Concurrent Resolution Regarding Pediatric Care for Autonomic Disorders · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026

  Defay presents the resolution to raise awareness of pediatric POTS, urging better education and diagnosis for children and adolescents, and says it has no fiscal note and is cost neutral.

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  Thank you Mr. Speaker. This is a concurrent resolution regarding pediatric care for pots. We are raising awareness for this commonly missed condition. Uh, the resolution highlights widespread mixed diagnosis of POTS and urges, better education and diagnosis, especially for children and adolescents. This is a solution to help raise awareness without a fiscal note or any, um, binding rules. And it is cost neutral and I urge your support. Thank you.

  ▶ Watch at 13:17

• S.B. 167 Reintegration for Disciplined Students · House Education Committee · Mar 3, 2026

  Asked how SB 167 works alongside HB 310, which the committee already passed.

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  Yes. Thank you. I'm just wondering, we passed House Bill three 10 from Representative Romero. I'm just wondering how this works in conjunction with that bill. Yeah, they'll have coordinating clauses, uh, you know, making sure that the policy, uh, overlaps or in the right place. Uh, you know, this is, uh, we had a, like I said, we had a work group that was working through, uh, these policies and a member of our work group highlighted, uh, Representative Romero that there was, uh, that this issue was out there and she engaged as well. And so, uh, you know, she's been great to work with this policy area as well. And I don't think there will be an …

  ▶ Watch at 1:02:24

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From the official recordings' automatic captions, with speakers and summaries identified by AI. Use the ▶ links to check the recording before you rely on a quote.

How they voted

Their full voting record, attendance, and party-line score are still being compiled from the official roll calls. Each bill page shows their vote on that bill.

Bills they sponsored

• H.B. 126 Micro-Education Entity Facility Amendments · Governor Signed
• H.B. 128 Traffic Amendments · Governor Signed
• H.B. 273 Classroom Technology Amendments · Governor Signed
• H.B. 276 Artificial Intelligence Modifications · Governor Signed
• H.B. 289 Child Sexual Abuse Material Amendments · Governor Signed
• H.B. 306 Reinvestment Fee Amendments · Governor Signed
• H.B. 329 State Employee Maternity and Leave Amendments · Governor Signed
• H.B. 393 Early Intervention for Dyslexia Amendments · Governor Signed

Carried in the House as floor sponsor

• S.B. 81 Dyslexia Testing Amendments · Governor Signed
• S.B. 88 School Technology Amendments · Governor Signed
• S.B. 290 Victim and Witness Privacy Amendments · Governor Signed
• S.C.R. 6 Concurrent Resolution Regarding Pediatric Care for Autonomic Disorders · Governor Signed
• S.J.R. 17 Resolution Encouraging Innovation in Legislative Analysis and Information Services · Did not pass

About

In office since

November 15, 2023

Counties

Davis

Profession

Small business owner

Affiliations

Senior Legislative Aide to the Republican majority, Ohio House of Representatives

Education

B.A., Political Science, Utah State University; M.P.A. Public Administration, Ohio University

Honors and awards

Small Business Owner, Vice President of Business Development

Committees

• Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee
• House Education Committee
• House Transportation Committee
• Education Interim Committee
• Transportation Interim Committee

Profile details come from the Utah Legislature's official legislator data.