HB 135 clarifies the legal definition of "cohabitant" in Utah's domestic violence and battered person mitigation laws. It specifically expands the definition to include minors when a parent, stepparent, or cohabiting adult commits abuse against them, and also includes parents/stepparents when a minor commits an offense against them. These changes ensure that the battered person mitigation defense - allowing reduced charges for individuals who acted in response to abuse - applies correctly to cases involving minors and their caregivers. The bill makes technical adjustments to existing statutes without creating new programs or costs.
This joint resolution amends Utah's court rules to clarify procedures for jury selection in felony cases and hearing formats. It updates Rule 17.5 to require courts to consider specific factors (like participant preferences, technology access, and safety) when setting in-person, remote, or hybrid hearings, and amends Rule 18 to standardize jury selection methods. The changes directly affect courts, judges, attorneys, and defendants in felony trials by providing clearer guidelines for hearing formats and jury selection. No funding is appropriated, and the resolution follows Utah's constitutional process for amending court rules.
HJR 17 amends Utah's legislative rules to establish clearer processes for managing administrative spending by state legislators. It requires the Executive Appropriations Committee to annually set aside funds for legislator staff expenses and committee operations (like travel), while defining "legislative aide" and creating tracking rules for these allocations. The bill does not appropriate new money but updates existing budget procedures to standardize how legislative offices budget and report administrative costs. This directly affects legislators, their staff, and the committee overseeing these funds. As a procedural resolution, it focuses on internal legislative finance rules rather than policy changes.
HB 446 amends Utah's conflict of interest disclosure rules for candidates running for local office (municipal, county, school board, or special district positions). It requires candidates to disclose unresolved federal or state tax liens and criminal convictions (with exceptions) on their disclosure forms. The bill also updates definitions to exclude individuals required to file such disclosures from certain criminal background checks by public employers. All submitted disclosure statements must be posted publicly on municipal or county websites until election day. This bill makes no changes to existing disclosure requirements beyond adding these new disclosure items.
HB 152 amends Utah's public education vaccine exemption process by removing a requirement for parents to complete an online education module to obtain an exemption form. Instead, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services must provide a free, online exemption form directly to parents, which will automatically be sent to the student's school or school district. This change affects parents and students seeking exemptions for medical, personal, or religious reasons, streamlining access to the exemption process. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, with no new funding required.
HB 398 updates regulations for towing dispatch vendors in Utah, directly affecting these vendors, tow truck motor carriers, and local agencies managing towing services. The bill requires dispatch technology to reduce delays, improve transparency in tow rotations, and enhance responder safety, while prohibiting vendors from also providing towing or impound services. It also establishes rules for removing carriers from dispatch lists and prevents individuals with financial interests in removed carriers from joining new lists under different entities. These changes amend existing Utah Code sections governing towing dispatch programs and local authority preemption.
HB 397 requires Utah courts to provide free public livestreams of most open court proceedings through the Administrative Office of the Courts, making them accessible via court websites. It includes exceptions for cases involving safety risks, victim rights, minors, or privacy concerns, and mandates courts to find no "less restrictive alternative" before blocking a livestream. The bill also requires creating and preserving audiovisual recordings of all livestreams for public access on court websites for at least one year. These recordings must exclude protected content like juror identities, confidential communications, or sensitive exhibits. The law takes effect on May 6, 2026.
HB 368 exempts cold baths in apartment building common areas from health department regulations, while updating exemptions for other public cold baths (like those in gyms or spas). The bill defines "public cold bath" as a facility with chilled water under 60°F, limited to five users, and meeting specific safety standards. It prevents Utah's Department of Health and Human Services from imposing new rules on these facilities, removing regulatory requirements for operators. This directly affects apartment building managers and owners of public cold bath facilities by eliminating health department oversight. The law takes effect May 6, 2026.
HB 391 changes how vacancies in elected offices are filled in Utah. It requires governors to appoint candidates from the previous officeholder's political party for U.S. Senate, state legislature, or State Board of Education seats, while county offices must be filled by county legislative bodies. Crucially, it prohibits local governments from appointing replacements for municipal, school board, or special district vacancies during the period between general elections and the start of a new term. The bill makes these procedural adjustments without altering eligibility rules or adding costs.
This bill modifies Utah's child welfare laws by clarifying the differences between protective custody warrants and child safety warrants issued by juvenile courts. It authorizes juvenile courts to issue child safety warrants to protect a child's health, safety, or welfare, while explicitly stating that such warrants do not grant peace officers or caseworkers the authority to take a child into protective custody. The legislation also allows those executing either type of warrant to request assistance from others and updates various definitions related to abuse, children, and juvenile court procedures. These changes aim to provide clearer legal guidelines for law enforcement and child welfare workers when responding to situations involving children.
HB 434 clarifies that reports on child welfare fatalities submitted to the Child Welfare Legislative Oversight Panel and Health and Human Services Interim Committee must include non-redacted content (only names and addresses may be redacted), preventing full confidentiality. It updates Utah’s statutes to ensure these oversight bodies receive complete reports detailing near-fatalities or deaths, including recommendations for policy changes or training. The bill affects child welfare agencies (like Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services) and legislative committees responsible for reviewing these reports. Key provisions require agencies to share full reports with committees by September 1 each year, with only identifying information redacted, to inform potential legislative changes.
SB 212 clarifies that Utah government entities and employees lose legal immunity when sued for violating the free exercise of religion, as defined in Utah Code Title 63G, Chapter 33. It specifically amends the Governmental Immunity Act (63G-7-201) and the Free Exercise of Religion chapter (63G-33-201) to ensure people can seek remedies like damages, court orders, or injunctions. This directly affects individuals or groups who believe government actions (such as denying religious accommodations) infringed their religious rights. The bill makes no new funding or procedural changes, focusing solely on updating legal access to court for these specific claims.
