Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 26, 2026

HB 113: Emergency Reporting Abuse Amendments

HB 113 amends Utah's criminal code to strengthen penalties for falsely reporting emergencies to 911 or emergency services. It increases punishments for making false reports - ranging from misdemeanors for basic false calls to felonies if the report causes serious harm, death, or involves weapons of mass destruction. The bill also adds new penalties for repeated false reports about sex-designated changing rooms and requires offenders to reimburse costs for emergency responses they triggered. If passed, it would take effect on May 6, 2026, and coordinates with a related bill (S.B. 99) to align penalty structures.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for false 911 reports, expanding criminalization and enhancing punitive measures - opposes reform by strengthening punitive enforcement over rehabilitation.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 536: Criminal Conduct on Public Lands Amendments

HB 536 amends Utah laws to protect public lands and cultural sites by increasing penalties for damaging them. It specifically targets graffiti on natural and archaeological features and alters penalties for harming antiquities. The bill creates a "Public Lands Restoration and Protection Fund" managed by the State Historic Preservation Office, requiring courts to direct restitution from offenders to this fund for violations like graffiti damage or antiquities destruction on state lands. Funds will be used for site restoration, public education about protection laws, and anti-vandalism efforts.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for graffiti and antiquities crimes, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of harsher sentencing.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill increases penalties for damaging natural features and creates a fund for restoration of public lands, directly protecting natural resources and cultural sites on state lands.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 454: Public Assistance Fraud Amendments

HB 454 creates a new criminal offense for individuals who knowingly help others submit inaccurate public assistance applications (e.g., by including false information or omitting required details). This directly affects people who assist applicants for programs like SNAP or Medicaid, making it a crime if they do so to help someone receive benefits they don’t qualify for. Penalties range from misdemeanors to felonies based on the value of the fraud (e.g., a second-degree felony for $5,000+ in benefits). The bill also adds this new offense to the list of crimes that can form part of a "pattern of unlawful activity" under Utah law. The changes amend existing Utah Code sections without appropriating new funds.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offense for aiding public assistance fraud, expanding criminalization (not reform) per bill's criminal penalty structure.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 284: Murder Offense Amendments

HB 284 amends Utah's murder statute to clarify that a person can be charged with murder under "depraved indifference" without needing specific intent to kill a particular individual. It expands the list of predicate offenses (like aggravated child abuse, kidnapping, or armed robbery) that can trigger murder charges when someone dies during or immediately after committing those acts. The bill also modifies sentencing by requiring courts to consider special mitigation or affirmative defenses (like reasonable belief of justification) that could reduce a murder conviction to manslaughter. This change directly affects individuals charged with murder under these specific circumstances, particularly in cases involving the listed predicate offenses.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands murder charges to include 'depraved indifference' without specific intent and broadens predicate offenses, increasing criminalization and reducing defendant defenses.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 221: Coercion Amendments

HB 221 creates new criminal offenses for aiding or encouraging suicide (separating it from manslaughter) and splits sexual extortion into two distinct charges with added penalties. It adds sexual extortion and aggravated sexual extortion to the list of offenses considered domestic violence and requires mandatory fines for convictions of these specific crimes. The bill directly affects individuals convicted of these coercive acts, altering how these offenses are charged, classified, and punished under Utah law. The changes modify multiple Utah Code sections related to criminal sentencing and sex offender registration.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds penalties for coercion crimes, expands criminalization, and mandates fines - increasing punitive measures without reform elements.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 331: Criminal Offenses Modifications

HB 331 modifies Utah criminal law to clarify and expand certain offenses. It renames "threat of terrorism" to "terrorism" and clarifies the offense covers completed acts, not just threats. The bill creates new offenses including "unlawfully advancing foreign organizations" (e.g., aiding terrorist groups), "intentional concealment of identity" (e.g., wearing masks during crimes), and "unlawful deprivation of civil rights" (allowing victims to sue perpetrators). It also expands "aggravated disorderly conduct" to include blocking streets with two or more people. These changes directly affect individuals committing these specific criminal acts and apply to Utah state law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offenses (e.g., aiding terrorist groups, mask concealment) and expands terrorism laws to cover completed acts, increasing criminalization and penalties.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 23, 2026

HB 265: Non-nicotine Inhalation Product Amendments

HB 265 requires businesses to register non-nicotine inhalation products and substances (primarily cannabinoid-based products like CBD vaporizers) and imposes civil penalties for selling unregistered items. It creates a new criminal offense for illegally distributing cannabinoid inhalation products while clarifying that cannabinoid products do not include electronic cigarettes. The bill defines key terms like "cannabinoid product" and "artificially derived cannabinoid" to distinguish legal products from restricted substances. This applies directly to manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of these products in Utah, aiming to regulate the market under updated definitions.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offense for illegal distribution of cannabinoid products, expanding criminalization.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 188: Juvenile Justice Amendments

HB 188 amends Utah's juvenile justice laws to clarify procedures for handling student offenses on school grounds. It directly affects students (minors), schools, law enforcement, and juvenile courts by requiring schools to refer minors to law enforcement for drug offenses and updating eligibility for alternative resolutions (nonjudicial adjustments) in specific cases. Key provisions include defining terms like "school property" and "school-sponsored activity," changing notification requirements for school-based incidents, and repealing outdated reporting statutes. These changes standardize how schools and authorities respond to student misconduct while focusing on concrete policy updates to existing laws.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeMandates law enforcement referral for juvenile drug offenses, expanding criminalization. Updates alternative resolutions but referral requirement increases justice system involvement.85% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates school referrals to law enforcement for drug offenses, restricting school-based disciplinary alternatives and increasing juvenile justice involvement in K-12 settings.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 183: Sex Designation Amendments

HB 183 amends Utah state laws to replace the term "gender" with "sex" in all relevant statutes and removes protections based on gender identity. It repeals existing provisions covering gender identity in housing, employment, and crime, prohibits changes to sex designations on birth certificates, and restricts student access to privacy spaces based on biological sex. The bill also requires state agencies to use "sex" instead of "gender" in rulemaking, bars certain employees in child-related roles from having face-to-face contact with children if their work presents a different sex than their biological sex, and directs courts to consider parental opposition to a child's gender identity (conflicting with biological sex) as a factor in custody decisions. These changes directly affect transgender and gender-diverse individuals, schools, healthcare providers, and courts handling custody cases. The bill contains no funding impacts and is currently in early legislative stages.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill removes gender identity protections in crime statutes, weakening legal safeguards for transgender individuals in criminal justice contexts.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts student access to privacy spaces based on biological sex in schools, removing gender identity protections affecting K-12 educational access and curriculum policies.85% confidence ✗ HousingOpposes HousingRepeals gender identity protections in housing, weakening tenant safeguards per bill summary.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 341: Animal Fighting Penalties

HB 341 amends Utah's animal fighting laws to strengthen penalties for dog fighting, game fowl fighting, and attending such events. It clarifies that owning dog fighting equipment (like breaking sticks or treadmills) is evidence of intent to commit a crime, and creates new offenses for promoting or attending game fowl fights. The bill directly affects individuals who organize, participate in, or spectate dog or game fowl fights, including those allowing minors to attend. Penalties range from class B misdemeanors for first-time attendance or minor offenses to third-degree felonies for repeat dog fighting violations.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by creating new offenses for animal fighting events, aligning with 'oppose' indicators like increased penalties and expanded criminalization.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Criminal Justice

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