Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 539: Public Safety Modifications

HB 539 amends Utah's public safety laws to strengthen protections for domestic violence victims and clarify legal procedures. It expands the definition of domestic violence offenses, clarifies the term "cohabitant" for victim mitigation, and modifies bail requirements for domestic violence cases. The bill also updates protective order rules, prohibits parents from waiving jail release conditions when a child is the alleged victim, and ensures individuals arrested for domestic violence can communicate with children in specific circumstances. These changes directly affect domestic violence victims, defendants, law enforcement, and courts handling related cases.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeStrengthens victim protections, clarifies domestic violence legal procedures, and updates court safeguards - directly advancing criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 24: Criminal Penalty Amendments

HB 24 reduces penalties for several traffic violations in Utah. It changes school zone speeding (21-29 mph) from a class C misdemeanor to an infraction, and lowers careless driving penalties to an infraction. The bill also amends requirements for carrying proof of vehicle insurance (owner's or operator's security) when driving. These changes directly affect drivers convicted of these specific violations. The bill makes no new funding changes and focuses on adjusting penalty levels rather than creating new offenses.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReduces penalties for minor traffic violations (e.g., school zone speeding), aligning with criminal justice reform by minimizing non-serious offenses' criminalization.90% confidence ✗ TransportationOpposes TransportationReduces penalties for traffic violations (e.g., school zone speeding), weakening enforcement and safety standards within transportation safety framework.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 34: Victim Rights Amendments

HB 34 updates Utah's victim rights complaint procedures by creating a coordinator role within the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. The coordinator receives and processes complaints about alleged violations of victim rights, forwards complaints to the appropriate judicial district committee, and ensures timely notifications to victims. Criminal justice agencies must now provide written policies for handling such complaints. This bill directly affects victims reporting rights violations, victim rights committees, and agencies like law enforcement, prosecutors, and corrections. No new funding is required for these administrative changes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates coordinator for victim rights complaints, mandates agency policies, strengthens victim protections in criminal justice system90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 48: Criminal and Juvenile Justice Changes

HB 48 updates Utah's definitions and reporting requirements for recidivism in both adult and juvenile justice systems. It broadens how "recidivism" is measured to include misdemeanor arrests involving force (not just prison returns) and defines juvenile recidivism for data reporting. The bill removes the ban on placing minors in adult correctional facilities as an alternative to detention and allows prosecutors to request changes to where minors tried as adults are housed. These changes affect the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, the Department of Corrections, and juvenile justice programs by requiring updated data collection methods and reporting standards.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBroadens recidivism measurement to include misdemeanor arrests with force, improving data for reform efforts. Removes ban on minors in adult facilities but primary focus is enhanced data collection for justice system improvements.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 495: Capital Felony Case Amendments

HB 495 amends Utah's legal procedures for capital felony cases (those carrying the death penalty), directly affecting defendants sentenced to death, their defense attorneys, and the courts handling these cases. Key provisions include requiring courts to inform defendants of appeal rights and postconviction relief options, mandating appointment of appellate counsel for death sentences, and establishing new procedures for determining intellectual disability to avoid death sentences. The bill also modifies the Utah Supreme Court's review process for death penalty cases, prioritizing these cases and requiring the Court to maintain a list of qualified defense attorneys for postconviction appeals. Additionally, it updates rules for competency evaluations, appeals of intellectual disability determinations, and execution procedures, while repealing outdated statutes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates appellate counsel for death sentences and intellectual disability procedures, strengthening defendant rights in capital cases per criminal justice reform indicators.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 261: Electronic Information Privacy Act Amendments

HB 261 amends Utah's Electronic Information Privacy Act to clarify how law enforcement agencies may access electronic data. It requires warrants for most electronic information, location data, or transmitted data during criminal investigations, directly affecting law enforcement agencies and service providers like phone companies. Key provisions prohibit law enforcement from outsourcing data collection to third parties in ways they couldn’t do themselves, and mandate that illegally obtained data - or evidence derived from it - be excluded from court, similar to constitutional violations. The bill updates definitions and procedures without appropriating new funds or creating new financial obligations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires warrants for law enforcement data access, protecting civil rights and enhancing accountability in criminal justice operations.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires warrants for law enforcement data access, strengthens privacy protections under EIPA amendments, directly advancing data privacy safeguards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 289: Child Sexual Abuse Material Amendments

HB 289 updates Utah's laws regarding child sexual abuse material to address AI-generated content. It defines "apparent child sexual abuse material" as AI-created images that realistically depict minors, creating new standalone offenses for possessing or distributing such material. The bill also defines "obscene child sexual abuse material" and amends existing definitions to exclude artificially generated content from the main "child sexual abuse material" category. These changes specifically target individuals who create, distribute, or possess AI-generated images that appear to show minors, while removing AI content from the primary legal definition. The bill amends multiple Utah code sections without appropriating funds.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates new offenses for AI-generated CSAM, strengthening legal framework against child exploitation per law enforcement and criminal justice subjects.95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts AI-generated images depicting minors by creating new offenses, limiting a specific technology application under criminal law.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 354: Rescue Tracking Equipment Offense Amendments

HB 354 creates a new criminal offense for damaging or interfering with public emergency alert devices designed to notify law enforcement during emergencies and help locate individuals needing assistance. The bill defines "rescue tracking equipment" as public devices that alert authorities and track locations for emergency response, and prohibits destroying, disabling, or tampering with them if it hinders their function. Violations are classified as class B misdemeanors, punishable by up to 180 days in jail and/or fines. This law directly affects anyone who intentionally damages or disrupts these emergency devices, ensuring they remain functional for life-saving assistance. The bill amends Utah Code Section 76-6-106.4 and takes effect May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates new offense to protect emergency response devices used by law enforcement, strengthening public safety infrastructure within criminal justice system.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 313: Recidivism Amendments

SB 313 amends Utah's Adult Probation and Parole Employment Incentive Program to tie funding to measurable outcomes. It defines key terms like "parole employment rate" and "recidivism percentage," then requires regional probation/parole offices to report annual employment rates and reoffending data. Regions earn funding by showing improved employment rates for people on parole/probation compared to baselines, calculated by multiplying the rate difference by the region's average daily population and $2,500. However, funding is reduced to zero if recidivism increases compared to the previous year, directly affecting how probation/parole departments allocate resources to support employment programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesTies public funding to measurable outcomes (employment rates) for probation/parole programs, promoting fiscal accountability and efficient use of public funds per 'Public Funds and Accounts' subject.92% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill ties funding to reduced recidivism through employment metrics, directly targeting rehabilitation outcomes per its summary and subjects.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 92: Prosecution Amendments

SB 92 restricts prosecutors from charging defendants with additional offenses after a prior conviction related to bodily injury that later caused death. Specifically, it prohibits prosecuting a defendant for any offense other than homicide in a subsequent case where the death resulted from the same prior injury that was already prosecuted. This bill directly affects prosecutors and defendants in homicide cases stemming from previously charged bodily injury incidents. The key provision prevents multiple prosecutions for the same incident, ensuring a defendant cannot face new charges beyond homicide after the initial injury case concluded with a conviction, acquittal, or dismissal.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill prevents prosecutors from adding non-homicide charges for same injury causing death, reducing overcharging and aligning with criminal justice reform by protecting defendants from redundant prosecutions.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice