Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 207: Competency Amendments

HB 207 amends Utah court procedures for competency evaluations of defendants in criminal cases. It requires courts to order multiple evaluations simultaneously if needed, allows the Department of Health to conduct additional evaluations under specific circumstances, and permits transferring defendants to clinical settings for evaluations. The bill clarifies reporting rules for progress toward competency and ensures involuntary medication orders remain valid during facility transfers. This procedural update affects defendants, courts, and the Department of Health, with no new funding required.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeClarifies competency procedures to ensure fair trials and defendant rights, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of procedural fairness and proper judicial operations.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SB 142: Private Probation and Court Ordered Services Amendments

SB 142 regulates private probation and court-ordered service providers. It requires these providers to share certain defendant information with county sheriffs (while complying with HIPAA privacy rules), prohibits them from soliciting clients on court property, and mandates that providers conduct risk screenings and refer defendants needing specific assessments or treatment services. The bill directly affects private probation companies, county sheriffs overseeing compliance, and defendants under court supervision. Key mechanisms include standardized risk assessments, mandated referrals for specialized services, and strict privacy protections for defendant data.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates risk screenings and treatment referrals, aligning with rehabilitation-focused reform and improving oversight of private probation services.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SB 80: Physician Practice Amendments

SB 80 clarifies that physicians do not commit unprofessional conduct by participating in the execution of a death sentence authorized under Utah law. The bill amends disciplinary rules to explicitly exclude such participation from professional misconduct definitions for physicians. It directly affects medical professionals who may be involved in capital punishment procedures. The bill makes a specific policy change to protect physicians from disciplinary action related to this role, without creating new programs or allocating funds.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill explicitly enables physician participation in executions, strengthening death penalty implementation within criminal justice sentencing procedures.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 455: Peace Officer and Dispatcher Standards Amendments

HB 455 allows peace officer and dispatcher applicants in Utah with expunged or dismissed criminal convictions to enter training programs and take certification exams under specific conditions. It directly affects individuals seeking these public safety roles who previously faced automatic disqualification due to cleared records. Key conditions include: no violent felony or sexual offense convictions, a minimum 10-year waiting period since conviction, and meeting other standard requirements like background checks. The bill amends Utah Code sections 53-6-203 and 53-6-302 to update eligibility standards for these positions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves automatic disqualification for expunged/discharged applicants in law enforcement, promoting rehabilitation and expanding public safety workforce inclusivity while maintaining safety safeguards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 588: Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives Amendments

HB 588 requires Utah's Office of American Indian-Alaska Native Health and Family Services to create mandatory training for peace officers investigating missing or murdered Indigenous individuals. The training curriculum must cover tribal sovereignty principles, relevant federal/state/tribal laws, methods for gathering accurate tribal affiliation information, coordination with family members, and best practices for interviewing families. This bill directly affects law enforcement officers conducting such investigations and aims to improve investigative approaches through culturally informed practices. The training must be reviewed and updated at least every three years, with the bill taking effect on May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates law enforcement training on tribal sovereignty, cultural competency, and victim coordination in missing/murdered Indigenous cases, enhancing accountability and reform in criminal justice practices.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 593: Bail Amendments

HB 593 amends Utah's bail procedures to improve pretrial release decisions. It requires jail staff to collect detailed information - including residential address, financial circumstances, community ties, and lethality assessments - when individuals are arrested without a warrant and booked. The bill also establishes new criteria for jail officials to release people on their own recognizance (without bail), prohibiting release for certain offenses like violent felonies, domestic violence, or recent bookings. These changes apply directly to arrested individuals, courts, and jail staff, aiming to inform release decisions with more comprehensive data while maintaining court oversight.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAmends bail procedures to require detailed assessments for pretrial release, aiming to reduce unnecessary detention and improve public safety through evidence-based decisions, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 554: State Debt Collection Amendments

HB 554 modifies Utah's debt collection rules to streamline how government entities recover unpaid amounts. It directs the State Tax Commission to apply corporate tax overpayments toward debts under the Crime Victims Restitution Act, allows collections without a court judgment, and standardizes definitions for "accounts receivable" (including fines, restitution, and taxes). The bill also permits the State Debt Collection Fund to retain up to one year's expenses annually and makes technical updates to multiple statutes. These changes primarily affect taxpayers with outstanding debts and government agencies collecting public funds, with no new state funding required.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesStreamlines tax debt collection, enhances revenue recovery via corporate tax overpayments, and promotes fiscal management efficiency.85% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill streamlines restitution collections under Crime Victims Restitution Act, directly supporting victim compensation within criminal justice system.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 168: Hunting and Fishing Amendments

HB 168 creates the Poaching Mitigation Fund to use restitution from poaching violations for anti-poaching efforts like education programs, wildlife crime detection equipment, and law enforcement training. It modifies the Guide and Outfitter Fund to allow the Division of Law Enforcement to use its money for wildlife enforcement, removes outdated references to "spotters," and updates definitions for guides and outfitters. The bill also clarifies rules about the number of people allowed to provide guide services, addresses unlawful aircraft activity during hunting/fishing, and requires reimbursement for investigatory expenses related to violations. These changes directly affect wildlife law enforcement, licensed guides/outfitters, and individuals violating hunting/fishing regulations. The bill makes technical updates to Utah code sections without appropriating new funds.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill uses poaching violation restitution to fund law enforcement training and wildlife enforcement, directly strengthening law enforcement within criminal justice.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentCreates Poaching Mitigation Fund using restitution for anti-poaching efforts, strengthens wildlife enforcement funding, directly advancing conservation and natural resource protection.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 138: Child Abuse Homicide Amendments

HB 138 clarifies that a person can be charged with child abuse homicide if a child dies by suicide directly caused by the abuse or torture. The bill amends Utah Code Section 76-5-208 to explicitly include suicide as a possible outcome under the child abuse homicide statute when abuse is the direct or immediate cause. It also corrects a technical error in the penalty structure for these offenses and adds a coordination clause for potential overlap with another bill (S.B. 32). This change affects how prosecutors charge individuals whose abuse leads to a child's suicide, making it a criminal offense under the specified felony classifications.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands criminal liability for child abuse causing suicide death, strengthening accountability under homicide statute95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 39: Prison and Jail Standards Amendments

HB 39 requires county sheriffs and Utah's Department of Corrections to implement independent oversight systems for all county jails and state correctional facilities. Specifically, it mandates that every county jail under a sheriff's jurisdiction must operate under independently administered standards and undergo regular independent inspections, with the same requirement applying to state facilities managed by the Department of Corrections. These provisions apply directly to county sheriffs, jail operators, and the Department of Corrections, adding new inspection requirements on top of existing standards. The bill makes technical updates to Utah law without appropriating new funds or creating new programs.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates independent oversight and inspections for correctional facilities, strengthening accountability and standards per criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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