Criminal Justice

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 184: Justice System Amendments

SB 184 allows Utah courts to reduce a defendant's recorded conviction to a lower offense degree under specific conditions. It applies to defendants who meet criteria such as providing substantial assistance in criminal investigations within one year of sentencing, successfully completing probation/parole or a rehabilitation program, or waiting five years without new offenses. Key requirements include prosecutor consent for violent felonies, no pending charges, and no current incarceration. The bill modifies Utah Code Section 76-3-402 to establish these pathways while maintaining safeguards for serious offenses.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllows courts to reduce convictions for rehabilitation completion, aligning with reform goals to reduce recidivism and enhance rehabilitation programs.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole Sentencing

signed · Utah · House Mar 26, 2026

HB 139: Female Genital Mutilation Amendments

HB 139 removes the statute of limitations for prosecuting female genital mutilation (FGM), meaning prosecutors can pursue cases at any time regardless of when the offense occurred. It also repeals a requirement for the Department of Health and Human Services to create a community education program about FGM. The bill directly affects individuals who commit FGM and law enforcement by changing how these cases can be prosecuted. These changes amend Utah Code Section 76-1-301 to include FGM under offenses with no time limit for prosecution and remove the education program mandate. The bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves statute of limitations for FGM prosecutions, enabling continued accountability under criminal justice enforcement.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

signed · Utah · House Mar 26, 2026

HB 137: Violent Crime Clearance Rate Amendments

HB 137 creates a grant program to help law enforcement agencies solve violent crimes. It establishes the "Violent Crime Clearance Rate Fund," which can receive state appropriations, private donations, and interest earnings. The fund is nonlapsing (unused money carries over), and the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice will administer it to award $250,000 in grants for FY2027 to agencies specifically for solving violent crimes. Agencies receiving grants must use the funds solely for this purpose, with no other restrictions or provisions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes a state-funded grant program requiring appropriations for law enforcement, increasing government spending on public safety. Explicitly creates a nonlapsing fund via state budget allocation, aligning with budget & tax support indic...95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates grant fund for law enforcement to solve violent crimes, directly funding criminal justice operations to improve clearance rates.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Victims' Rights Violent Crime

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

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 321: Inmate Medical Treatment Rates Amendments

HB 321 establishes that Utah's Department of Health and Human Services must pay University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics the standard Medicaid base rate (not higher rates) for inmate medical care when no contract exists, creating a savings mechanism. It requires the department to deposit 50% of these savings into a new "Inmate Medical Treatment Restricted Account" for correctional health services, while the other 50% returns to the General Fund. The bill mandates annual reports to legislative committees detailing the savings calculations and account balances. This directly affects state departments managing inmate healthcare, hospitals providing services, and incarcerated individuals receiving medical treatment. The policy changes focus on standardizing reimbursement rates and tracking cost savings without altering healthcare delivery.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill standardizes inmate medical rates to save costs, directing 50% of savings to General Fund, promoting fiscal responsibility and budget management.92% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill allocates 50% of inmate medical savings to correctional health services, directly funding a key criminal justice component per bill's funding mechanism.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill redirects 50% of savings from lower inmate medical payments into a dedicated correctional health services account, explicitly funding this healthcare subsector.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Government Spending State Budget Corrections Medicaid

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 183: Surveillance Camera Amendments

SB 183 prohibits law enforcement officers or their agents from tampering with, repositioning, or disabling privately or commercially owned surveillance cameras without specific authorization. The law allows exceptions when the camera owner consents, a court issues a warrant beforehand, or during urgent emergencies - requiring officers to notify owners within 24 hours or obtain a court order as soon as possible after the emergency ends. This directly affects camera owners (including businesses and residents) and law enforcement agencies operating in Utah. The bill creates two new Utah Code sections (53-25-1201 and 53-25-1202) and excludes trail cameras from its provisions. It takes effect on May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects privacy rights by requiring warrants for law enforcement to interfere with private cameras, enhancing police accountability and aligning with civil rights in criminal justice.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyProhibits unauthorized law enforcement interference with surveillance cameras, requiring warrants/consent to protect data privacy and digital rights as per technology policy indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement

signed · Utah · House Mar 26, 2026

HB 158: Unlawful Tracking Amendments

HB 158 amends Utah law to broaden protections against unauthorized tracking by renaming the offense to "unlawful use of a tracking device or tracking application." It makes it illegal to place trackers on personal property (excluding vehicles) or use tracking apps to monitor someone after they revoke consent, even if initial permission was given. The bill adds statutory damages for victims who choose this option over compensatory damages in civil cases. It includes exemptions for licensed private investigators (under specific conditions), parents tracking minors, caregivers for vulnerable adults, and law enforcement acting under court orders or official duties. The law applies directly to individuals using tracking technology and aims to strengthen privacy rights against persistent monitoring.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBroadens protections against unauthorized tracking in domestic violence/stalking contexts, adds statutory damages for victims - strengthens victim rights and civil protections within criminal justice framework.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBroadens data privacy protections by criminalizing unauthorized tracking and revoking consent, aligning with privacy-focused technology regulation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement

passed · Utah · Senate Mar 7, 2026

SB 67: Law Enforcement Quota Amendments

SB 67 prohibits law enforcement agencies from requiring peace officers to meet arrest or citation quotas and bans retaliation against officers for refusing such quotas. It requires the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice to collect and annually report alleged violations to the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee. The bill directly affects peace officers and local law enforcement agencies by preventing quota-based pressure and disciplinary actions. Key provisions include defining "impermissible quotas," mandating violation reporting, and amending existing statutes to align with this prohibition. The bill makes no financial changes and focuses solely on policy reforms to address alleged quota practices.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits arrest/citation quotas and retaliation, enhancing police accountability and protecting civil rights. Directly addresses a key reform issue in criminal justice.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Law Enforcement Policing

Track

introduced · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 162: Local Sales Tax Modifications

HB 162 allows certain Utah municipalities to impose a local sales tax specifically to fund infrastructure improvements for their local law enforcement agencies. It requires municipalities to hold a public hearing before approving the tax and mandates that all revenue be deposited into a separate special fund, not the general municipal fund. The bill also establishes procedures for reauthorizing the tax after its initial period and permits the State Tax Commission to retain a small administrative fee from collected revenue. This legislation modifies existing tax code provisions to create a structured framework for this targeted local funding mechanism, affecting only qualifying municipalities seeking to fund law enforcement infrastructure.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new local sales tax authority specifically to fund law enforcement infrastructure, establishing dedicated revenue stream for public services.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds law enforcement infrastructure via local sales tax, directly supporting criminal justice operations as explicitly listed in bill subjects.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Law Enforcement

Track

signed · Utah · House Mar 26, 2026

HB 134: Offender Transfer Amendments

HB 134 amends Utah's laws governing the transfer of probation or parole supervision between states under the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision. It changes the fee for individuals seeking such transfers, requires that offenders must first be under Utah's supervision before applying, and mandates courts or the Board of Pardons and Parole to report arrest warrants for offenders supervised in other states to the National Crime Information Center. The bill also merges two existing reporting requirements for the Bureau of Criminal Identification and repeals one outdated section. These changes directly affect individuals on probation or parole transferring supervision, Utah's Division of Adult Probation and Parole, and state courts handling related warrants.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAmends inter-state offender transfer protocols to improve supervision coordination and tracking via NCIC, reducing recidivism risks through better oversight and reporting requirements.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole