Criminal Justice

in committee · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 133: Use of Force Reporting Requirements

HB 133 requires individuals who use deadly force to report the incident to 911 or law enforcement within 24 hours to qualify for a pretrial hearing on whether their force was justified. If reported within that timeframe, the defendant automatically meets the initial requirement to argue justification at the hearing, shifting the burden to the state to prove the force was unjustified. The bill amends Utah Code Section 76-2-309 to establish this reporting rule and applies to most cases, with exceptions for law enforcement officers acting lawfully, minor offenses, or cases where force caused death without a timely report. The law will take effect on May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeShifts burden to state to prove unjustified force, enhancing due process for defendants in use of force cases per amended Utah Code.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

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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

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

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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

Sub-Topics Courts Probation & Parole

passed · Utah · Senate Mar 7, 2026

SB 133: Offender Registry Amendments

SB 133 clarifies Utah's requirements for juvenile offenders on the sex, kidnap, and child abuse registry. It specifies that individuals under 18 who committed certain offenses (like sexual abuse or trafficking) without force or coercion and were under 21 at the time of the crime will only need to register for 10 years instead of for life. This amendment to Utah Code Section 53-29-203 directly affects young people convicted of specific crimes who would otherwise face lifetime registration. The change applies only to cases meeting all the specified criteria, not to all juvenile offenders.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReduces lifetime sex offender registry requirements for juveniles convicted of specific crimes without force, aligning with criminal justice reform goals by promoting rehabilitation over lifelong stigma.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile 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

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Victims' Rights Wildlife

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in committee · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 327: License Plate Reader Amendments

HB 327 amends Utah's laws governing automatic license plate readers (LPRs) used by government and law enforcement. It directly affects police departments, state agencies, and other public entities that collect license plate data. The bill replaces outdated rules with new requirements, including mandatory data security measures, limits on how long data can be stored, and restrictions on sharing data with other agencies. It also requires agencies to report how they use LPRs, ensuring transparency in their deployment. The law makes no changes to funding or creates new surveillance powers, focusing solely on standardizing existing LPR data handling practices.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeImposes data security, storage limits, and transparency requirements on law enforcement LPR use, enhancing oversight and civil rights protections in criminal justice data collection.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates data security, limits storage duration, restricts data sharing, and requires transparency for license plate data - directly enhancing privacy and cybersecurity protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Consumer Data Protection

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signed · Utah · House Mar 26, 2026

HB 220: Public Safety Data Amendments

HB 220 amends reporting requirements for public safety data in Utah, shifting where certain reports are submitted. It removes mandated reports about domestic violence firearm restrictions, sexual assaults in detention facilities, and other crime data from being sent to a legislative committee, instead directing these reports to the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice for inclusion in a public safety portal. The bill also adds new requirements for institutions of higher education, strike forces, and agencies like the Department of Corrections to submit specific crime and safety data to this portal. These changes streamline data collection for public access but do not alter underlying laws or create new funding.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeDirects crime data to Commission for public portal, enhancing oversight and transparency in criminal justice data systems without restricting access.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Domestic Violence Firearms

in committee · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 135: Cohabitant Definition Amendments

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands battered person mitigation defense to include minors and parents in domestic violence cases, strengthening victim protections under criminal justice reform.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence

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in committee · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 244: Employment Amendments

HB 244 protects employees and job applicants who voluntarily cooperate with law enforcement. It prohibits employers from asking employees not to cooperate, penalizing them for cooperating, or refusing to hire them based on this choice. Employees who face retaliation can sue for damages or court orders under the new law. The bill takes effect on May 6, 2026, and applies to all employers in Utah.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects employees cooperating with law enforcement, preventing retaliation and aligning with civil rights and criminal justice reform indicators.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly protects employees from retaliation for cooperating with law enforcement, directly advancing worker rights under Labor & Employment protections.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement

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passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 295: Overdose Amendments

HB 295, the "Overdose Amendments," updates Utah's criminal code to better address overdose situations. It expands the affirmative defense for reporting overdoses to include both the person experiencing the overdose and anyone who stays with them during the event. The bill also creates a new option for courts to dismiss first-time drug offenses if the individual commits to substance abuse treatment, and clarifies that reporting an overdose can be used as a sentencing mitigating factor for both parties involved. These changes aim to reduce criminal penalties for overdose-related incidents while encouraging treatment engagement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands overdose reporting defense, allows treatment diversion for first-time drug offenses, reducing criminal penalties and promoting rehabilitation per bill's sentencing mitigating factor and dismissal provisions.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables court dismissal for first-time drug offenses when committing to substance abuse treatment, directly expanding healthcare access for substance use disorders.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Sentencing Substance Abuse

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