Criminal Justice

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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introduced · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 237: Stalking Amendments

HB 237 amends Utah's stalking law to strengthen protections for victims and increase penalties for offenders. It specifically adds a second-degree felony penalty when an offender unlawfully enters a victim's dwelling during stalking, and clarifies definitions like "course of conduct" to include digital harassment (e.g., texts, social media). The bill directly affects stalking victims and individuals convicted of stalking, making unlawful dwelling entry a more severe offense. These changes update existing statutes without new funding or broad procedural shifts.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeStrengthens victim protections and increases penalties for stalking offenses, aligning with criminal justice reform goals to enhance safety and accountability.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyClarifies digital harassment (texts/social media) as stalking, strengthening victim protections under data privacy/digital rights laws.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Social Media

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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

Sub-Topics Civil Rights

signed · Utah · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 274: Sentencing Amendments

HB 274 amends Utah's sentencing structure by changing the membership of the Sentencing Commission and updating its responsibilities. The bill requires the Commission to consider specific factors - like public safety, rehabilitation, and risk reduction - when setting adult sentencing and supervision guidelines, directly affecting courts, offenders, and correctional systems. Key provisions include adding new member roles (e.g., prosecutors, sheriffs, victim services representatives), mandating a full review of sentencing guidelines by November 2026, and requiring guidelines to address probation/parole violations and incentives. It makes technical updates to existing statutes (63M-7-401.2, 63M-7-404.3, and 76-3-201) without appropriating new funds.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates Sentencing Commission to prioritize rehabilitation and risk reduction in guidelines, directly advancing criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole Sentencing

passed · Utah · Senate Mar 7, 2026

SB 94: Inmate Financial Literacy Amendments

SB 94 requires Utah's Department of Corrections to offer an optional financial literacy class to all inmates. The class must teach strategies for saving and managing money earned through employment, including income earned while incarcerated. This applies directly to every inmate in Utah state correctional facilities. The bill amends existing law (Utah Code 64-13-48) to add this specific requirement, building on current educational program mandates without additional funding.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates financial literacy education for inmates to improve post-release financial management, directly supporting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism through correctional programming.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · Utah · Senate Mar 7, 2026

SB 182: Attorney Admission to Jail Facilities Amendments

SB 182 requires Utah county sheriffs to permit licensed attorneys to enter jails for client meetings under specific conditions. Attorneys must be licensed in good standing and inform the sheriff of their intent to meet a prisoner who is their current/former client, prospective client, or someone relevant to a criminal case. Sheriffs must provide a private meeting space during standard hours (8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, excluding holidays), though special circumstances may allow exceptions. The bill also allows sheriffs to designate staff to handle these requests and mandates public posting of designee contact details. This directly affects attorneys seeking jail access and sheriffs managing facility entry protocols.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnsures attorney-client access in jails, protecting defendant rights and facilitating fair criminal proceedings per bill's requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement

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passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 49: Law Enforcement Salary Amendments

HB 49 requires the salary ranges and pay progression for law enforcement officers in Utah's Division of Natural Resources (DNR) to match those of peace officers in the Department of Public Safety, with similar experience and qualifications. This directly affects DNR law enforcement officers, ensuring their compensation aligns with comparable state law enforcement roles. The bill includes an exception allowing DNR leadership (majors and division directors) to have lower salary ranges than other division directors within the department. It makes technical updates to Utah Code Section 63A-17-110 and takes effect on May 6, 2026, with no new funding required.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAligns law enforcement salaries with comparable roles, supporting officer retention and effectiveness within the criminal justice system.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAligns DNR law enforcement salaries with comparable peace officers, ensuring fair compensation for state workers in this role per bill's explicit wage-matching requirement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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