This bill provides supplemental funding for Utah state government operations during fiscal year 2026, totaling approximately $483.7 million across operating budgets, business-like activities, and transfers. It directly affects state agencies including the Governor's Office, Attorney General's office, Department of Corrections, and higher education institutions by allocating specific funds for their continued operations and projects. The legislation authorizes employment levels for internal service funds and includes provisions allowing certain funds to carry over to the next fiscal year for designated purposes like inmate housing, equipment purchases, and legal services. All appropriations are detailed by specific agency, fund source, and intended use, with restrictions on how nonlapsing funds may be spent.
HB 3 adjusts state government budgets for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 by increasing or decreasing funding for various agencies, education programs, and higher education institutions. The bill provides specific budget changes for criminal justice agencies, including the Governor's Office, Board of Pardons and Parole, Judicial Council, and Department of Public Safety, with some funds designated for technology upgrades and program implementation. It also allocates money to support bills passed in the 2026 General Session and includes intent language regarding fund usage. The legislation appropriates hundreds of millions of dollars across operating budgets, expendable funds, and business-like activities from multiple funding sources including the General Fund, Income Tax Fund, and various restricted accounts.
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.
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.
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.
HB 110 modifies Utah's Board of Pardons and Parole procedures to clarify how the board handles parole and pardon decisions. It requires the board to notify law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and victims about hearings; prohibits considering prison capacity or bed availability when deciding parole; and mandates offenders complete required treatment programs before parole. The bill also sets specific time limits for sex offenders seeking pardons (10 years for 10-year registrations, 20 years for lifetime registrations) and bars re-paroling offenders charged with violent felonies during prior parole. Additionally, it restricts offenders from reproducing victim statements while requiring them to view such statements in designated locations.
HB 122 requires Utah correctional facilities to report the number of pregnant inmates and inmates who are parents of minor children. It extends postpartum recovery care to 12 weeks, prohibits restraints during this period without specific security justification, and increases social worker access from six to 12 weeks to help inmates arrange childcare, plan family reunification, and access substance abuse treatment if needed. The bill also clarifies that facilities must provide postpartum medical care for 12 weeks after childbirth. These changes directly affect pregnant and postpartum incarcerated individuals in Utah state prisons and county jails.
HB 102, the Victim Privacy Amendments, protects crime victims' identities in Utah's public criminal justice records. It allows victims to request using initials instead of their full name in documents like court filings under certain circumstances. The bill also creates a searchable database of victim names (accessible only via court order) and classifies this database as a protected record under Utah's Government Records Access Act. These changes directly affect individuals involved in criminal cases who seek to limit public disclosure of their personal information.
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.
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.
