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 113 amends Utah's criminal code to strengthen penalties for falsely reporting emergencies to 911 or emergency services. It increases punishments for making false reports - ranging from misdemeanors for basic false calls to felonies if the report causes serious harm, death, or involves weapons of mass destruction. The bill also adds new penalties for repeated false reports about sex-designated changing rooms and requires offenders to reimburse costs for emergency responses they triggered. If passed, it would take effect on May 6, 2026, and coordinates with a related bill (S.B. 99) to align penalty structures.
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 536 amends Utah laws to protect public lands and cultural sites by increasing penalties for damaging them. It specifically targets graffiti on natural and archaeological features and alters penalties for harming antiquities. The bill creates a "Public Lands Restoration and Protection Fund" managed by the State Historic Preservation Office, requiring courts to direct restitution from offenders to this fund for violations like graffiti damage or antiquities destruction on state lands. Funds will be used for site restoration, public education about protection laws, and anti-vandalism efforts.
HB 572 updates Utah's behavioral and mental health systems to improve coordination and support. It requires standardized consent forms for disclosing mental health conditions to providers and law enforcement, mandates jail screening tool transparency, and shifts administration of the suicide prevention fund to a dedicated office. The bill creates a peer support specialist program, establishes a family outreach role for suicide/overdose cases, and amends involuntary commitment procedures. It appropriates $750,000 for implementation in fiscal year 2027, directly affecting justice-involved individuals, mental health providers, and families impacted by behavioral health crises.
HB 24 reduces penalties for several traffic violations in Utah. It changes school zone speeding (21-29 mph) from a class C misdemeanor to an infraction, and lowers careless driving penalties to an infraction. The bill also amends requirements for carrying proof of vehicle insurance (owner's or operator's security) when driving. These changes directly affect drivers convicted of these specific violations. The bill makes no new funding changes and focuses on adjusting penalty levels rather than creating new offenses.
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.
HB 48 updates Utah's definitions and reporting requirements for recidivism in both adult and juvenile justice systems. It broadens how "recidivism" is measured to include misdemeanor arrests involving force (not just prison returns) and defines juvenile recidivism for data reporting. The bill removes the ban on placing minors in adult correctional facilities as an alternative to detention and allows prosecutors to request changes to where minors tried as adults are housed. These changes affect the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, the Department of Corrections, and juvenile justice programs by requiring updated data collection methods and reporting standards.
