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 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 The bill also merges two existing reporting requirements for the Bureau of Criminal Identification and repeals one outdated section.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.
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 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.
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 89 prohibits law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts in Utah from requiring victims of sexual offenses to take polygraph exams during criminal investigations or prosecutions. The bill explicitly states that victims cannot be forced to undergo such exams, and their refusal cannot block an investigation or case from moving forward. It defines "polygraph examination" as any lie detector test measuring physiological responses to assess truthfulness. This law directly affects sexual offense victims in Utah by protecting them from potentially retraumatizing interrogation tactics during criminal proceedings. The policy change takes effect on May 6, 2026.
HB 94 allows Utah defendants who owe court costs or fees (but not restitution payments) to reduce those amounts by completing court-ordered treatment or compensatory service. The bill increases the credit rate for compensatory service from $10 to $12 per hour and requires defendants to prove financial hardship and provide documentation of completed service or treatment. It applies only to non-restitution fees, such as court costs or fines, and does not affect restitution payments. This change aims to provide flexibility for defendants facing financial hardship while maintaining accountability for non-restitution obligations.
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.
