Legislation

This bill would have eliminated Utah’s driving privilege card program, which allows Utah residents who are not eligible for a REAL ID document or are unable to establish lawful presence to obtain a driver’s license. This program promotes public safety by allowing all drivers to be screened for driving ability and to obtain auto insurance, protecting everyone on Utah roads. The bill would have also required local law enforcement to notify ICE of car accidents involving a driver without lawful immigration status, further intertwining local law enforcement duties with federal immigration enforcement.  

SB134 increases the number of justices on the Utah Supreme Court from five to seven, and the number of judges on the Court of Appeals from seven to nine. While a seemingly neutral change, the context and timing raise concerns that the catalyst is political rather than purely administrative, given the Court’s recent rulings against the Legislature in hot-topic cases on redistricting and gerrymandering, abortion, and public unions.  

This bill further changes the composition of the Utah Sentencing Commission in favor of carceral interests. Originally, the bill would have eliminated seats for criminal defense attorneys and added additional seats for prosecutors and Utah Sheriffs Association representatives.  

HB294 would have changed the law regarding which private employers are required to use the federal E-Verify system to verify employees’ immigration status. Current law requires this of all private employers with over 150 employees, but HB294 would have lowered that threshold to 50 employees. The bill also created criminal penalties for using fraudulent identification to obtain employment.  

The original version of HB392 would have created an entirely new court, called the “Constitutional Court,” to hear cases challenging the constitutionality of state laws. The judges on the court were to be chosen by a commission selected by the Governor and then approved by the Legislature.  

HB495 modifies competency proceedings in capital felony cases, removing important protections for individuals with intellectual disabilities by: requiring initial IQ tests and penalizing defendants who object to them, changing the criteria and process for automatic review of death sentences, creating expedited review timelines, and creating barriers for appeal and ineffective assistance of counsel challenges.    

HB479 was another attempt to gradually end Utah’s overwhelmingly popular vote-by-mail system. It revived many of the unpopular elements stripped out of HB300, the bill amending voting laws passed in 2025. HB479 would have required a voter to opt in every 8 years to return their ballot by mail, otherwise requiring them to return their mail ballot in person with a valid ID to either a polling location or a drop box staffed by two poll workers. This would have essentially required in-person voting for many Utahns.

HB571 was a sweeping anti-immigrant bill. It would have imposed broad restrictions on non-citizens, limiting their ability to bank, work, and live freely in Utah. The bill would have prohibited banks from opening accounts or issuing loans to anyone using a foreign ID.  

HB517 would have made it harder for guardians, students, educators, and authors to sue to protect their First Amendment rights, as it attempted to extend government immunity to state and local officials (including school districts), prohibit class actions, and allow school districts to require guardians to sign arbitration agreements.