Legislation

HB197 sought to expand on the prior sensitive materials law, HB29, passed in 2024. This bill would have required schools to use automated filters in screening databases and other online content and to immediately ban access to materials upon a “plausible” complaint.  

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.  

HB262 is another proposed bill to weaken the Judicial branch, this time by raising the threshold in judicial retention elections from a simple majority to 67%.  

HB256 would make elections for school boards into partisan elections. Currently, candidates for local school boards run asd nonpartisan, however this bill would require them to run with a party affiliation, undergo primary elections, and tie midterm vacandies to party affiliation and selection. This bill needlessly politicizes Utah's school boards.  

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.  

SB136 attempted to ban federal law enforcement, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other immigration enforcement officers, from wearing masks while performing their duties. The bill also included a provision prohibiting facilities operated by state or local governments from allowing federal immigration enforcement into non-public areas of sensitive locations, including libraries, healthcare facilities, courthouses, and more.  

HJR13 would add a potential constitutional amendment to the 2026 ballot that would give the Legislature the ability to call a special retention election for an individual judge that it deems "unfit or incompetent," engaged in improper conduct, or fails to make timely decisions in a case. This proposal further enpowers the Legislature while undermining the powers of the judicial branch and would give the Legislature undue influence over individual judges who may be hearing challenges to the very laws passed by the Legislature.  

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.