UtahUtah law sets commission priorities and guides sentencing decisions
Utah law sets the sentencing commission’s membership and priorities, requires a review of certain adult sentencing guidelines by November 1, 2026, and directs courts on factors to weigh.
What it does
The sentencing commission has 17 voting members, including criminal defense attorneys, prosecutors, and sheriff representatives from rural counties.
When recommending adult sentence or supervision lengths, the commission puts public safety first, then weighs rehabilitation, preventing harm, deterrence, punishment, and effects on victims.
The commission must review adult sentencing guidelines for certain serious and sexual offenses, and may include other offenses it considers appropriate.
Courts consider the offense, the person’s circumstances, public safety, rehabilitation, and victims’ interests when choosing sentences. For violent felonies and sexual offenses, some factors take priority over the defendant’s interests.
Argument forRural defense attorneys, prosecutors, and sheriff representatives could help the commission consider how sentencing guidelines affect rural counties.
Argument againstPutting public safety first could lead the commission to recommend longer sentences, even when rehabilitation might lower a person's risk of offending again.
More detail
The sentencing commission has 17 voting members, including criminal justice representatives and people serving rural counties. The members include three criminal defense attorneys, three prosecutors, two sheriff representatives, and one police chiefs’ representative. At least one defense attorney, prosecutor, and sheriff representative serves a rural county.
When recommending adult sentence or supervision lengths, the commission gives first priority to public safety and weighs other listed goals second. This applies when the commission recommends adult sentencing or supervision lengths under the guidelines. The other goals are rehabilitation, preventing future harm, deterrence, punishment, and the impact on victims.
The commission must review and revise adult sentencing and supervision guidelines, including their scoring factors, for specified offenses and any others it selects. The review covers adult sentencing and supervision guidelines, including their scoring factors. The listed offenses include certain serious felonies against adults and offenses involving sexual conduct, exploitation, harmful materials, or prostitution. The commission may also select other offenses. The commission must complete this review and revision before November 1, 2026.
A sentencing court considers listed information when choosing a sentence; for violent felonies and sexual offenses, it prioritizes certain factors over the defendant’s interests. These directions apply when a Utah court chooses a sentence for a person convicted of an offense. Factors include the offense and harm, the person's history and accountability, punishment, deterrence, public safety, rehabilitation, guidelines, any prepared presentence report, legally required aggravating factors, other aggravating or mitigating circumstances, and victims’ interests. For violent felonies and sexual offenses, the court gives priority to the seriousness and harm of the offense, just punishment, deterrence, and public protection over the defendant’s interests.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 24Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 11House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 11House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 10House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 10Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Feb 26Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Feb 26Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Feb 25House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Feb 25House/ received from SenateMinor
- Feb 24Senate/ to House
- Vote recorded House/ concurs with Senate amendment. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 24Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Feb 24Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Feb 24House/ to Senate
- Feb 24House/ concurs with Senate amendmentMajor
- Feb 23House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 23House/ received from SenateMinor
- Feb 23Senate/ to House with amendments
- Feb 23Senate/ passed 3rd readingPassed Senate
- Feb 23Senate/ placed back on 3rd Reading Calendar
- Feb 23LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0274S03
- Feb 19Senate/ placed on 3rd Reading Calendar table
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 19Senate/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 19Senate/ passed 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 19Senate/ substituted
- Feb 19Senate/ uncircled
- Feb 19LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0274S03
- Feb 18Senate/ circled
- Feb 18Senate/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 18LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0274S03
- Feb 18LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0274S03
- Feb 17LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0274S02
- Feb 17Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 17Senate/ comm rpt/ substituted [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]
- Feb 13LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0274S02
- Feb 12Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 12Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Major
- Feb 12LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0274S02
- Feb 12LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0274S02
- Feb 10Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 9Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Feb 6Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 6House/ to Senate
- Feb 6House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Feb 6House/ floor amendment
- Feb 6House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Jan 29LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0274S01
- Jan 29House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Jan 29House/ comm rpt/ substituted [House Judiciary Committee]
- Jan 29LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0274S01
- Jan 28House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Judiciary Committee]Minor
- Jan 28House Comm - Substitute Recommendation [House Judiciary Committee]Major
- Jan 28LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0274S01
- Jan 28LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0274S01
- Jan 27House/ to standing committee [House Judiciary Committee]Minor
- Jan 22House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Jan 21LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0274
- Jan 20House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 20House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 17LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0274
- Jan 16LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0274
- Jan 16LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0274
- Jan 16Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 16Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
Criminal Justice