MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE PUBLIC UTILITIES AND ENERGY STANDING COMMITTEE
Monday, January 26, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. • 110 Senate Building


Members Present:
Rep. Colin W. Jack, Chair
Rep. Thomas W. Peterson, Vice Chair
Rep. Carl R. Albrecht
Rep. Scott H. Chew
Rep. Rosalba Dominguez
Rep. Carol S. Moss
Rep. Nicholeen P. Peck
Rep. Troy Shelley
Rep. Rex P. Shipp
Rep. Christine F. Watkins

Members Absent:
Rep. Walt Brooks
Rep. Casey Snider

Staff Present:
Jonathan Adams, Policy Analyst
Samantha Merrell, Policy Analyst
Jennifer Kunzler, Committee Secretary

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.

Chair Jack called the meeting to order at 2:05 PM.
MOTION:Rep. Shelley moved to approve the minutes from the January 21, 2026 meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-6.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 6
Rep. R. Dominguez
Rep. C. Jack
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. T. Shelley
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. N. Peck
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. C. Snider
1.H.B. 83 Imitation Firearm Amendments(Fitisemanu, J.)
Rep. Fitisemanu presented the bill.
Raelle Cunningham, State Director, Women For Gun Rights, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Clark Aposhian, Chair, Utah Shooting Sports Council, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Kael Weston, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
Katherine Stokes, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Moss moved to pass HB0083 out favorably and withdrew the motion.
MOTION:Rep. Shipp moved to hold HB0083.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-3.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 3
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. R. Dominguez
Rep. C. Jack
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. N. Peck
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. T. Shelley
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. C. Snider
2.H.B. 101 Firearm Background Check Amendments(Maloy, A. Cory)
Rep. Maloy and Clark Aposhian, Chair, Utah Shooting Sports Council, presented the bill.
Clark Aposhian spoke in favor of the bill.
Raelle Cunningham, State Director, Women For Gun Rights, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Shipp moved to pass HB0101 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-3.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 3
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. R. Dominguez
Rep. C. Jack
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. N. Peck
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. T. Shelley
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. C. Snider
3.H.C.R. 4 Concurrent Resolution Regarding Religious Freedom(Petersen, M.)
Rep. Petersen presented the bill.
Kael Weston, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Shipp moved to pass HCR004 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 9-1-2.
Yeas - 9Nays- 1Abs- 2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. C. Jack
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. N. Peck
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. T. Shelley
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. R. Dominguez
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. C. Snider
4.H.B. 214 Firearms Liability Amendments(Teuscher, J.)
HB214 Firearms Liability Amendments Overview
Rep. Teuscher and Clark Aposhian, Chair, Utah Shooting Sports Council, presented the bill.
Raelle Cunningham, State Director, Women For Gun Rights, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Watkins moved to replace HB0214 with HB0214S01.The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-2.
Yeas - 10Nays- 0Abs- 2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. R. Dominguez
Rep. C. Jack
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. N. Peck
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. T. Shelley
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. C. Snider
MOTION:Rep. Peck moved to pass HB0214S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-2.
Yeas - 10Nays- 0Abs- 2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. R. Dominguez
Rep. C. Jack
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. N. Peck
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. T. Shelley
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. C. Snider
5.H.B. 238 Utah Energy Generation and Transmission Planning(Albrecht, C.)
Rep. Albrecht and Jerry Fenn, Chair, Public Service Commission, presented the bill.
Thom Carter, Vice President of Government Affairs, Rocky Mountain Power, spoke in favor of the bill.
Jeff Hartley, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Dominguez moved to pass HB0238 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-2.
Yeas - 10Nays- 0Abs- 2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. R. Dominguez
Rep. C. Jack
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. N. Peck
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. T. Shelley
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. C. Snider
MOTION:Rep. Peterson moved to adjourn the meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-2.
Yeas - 10Nays- 0Abs- 2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. R. Dominguez
Rep. C. Jack
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. N. Peck
Rep. T. Peterson
Rep. T. Shelley
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. W. Brooks
Rep. C. Snider
Chair Jack adjourned the meeting at 4:01 PM.