MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. • 110 Senate Building


Members Present:
Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, Chair
Rep. Tyler Clancy, Vice Chair
Rep. Nelson T. Abbott
Rep. Cheryl K. Acton
Rep. Tiara Auxier
Rep. Stephanie Gricius
Rep. Jon Hawkins
Rep. Anthony E. Loubet
Rep. Verona Mauga
Rep. Grant Amjad Miller
Rep. Jason E. Thompson

Staff Present:
Jonathan Adams, 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 Lisonbee called the meeting to order at 2:10 PM.
1.H.B. 274 Sentencing Commission Amendments(Schultz, M.)
Speaker Mike Shultz presented the bill.
Chad Jensen, Sheriff, Utah Sheriff's Association, spoke in favor of the bill.
Richard Mauro, Director, Salt Lake Legal Defender Association, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Mark Moffat, attorney, Utah Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Deondra Brown, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
Lacey Singleton, criminal defense attorney, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Brett Robinson, Chief Policy Advisor, Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office, spoke to the bill.
Nathan Evershed, defense attorney, spoke to the bill.
Carl Hollan, Executive Director, Statewide Association of Prosecutors and Public Attorneys, spoke in favor of the bill.
Seth Stewart, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Rachelle Morris, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
David Ferguson, Director, Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Tom Ross, Executive Director, Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, spoke to the bill.
Pamela Vickrey, Director, Utah Juvenile Defender Attorneys, spoke to the bill.
Steve Burton, Director, Defense Attorney Association, spoke in opposition of the bill.
Kristy Pike, Director, Washington County Children's Justice Center, spoke to the bill.
Wayne Aston, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
Hillary White, attorney, Utah Crime Victims Legal Clinic, spoke to the bill.
Pamela Juliano, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Clancy moved to replace HB0274 with HB0274S01.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-0.
Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 0
Rep. N. Abbott
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. T. Auxier
Rep. T. Clancy
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. J. Hawkins
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Rep. A. Loubet
Rep. V. Mauga
Rep. G. Miller
Rep. J. Thompson
MOTION:Rep. Clancy moved to pass HB0274S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 9-2-0.
Yeas - 9Nays- 2Abs- 0
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. T. Auxier
Rep. T. Clancy
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. J. Hawkins
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Rep. A. Loubet
Rep. V. Mauga
Rep. J. Thompson
Rep. N. Abbott
Rep. G. Miller
2.H.B. 181 Uniform Estate Planning Amendments(Abbott, N.)
Rep. Abbott presented the bill.
Danny Fein, estate planning attorney, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Auxier moved to pass HB0181 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-5.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 5
Rep. N. Abbott
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. T. Auxier
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Rep. A. Loubet
Rep. T. Clancy
Rep. J. Hawkins
Rep. V. Mauga
Rep. G. Miller
Rep. J. Thompson
3.H.B. 260 Unauthorized Practice of Law Amendments(Loubet, A.)
Rep. Loubet and Maribeth LeHoux, attorney, Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, Utah State Bar, presented the bill.
Seth Stewart, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Craig Peterson, Director, Utah Attorney General's Office, spoke in favor of the bill.
Kara North, Utah Association for Justice, spoke in favor of the bill.
Nancy Sylvester, former general counsel, Utah State Bar, spoke in favor of the bill
Brady Whitehead, former paralegal, Utah State Bar, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Hawkins moved to replace HB0260 with HB0260S01.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-4.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 4
Rep. N. Abbott
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. T. Auxier
Rep. T. Clancy
Rep. J. Hawkins
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Rep. A. Loubet
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. V. Mauga
Rep. G. Miller
Rep. J. Thompson
MOTION:Rep. Hawkins moved to pass HB0260S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-4.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 4
Rep. N. Abbott
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. T. Auxier
Rep. T. Clancy
Rep. J. Hawkins
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Rep. A. Loubet
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. V. Mauga
Rep. G. Miller
Rep. J. Thompson
4.H.B. 139 Female Genital Mutilation Amendments(Ballard, M.G.)
Rep. Melissa Ballard and Rep. Nicholeen Peck presented the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Acton moved to replace HB0139 with HB0139S01.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-5.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 5
Rep. N. Abbott
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. T. Auxier
Rep. T. Clancy
Rep. J. Hawkins
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. A. Loubet
Rep. V. Mauga
Rep. G. Miller
Rep. J. Thompson
MOTION:Rep. Acton moved to pass HB0139S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-5.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 5
Rep. N. Abbott
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. T. Auxier
Rep. T. Clancy
Rep. J. Hawkins
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. A. Loubet
Rep. V. Mauga
Rep. G. Miller
Rep. J. Thompson
MOTION:Rep. Acton moved to approve the minutes of the January 23, 2026 meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-5.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 5
Rep. N. Abbott
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. T. Auxier
Rep. T. Clancy
Rep. J. Hawkins
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. A. Loubet
Rep. V. Mauga
Rep. G. Miller
Rep. J. Thompson
MOTION:Rep. Acton moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-5.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 5
Rep. N. Abbott
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. T. Auxier
Rep. T. Clancy
Rep. J. Hawkins
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. A. Loubet
Rep. V. Mauga
Rep. G. Miller
Rep. J. Thompson
Chair Lisonbee adjourned the meeting at 4:03 PM.
NOTE: H.B. 0105, H.B. 0048 were not discussed in the meeting.