MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE STANDING COMMITTEE
Friday, January 23, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. • 30 House Building


Members Present:
Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox, Chair
Rep. Mark A. Strong, Vice Chair
Rep. Melissa G. Ballard
Rep. Matthew H. Gwynn
Rep. Katy Hall
Rep. Sandra Hollins
Rep. Trevor Lee
Rep. Val L. Peterson
Rep. Lisa Shepherd
Rep. Andrew Stoddard
Rep. Stephen L. Whyte

Staff Present:
Taylor Calabrese, Policy Analyst
Lacey Johnson, Policy Analyst
An Bradshaw, Committee Secretary

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
Chair Wilcox called the meeting to order 2:07 p.m.
MOTION:Rep. Gwynn moved to approve the minutes for the March 4, 2025 meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-4.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 4
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. K. Hall
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. V. Peterson
Vice Chair Strong assumed the chair.
1.H.B. 24 Criminal Penalty Amendments(Wilcox, R.)
Rep. Wilcox presented the bill with the assistance of Daniel Strong, Director, Sentencing Commission.
Ryan Robinson, Statewide Association of Prosecutors (SWAP), spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Whyte moved to replace HB0024 with HB0024S01.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-2.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 2
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
Rep. K. Hall
Rep. V. Peterson
MOTION:Rep. Whyte moved to amend HB0024S01 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-2.
Amendment 1

1 .        Line 92 through 106 :  Line 92 through 106
92939899104105106

2 .        Line 107 through 119 :  Line 107 through 119
107108109110111112113114113114115116117118119

3 .        Line 185 through 197 :  Line 185 through 197
185186187188189190191192191192193194195196197

4 .        Line 334 through 337 :  Line 334 through 337
334335336337
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 2
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
Rep. K. Hall
Rep. V. Peterson
MOTION:Rep. Whyte moved to pass HB0024S01 out favorably as amended.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-2.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 2
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
Rep. K. Hall
Rep. V. Peterson
2.H.B. 116 Criminal Fines Amendments(Wilcox, R.)
Rep. Wilcox presented the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Hollins moved to pass HB0116 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-1.
Yeas - 10Nays- 0Abs- 1
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
Rep. K. Hall
3.H.B. 80 Firearm Storage Requirements(Stoddard, A.)
HB0080 Committee Handout
Chair Wilcox resumed the chair.
Rep. Stoddard presented the bill.
Steve Williams, Central 9th Youth Coalition, spoke in support of the bill.
Brett Robinson, Chief Policy Advisor, Salt Lake County Attorney's Office, spoke in support of the bill.
Ivy Manno, Students Demand Action, spoke in support of the bill.
Linda Smith, Utah League of Women Voters, spoke in support of the bill.
Hillary Hughes, emergency room pediatrician, spoke in support of the bill.
Clark Aposhian, Utah Shooting Sports Council, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Katherine Stokes, nurse, spoke in support of the bill.
Sierra Nelson, Sportsman Caucus Regional Advisory Council, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Raelle Cunningham, Women for Gun Rights, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Hollins moved to pass HB0080 out favorably.
The motionfailed with a vote 2-9-0.
Yeas - 2Nays- 9Abs- 0
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. K. Hall
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
4.H.B. 103 Underage Marriage Amendments(Ballard, M.G.)
HB0103 Policy Brief
Rep. Ballard presented the bill with the assistance of Tanner Jensen, Chief Investigator, Department of Public Safety (DPS), who expressed DPS's support.
Stewart Young, Criminal Deputy Attorney, Attorney General's Office, spoke in support of the bill.
Carl Hollan, SWAP, spoke in support of the bill.
Dan Strong, Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ), spoke in support of the bill.
Lisa Midgley, resident, spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Shepherd moved to pass HB0103 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-3.
Yeas - 8Nays- 0Abs- 3
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. K. Hall
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. A. Stoddard
5.H.B. 113 Emergency Reporting Abuse Amendments(Monson, L.)
Rep. Logan Monson presented the bill.
Dan Strong, CCJJ, spoke in support of the bill.
Mark Moffit, Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, spoke in support of the bill.
Ryan Robinson, SWAP, spoke in support of the bill.
Ben Armstrong, Rural EMS Directors Association, spoke in support of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Gwynn moved to replace HB0113 with HB0113S01.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-0.
Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 0
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. K. Hall
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
MOTION:Rep. Gwynn moved to pass HB0113S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-0.
Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 0
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. K. Hall
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
6.H.B. 79 Governmental Immunity Amendments(Gwynn, M.)
Rep. Gwynn presented the bill.
Terry Rooney, attorney, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Jack Tidrow, Professional Firefighters of Utah, spoke in support of the bill.
Jared Tingey, League of Cities and Towns, spoke in support of the bill.
Brad Bishop, Chief, Payson City Police Department and representing the Utah Chiefs of Police Association, spoke in support of the bill.
Ben Armstrong spoke in support of the bill.
Clint Smith, Chief, Draper City Fire Department and representing the State Fire Chiefs Association, spoke in support of the bill.
Karen North, Utah Association for Justice, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Shepherd moved to replace HB0079 with HB0079S01.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-0.
Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 0
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. K. Hall
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
MOTION:Rep. Shepherd moved to pass HB0079S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-0.
Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 0
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. K. Hall
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
MOTION:Rep. Lee moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-0.
Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 0
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. M. Gwynn
Rep. K. Hall
Rep. S. Hollins
Rep. T. Lee
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. L. Shepherd
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Strong
Rep. S. Whyte
Rep. R. Wilcox
Chair Wilcox adjourned the meeting at 4:12 p.m.
NOTE: H.B. 0226 was not discussed in the meeting.