| 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. Lisa Shepherd | Rep. Andrew Stoddard Rep. Stephen L. Whyte Members Absent: Rep. Val L. Peterson Staff Present: Lacey Johnson, Policy Analyst An Bradshaw, Committee Secretary |
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Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
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| Chair Strong called the meeting to order at 4:29 p.m. |
| MOTION:Rep. Whyte moved to approve the minutes for the February 13, 2026 meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 8 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Rep. M. Ballard Rep. M. Gwynn Rep. K. Hall Rep. T. Lee Rep. L. Shepherd Rep. A. Stoddard Rep. M. Strong Rep. S. Whyte | Rep. S. Hollins Rep. V. Peterson Rep. R. Wilcox |
| 1.H.B. 346 Sexual Abuse of a Child Amendments(Cutler, P.) |
| Sen. Cutler presented the bill with the assistance of Carl Hollan, Statewide Association of Prosecutors and Public Attorneys. |
| Marlesse Jones, Director, Victim Services Commission, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Rachel Christensen Thomas, Davis County Independent American Party, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Jayden Laursen, resident, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Seth Stewart, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| MOTION:Rep. Hall moved to pass HB0346 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 8 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Rep. M. Ballard Rep. M. Gwynn Rep. K. Hall Rep. T. Lee Rep. L. Shepherd Rep. A. Stoddard Rep. M. Strong Rep. S. Whyte | Rep. S. Hollins Rep. V. Peterson Rep. R. Wilcox |
| MOTION:Rep. Stoddard moved to place HB0346 on the Consent Calendar.The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 8 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Rep. M. Ballard Rep. M. Gwynn Rep. K. Hall Rep. T. Lee Rep. L. Shepherd Rep. A. Stoddard Rep. M. Strong Rep. S. Whyte | Rep. S. Hollins Rep. V. Peterson Rep. R. Wilcox |
| 2.2nd Sub. H.B. 88 Public Assistance Amendments(Lee, T.) |
| H.B. 88 handout |
| H.B. 88 graphs |
| Rep. Lee presented the bill, and provided handouts. |
| Neil Rickard, Child Nutrition Advocate, Utahns Against Hunger, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Ronald Mortensen, resident, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Madaline Chilcutt, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Shannon Macinnes, resident, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Sarah Schear, Utah American Academy of Pediatricians, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Chad Saunders, resident, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Megan Neuf, Children's Health Policy Analyst, Voices for Utah Children, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Teena Horlacher, resident, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Patrick Fleming, Chair, Utah Behavioral Health Commission and speaking on behalf of the Domestic Violence Committee, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Merrill Kunz, resident, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Cooper Cordova, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| John Taylor, resident, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Lora Young, Reverend, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Jayden Laursen spoke in support of the bill. |
| Greydon Burgoyne, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Ron Naves, resident, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Herbert Ley, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Riley Beesley, Vice Chair, Utah Federation of College Republicans, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Emmie Gardner, CEO, Holy Cross Ministries, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Kelsey Hamilton, Turning Point Action, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Paul Dayton, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Jessica Miller, CIO, Community Action Services and Food Bank, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Joleen Groberg, Box Elder Community Pantry, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Yvette Romero Coronado, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Maryann Christensen, Executive Director, Utah Legislative Watch, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Marilyn Momeny, resident, spoke in support of the bill. |
| MOTION:Rep. Stoddard moved to hold HB0088S02.The motion failed with a vote of 3-7-1. | |||
| Yeas - 3 | Nays- 7 | Abs- 1 | |
| Rep. M. Ballard Rep. S. Hollins Rep. T. Lee | Rep. M. Gwynn Rep. K. Hall Rep. L. Shepherd Rep. A. Stoddard Rep. M. Strong Rep. S. Whyte Rep. R. Wilcox | Rep. V. Peterson |
| MOTION:Rep. Shepherd moved to replace HB0088S02 with HB0088S03. |
| SUBSTITUTE MOTION:Rep. Ballard moved to replace HB0088S02 with HB0088S05.The substitute motion passed with a vote of 10-0-1. | |||
| Yeas - 10 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 1 | |
| Rep. M. Ballard Rep. M. Gwynn Rep. K. Hall Rep. S. Hollins Rep. T. Lee Rep. L. Shepherd Rep. A. Stoddard Rep. M. Strong Rep. S. Whyte Rep. R. Wilcox | Rep. V. Peterson |
| MOTION:Rep. Shepherd moved to pass HB0088S05 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 7-3-1. | |||
| Yeas - 7 | Nays- 3 | Abs- 1 | |
| Rep. M. Gwynn Rep. K. Hall Rep. T. Lee Rep. L. Shepherd Rep. M. Strong Rep. S. Whyte Rep. R. Wilcox | Rep. M. Ballard Rep. S. Hollins Rep. A. Stoddard | Rep. V. Peterson |
| 3.1st Sub. H.B. 188 Juvenile Justice Amendments(Peck, N.) |
| HB188 Key Highlights |
| HB 188 Handout |
| Rep. Peck presented the bill with the assistance of David McKechnie, staff member, Tooele High School, and Carlos Jimenez, resident. |
| Chad Saunders spoke in support of the bill. |
| Rachel Christensen Thomas spoke in support of the bill. |
| Phyllis Kimpel, resident, spoke in support of the bill. |
| Liz Klc, Criminal Justice Policy Director, Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, spoke to the bill. |
| John Taylor spoke in support of the bill. |
| Susan Edwards, Public Engagement, Canyon School District, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
| Kiara Poyner, student, spoke in support of the bill. |
| MOTION:Rep. Wilcox moved to replace HB0188S01 with HB0188S03.The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 8 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Rep. M. Ballard Rep. M. Gwynn Rep. K. Hall Rep. T. Lee Rep. L. Shepherd Rep. A. Stoddard Rep. M. Strong Rep. R. Wilcox | Rep. S. Hollins Rep. V. Peterson Rep. S. Whyte |
| MOTION:Rep. Wilcox moved to pass HB0188S03 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 7-2-2. | |||
| Yeas - 7 | Nays- 2 | Abs- 2 | |
| Rep. M. Ballard Rep. M. Gwynn Rep. K. Hall Rep. T. Lee Rep. L. Shepherd Rep. M. Strong Rep. R. Wilcox | Rep. S. Hollins Rep. A. Stoddard | Rep. V. Peterson Rep. S. Whyte |
| MOTION:Rep. Wilcox moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 8-1-2. | |||
| Yeas - 8 | Nays- 1 | Abs- 2 | |
| Rep. M. Ballard Rep. M. Gwynn Rep. K. Hall Rep. S. Hollins Rep. T. Lee Rep. A. Stoddard Rep. M. Strong Rep. R. Wilcox | Rep. L. Shepherd | Rep. V. Peterson Rep. S. Whyte |
| Chair Strong adjourned the meeting at 6:38 p.m. |