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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah regulates access to nonpublic victim and witness electronic data in criminal cases and requires secure handling policies
Last action · March 23, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Heidi Balderree and 1 other
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What This Bill Does
Utah enacts rules governing how defendants and defense attorneys access nonpublic electronic data and information belonging to victims or witnesses during criminal investigations, prohibiting s from directly accessing such data and requiring the appointment of limited counsel.
Changes the legal procedures and technological methods by which defense counsel review private victim or witness data, establishing strict controls on duplication and mandating the use of secure s or facility viewings.
- Criminal discovery rules in Utah govern what evidence prosecutors must share with defendants preparing for trial. context
- The Utah Legislature passed SB 290 during the 2026 General Session. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
victims
Their nonpublic electronic data and intimate images receive enhanced privacy protections, restrictions on duplication, and controlled handling by agencies and courts.
witnesses
Their nonpublic electronic data and privacy interests are subjected to strict segregation requirements and controlled viewing procedures during criminal proceedings.
criminal defendants
Their access to nonpublic victim or witness data is regulated through specific agency channels, protective orders, virtual rooms, or court motions showing good cause.
pro se defendants
They are barred from directly accessing or searching nonpublic victim or witness data and must rely on court-appointed limited counsel for that purpose.
law enforcement agencies
They are required to segregate electronic evidence from nonpublic data, work toward implementing virtual rooms, and establish policies for maintaining data in controlled environments.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a defendant representing themselves view nonpublic victim or witness data directly?
How can a defense attorney review nonpublic victim or witness data under the new law?
What happens if a pro se defendant needs to search nonpublic data for electronic evidence?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
55 actions- Mar 23, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 13, 2026SenateSenate/ to Governor
- Mar 13, 2026SenateSenate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- Mar 11, 2026SenateSenate/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11, 2026Senate SecretaryEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 49 earlier actions
- Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingBill Received from Senate for Enrolling
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
- Mar 6, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Mar 5, 2026HouseHouse/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
- Mar 4, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd Reading Calendar to Rules
- Mar 4, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Mar 4, 2026HouseHouse/ committee report favorable
- Mar 4, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Mar 3, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Mar 3, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 3, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Mar 3, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
- Mar 3, 2026SenateSenate/ substituted
- Mar 3, 2026SenateSenate/ uncircled
- Mar 3, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0290S03
- Mar 3, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0290S03
- Mar 2, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0290S03
- Mar 2, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0290S03
- Mar 2, 2026SenateSenate/ circled
- Mar 2, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ comm rpt/ substituted
- Feb 24, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 24, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Substitute Recommendation
- Feb 24, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0290S02
- Feb 24, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0290S02
- Feb 23, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0290S01
- Feb 23, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0290S01
- Feb 23, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0290S02
- Feb 23, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0290S02
- Feb 20, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0290S01
- Feb 20, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0290S01
- Feb 20, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Not Considered
- Feb 18, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Not Considered
- Feb 17, 2026SenateSenate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Feb 17, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0290
- Feb 17, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0290
- Feb 17, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Feb 12, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 12, 2026SenateSenate/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Feb 12, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0290
- Feb 12, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0290
- Feb 12, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Feb 12, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselBill Numbered but not Distributed
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Establishment of Controlled Digital Access for Defense Counsel
The statute creates a formal framework separating standard electronic evidence discovery from sensitive nonpublic victim data, introducing virtual viewing rooms and court-appointed counsel for pro se defendants.
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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