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HB 221UTAHSession 2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Utah Establishes New Offenses and Mandatory Fines for Aiding Suicide and Aggravated Sexual Extortion

Original title: Coercion Amendments

Last action · March 24, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Ryan Wilcox and 1 other

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Does

Utah enacts HB 221 to create specific criminal offenses for ing or encouraging suicide and separates into distinct basic and aggravated charges with mandatory minimum fines. Effective May 6, 2026, the legislation modifies criminal penalties, updates sex offender registry requirements, and establishes training mandates for educational and law enforcement entities.

Why it matters

Changes criminal statutes and sentencing requirements by imposing mandatory minimum fines of up to $20,000 for specific felony convictions and altering registry durations for certain offenders.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Individuals convicted of sexual extortion or aiding suicide

Individuals face new standalone felony classifications, mandatory minimum fines, and expanded registry and domestic violence designations upon conviction.

Directly affected

Local education agencies and school personnel

Schools and personnel must comply with mandatory training and instruction requirements regarding child sexual abuse, human trafficking, and sexual extortion every three years.

Directly affected

Law enforcement agencies

Law enforcement agencies are required to submit open investigation information for cold cases and adhere to updated statutory investigation procedures.

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

What are the penalties for aiding or encouraging suicide under the new law?
ing or encouraging suicide is classified as a second degree felony with a mandatory fine of not less than $10,000 that the court may not waive or suspend.
Are sexual extortion offenses now considered domestic violence?
Yes, the bill adds and aggravated sexual extortion to the list of offenses eligible to be considered a domestic violence offense when committed by one cohabitant against another.
What training requirements are placed on local education agencies?
Local education agencies must provide training and instruction on child sexual abuse, human trafficking prevention, and appropriate responses to every three years to school personnel and elementary school parents.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

47 actions
  1. Mar 24, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolled
    Governor Signed
  2. Mar 12, 2026House
    House/ to Governor
  3. Mar 12, 2026House
    House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
  4. Mar 11, 2026House
    House/ enrolled bill to Printing
  5. Mar 11, 2026Clerk of the House
    Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
  6. Mar 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 41 earlier actions
  1. Mar 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Bill Received from House for Enrolling
  2. Mar 4, 2026House
    House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
  3. Mar 4, 2026House
    House/ received from Senate
  4. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to House
  5. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
  6. Mar 4, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate/ passed 3rd reading
  7. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 3rd reading
  8. Mar 3, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate/ passed 2nd reading
  9. Mar 3, 2026Senate
    Senate/ uncircled
  10. Mar 2, 2026Senate
    Senate/ circled
  11. Mar 2, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd reading
  12. Feb 25, 2026Senate
    Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
  13. Feb 25, 2026Senate
    Senate/ committee report favorable
  14. Feb 24, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  15. Feb 23, 2026SenateCommittee
    Senate/ to standing committee
  16. Feb 20, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  17. Feb 19, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received from House
  18. Feb 19, 2026House
    House/ to Senate
  19. Feb 19, 2026HouseFloor
    House/ passed 3rd reading
  20. Feb 19, 2026House
    House/ 3rd reading
  21. Feb 12, 2026House
    House/ 2nd reading
  22. Feb 12, 2026House
    House/ comm rpt/ amended
  23. Feb 11, 2026House
    House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  24. Feb 11, 2026House
    House Comm - Amendment Recommendation
  25. Feb 11, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0221S02
  26. Feb 9, 2026HouseCommittee
    House/ to standing committee
  27. Feb 9, 2026House Rules Committee
    Bill Substituted by Sponsor in House Rules Comm
  28. Feb 5, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0221S02
  29. Feb 3, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0221S02
  30. Feb 3, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0221S02
  31. Jan 30, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0221S01
  32. Jan 28, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0221S01
  33. Jan 23, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0221S01
  34. Jan 23, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0221S01
  35. Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroduced
    House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  36. Jan 17, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0221
  37. Jan 14, 2026House
    House/ received bill from Legislative Research
  38. Jan 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0221
  39. Jan 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0221
  40. Jan 9, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
  41. Jan 9, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Bill 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

Ryan WilcoxHouse · District 7RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Cal MusselmanSenate · District 4RepublicanCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift99% confidence

Restructuring of Suicide Assistance and Extortion Laws

The legislation moves aiding suicide provisions out of manslaughter and establishes it alongside aggravated sexual extortion as distinct offenses carrying mandatory fines.

Ryan D. WilcoxCalvin R. Musselman

Connected Entities

Calvin R. Musselman, Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, Ryan D. Wilcox and 1 more
PersonCalvin R. Musselman“Senate Sponsor of HB 221”Map →
OrganizationCommission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice“Receives annual reports from prosecutorial agencies regarding court orders”Map →
PersonRyan D. Wilcox“Chief Sponsor of HB 221”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Health and Human Services“Partnered with the state board to approve age-appropriate instructional material”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy30
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz40
    Current news / social attention level

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