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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah requires the Administrative Office of the Courts to livestream and record public court proceedings
Last action · March 6, 2026: House/ filedSponsors: Mike Kohler and 1 other
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What This Bill Proposed
Utah HB 397 requires the Administrative Office of the Courts to provide free public s and archived audiovisual recordings of open court proceedings starting May 6, 2026. The legislation exempts justice and juvenile courts, and allows judges to restrict or terminate broadcasts under specific circumstances such as privacy or fairness risks.
Members of the public gain remote access to observe district and appellate court proceedings online, while courts must implement safeguards to protect jurors, minors, confidential communications, and trial fairness.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Administrative Office of the Courts
Must implement technology and staff workflows to livestream, record, censor, and archive eligible court proceedings.
General public
Gains free remote access to watch live and recorded public court proceedings online.
Jurors and prospective jurors
Receive protection from audio or visual transmission during court proceedings.
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
Which courts are required to provide livestreams under this bill?
Can a judge stop a livestream while a court proceeding is happening?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · introduced in the House.
Procedural history
15 actions- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ filed
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ strike enacting clause
- Feb 17, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0397S01
- Feb 11, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0397S01
- Feb 6, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0397S01
- Feb 6, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0397S01
Show 9 earlier actions
- Jan 30, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 30, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0397
- Jan 30, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0397
- Jan 28, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 28, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0397
- Jan 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0397
- Jan 27, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 27, 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
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy35Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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