POLISCOPE
Back to bills
Part ofCrimes →

The civic record

Read. Follow. Verify.
HB 289UTAHSession 2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Utah establishes criminal penalties for AI-generated child sexual abuse material and creates related registry requirements

Original title: Child Sexual Abuse Material Amendments

Last action · March 24, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Ariel Defay and 1 other

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

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

What This Bill Does

This law establishes new criminal offenses for possessing, distributing, or producing artificial intelligence-generated and obscene child sexual abuse material, setting penalties ranging from second-degree felonies to first-degree felonies. The measure updates background check requirements, expands sex offender registry lengths, and mandates internet safety filtering for public libraries receiving state funds.

Why it matters

The legislation alters criminal liability for individuals, computer technicians, and entities handling digital content, while introducing strict background check bars and registry obligations that affect employment and adoption eligibility across the state.

Background
  • Utah's criminal code establishes various felony tiers and regulatory background check processes overseen by state agencies and the Bureau of Criminal Identification. 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.

Directly affected

Public libraries

Public libraries must install and enforce internet filtering technology blocking child sexual abuse and obscene materials to maintain eligibility for state funds.

Directly affected

Computer technicians

Computer technicians must immediately report apparent child sexual abuse material encountered during employment to law enforcement or designated authorities or face criminal misdemeanor penalties.

Directly affected

Background check applicants

Applicants seeking direct access to children or vulnerable adults face background check denials if convicted of newly defined offenses involving apparent child sexual abuse material.

Directly affected

Law enforcement agencies

Law enforcement agencies receive reporting duties, evidence custody responsibilities, and authority to investigate new offenses related to apparent child sexual abuse material.

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 is 'apparent child sexual abuse material' under this law?
It is defined as a visual depiction generated or created through artificial intelligence or other means showing a minor with prepubescent features or appearing under 12 years old, where the depiction is sufficiently similar to a real minor to lead a reasonable person to conclude it depicts a real minor.
What are the criminal penalties for possessing AI-generated child abuse material?
Intentionally or knowingly possessing, viewing, or maintaining access to is classified as a second-degree felony.
Are computer technicians legally required to report prohibited images if they encounter them at work?
Yes. A computer technician who views material in the course of employment that is or appears to be child sexual abuse material commits a class B misdemeanor if they willfully fail to immediately report it to law enforcement, the Cyber Tip Line, or a designated employer representative.
How does this law affect public library funding?
State funds may not be provided to any public library that provides public internet access unless the library maintains and enforces internet safety policies and filtering technology blocking child sexual abuse material, apparent material, and obscene content.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

40 actions
  1. Mar 24, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolled
    Governor Signed
  2. Mar 16, 2026House
    House/ to Governor
  3. Mar 16, 2026House
    House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
  4. Mar 12, 2026House
    House/ enrolled bill to Printing
  5. Mar 12, 2026Clerk of the House
    Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
  6. Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 34 earlier actions
  1. Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Bill Received from House for Enrolling
  2. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
  3. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ received from Senate
  4. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to House
  5. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
  6. Mar 6, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  7. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  8. Mar 5, 2026Senate
    Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
  9. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
  10. Mar 2, 2026Senate
    Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
  11. Mar 2, 2026Senate
    Senate/ committee report favorable
  12. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  13. Feb 25, 2026SenateCommittee
    Senate/ to standing committee
  14. Feb 18, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  15. Feb 17, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received from House
  16. Feb 17, 2026House
    House/ to Senate
  17. Feb 17, 2026HouseFloor
    House/ passed 3rd reading
  18. Feb 17, 2026House
    House/ 3rd reading
  19. Feb 6, 2026House
    House/ 2nd reading
  20. Feb 6, 2026House
    House/ comm rpt/ amended
  21. Feb 5, 2026House
    House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  22. Feb 5, 2026House
    House Comm - Amendment Recommendation
  23. Feb 4, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0289
  24. Feb 4, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0289
  25. Jan 28, 2026HouseCommittee
    House/ to standing committee
  26. Jan 23, 2026House
    House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
  27. Jan 23, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0289
  28. Jan 21, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0289
  29. Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroduced
    House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  30. Jan 20, 2026House
    House/ received bill from Legislative Research
  31. Jan 19, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0289
  32. Jan 19, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0289
  33. Jan 19, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
  34. Jan 19, 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

Ariel DefayHouse · District 15RepublicanPrimary 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

Expansion of Criminal Code to Include AI-Generated Content

The legislation formally distinguishes artificially generated abusive material by establishing standalone felony offenses for apparent child sexual abuse material.

UtahDepartment of Health and Human Services

Connected Entities

Children's Justice Center, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Calvin R. Musselman and 4 more
OrganizationChildren's Justice Center“Facility or program involved in child welfare and interviews”Map →
OrganizationFederal Bureau of Investigation“Next Generation Identification System used for fingerprint retention and monitor”Map →
PersonCalvin R. Musselman“Senate Sponsor of HB 289”Map →
PersonAriel Defay“Chief Sponsor of HB 289”Map →
locationUtah“State jurisdiction enacting the legislation”Map →
OrganizationNational Center for Missing and Exploited Children“Cyber Tip Line recipient for computer technicians reporting illegal images”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Health and Human Services“State agency tasked with background checks and handling of prohibited materials”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy25
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz40
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record