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HB 138UTAHSession 2026State Billdead

Did Not Advance

Utah Bill Expands Child Abuse Homicide to Include Direct Suicides Resulting from Abuse

Original title: Child Abuse Homicide Amendments

Last action · March 6, 2026: House/ filedSponsors: Lisa Shepherd 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 Proposed

Official description

This bill addresses the offense of child abuse homicide.

Why it matters

Criminal prosecutors gain the legal authority to charge individuals with child abuse homicide when a victim under 18 commits suicide caused by prior abuse or torture, carrying first or second-degree felony penalties.

Background

Child abuse homicide statutes in Utah govern criminal liability when a minor dies as a result of abuse or torture. context

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.

Directly affected

Individuals subject to criminal child abuse charges

Criminal defendants face potential child abuse homicide charges if a victim under 18 commits suicide as a direct result of abuse or torture.

Directly affected

Minors under 18

Victims of child abuse or torture who die by suicide are explicitly included under the scope of the homicide statute.

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 does H.B. 138 change regarding child abuse homicide?

It clarifies that the criminal offense applies when a victim under 18 dies by suicide that is a direct or of child abuse or child torture.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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

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Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the House · on the Senate floor.

Procedural history

36 actions

Mar 6, 2026House
House/ filed
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ received from Senate
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ to House
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ strike enacting clause
Mar 4, 2026Senate
Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
Mar 4, 2026Senate
Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar

Show 30 earlier actions

Mar 4, 2026Senate
Senate/ committee report favorable
Mar 4, 2026Senate
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Feb 26, 2026SenateCommittee
Senate/ to standing committee
Feb 23, 2026SenateIntroduced
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
Feb 23, 2026Senate
Senate/ received from House
Feb 23, 2026House
House/ to Senate
Feb 23, 2026HouseFloor
House/ passed 3rd reading
Feb 23, 2026House
House/ 3rd reading
Feb 17, 2026House
House/ 2nd reading
Feb 17, 2026House
House/ committee report favorable
Feb 13, 2026House
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Feb 10, 2026HouseCommittee
House/ to standing committee
Feb 10, 2026House Rules Committee
Bill Substituted by Sponsor in House Rules Comm
Jan 23, 2026Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0138S02
Jan 23, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0138S02
Jan 22, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0138S02
Jan 22, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0138S02
Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroduced
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
Jan 15, 2026Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0138S01
Jan 15, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0138S01
Jan 14, 2026House
House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
Jan 14, 2026House
House/ received bill from Legislative Research
Jan 14, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0138S01
Jan 14, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0138S01
Jan 8, 2026Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0138
Jan 8, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0138
Jan 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0138
Jan 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0138
Jan 5, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
Jan 5, 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.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

cross reference100% confidence

Coordination with S.B. 32

The bill contains an explicit coordination clause to merge statutory amendments with S.B. 32 (Child Abuse Homicide Corrections) if both enact into law.

S.B. 32

Connected Entities

Lisa Shepherd, Daniel McCay

PersonLisa Shepherd“Chief Sponsor of H.B. 138 in the Utah House”Map →

PersonDaniel McCay“Senate Sponsor of H.B. 138”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance20
Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz25
Current news / social attention level

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