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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah Mandates Independent Standards and Regular Inspections for State Correctional Facilities and County Jails
Last action · March 6, 2026: House/ filedSponsors: Ryan Wilcox and 1 other
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What This Bill Would Do
The bill requires every state correctional facility and county jail in Utah to operate under a system of and submit to regular independent inspections. County sheriffs and the Utah Department of Corrections are tasked with ensuring compliance within their respective facilities starting May 6, 2026.
Changes oversight requirements for all Utah state prisons and county jails by introducing mandatory independent standards and routine inspections, altering operational compliance for local law enforcement and state corrections administrators.
- The Utah Legislature meets annually in a general session to consider statutory amendments, state agency duties, and appropriations. context
- The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee recommended the bill prior to its introduction for the 2026 General Session. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
County Sheriffs
County sheriffs must ensure that every county jail under their jurisdiction operates under independently administered standards and submits to regular independent inspections.
Utah Department of Corrections
The department must ensure that every state correctional facility under its jurisdiction operates under independently administered standards and submits to regular independent inspections.
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 new inspection requirements apply to county jails?
Does this bill appropriate any state funds?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
31 actions- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ filed
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ strike enacting clause
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSenate/ 3nd Reading Calendar to Rules
- Feb 4, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 3rd Reading Calendar table
Show 25 earlier actions
- Feb 4, 2026SenateSenate/ 3rd reading
- Feb 4, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd reading
- Feb 4, 2026SenateSenate/ uncircled
- Feb 4, 2026SenateSenate/ circled
- Feb 4, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd reading
- Jan 29, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Jan 29, 2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
- Jan 27, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Jan 23, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Jan 21, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 20, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Jan 20, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
- Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 20, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0039
- Jan 14, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 13, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0039
- Dec 16, 2025Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0039
- Dec 16, 2025Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0039
- Dec 16, 2025Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Dec 16, 2025Legislative 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.
Mandatory Independent Correctional Oversight
The legislation introduces a statutory requirement for independent standards and inspections across both state-run correctional facilities and county-run jails.
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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