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HB 102UTAHSession 2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Utah allows crime victims to use initials instead of names in public criminal justice records starting July 2026

Original title: Victim Privacy Amendments

Last action · March 26, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Sahara Hayes and 1 other

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

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What This Bill Does

Crime victims in Utah may request the use of their initials instead of their full names in publicly available criminal justice documents for offenses occurring on or after July 1, 2026. The law requires prosecuting agencies, courts, law enforcement, and correctional entities to maintain victim identification information and disclose full names only under lawful court orders.

Why it matters

Protects sensitive personal identities of crime victims from public disclosure in court filings and police reports, while establishing administrative requirements for criminal justice agencies to track and release identifying information upon judicial command.

Background
  • Utah crime victim rights are codified under Title 77, Chapter 38 of the Utah Code, which governs protections and privacy standards for individuals impacted by criminal offenses. 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

Crime victims

Crime victims gain the option to use their initials instead of their full name in public criminal justice records for offenses occurring on or after July 1, 2026.

Directly affected

Law enforcement and criminal justice agencies

Courts, prosecuting agencies, law enforcement, and correctional entities must update document handling procedures to support victim initials, maintain internal identifying records, and disclose names upon court order.

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

When does the crime victim privacy option take effect?
The bill takes effect on May 6, 2026, and applies to offenses occurring on or after July 1, 2026.
Can a victim's name ever be released if they choose to use initials?
Yes. Criminal justice entities must provide the name of a victim identified by initials in response to a lawful court order.
Which agencies are required to use victim initials upon request?
Prosecuting agencies, courts, law enforcement agencies, the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services, the Department of Corrections, the Youth Parole Authority, the Board of Pardons and Parole, and related entities must comply.
Are there any exceptions where initials cannot be used?
Yes. The rule does not apply to publicly available documents required for criminal protective orders, criminal stalking injunctions, or documents created by the Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division.

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 26, 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 5, 2026House
    House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
  3. Mar 5, 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 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  7. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  8. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
  9. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
  10. Feb 26, 2026Senate
    Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
  11. Feb 26, 2026Senate
    Senate/ committee report favorable
  12. Feb 26, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  13. Feb 19, 2026SenateCommittee
    Senate/ to standing committee
  14. Feb 17, 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/ committee report favorable
  21. Feb 5, 2026House
    House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  22. Jan 30, 2026HouseCommittee
    House/ to standing committee
  23. Jan 30, 2026House Rules Committee
    Bill Substituted by Sponsor in House Rules Comm
  24. Jan 28, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0102S02
  25. Jan 28, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0102
  26. Jan 28, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0102S02
  27. Jan 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0102S02
  28. Jan 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0102S02
  29. Jan 21, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0102S01
  30. Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroduced
    House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  31. Jan 20, 2026House
    House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
  32. Jan 19, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0102S01
  33. Jan 19, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0102S01
  34. Jan 19, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0102S01
  35. Jan 14, 2026House
    House/ received bill from Legislative Research
  36. Jan 14, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0102
  37. Jan 13, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0102
  38. Dec 29, 2025Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0102
  39. Dec 29, 2025Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0102
  40. Dec 29, 2025Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
  41. Dec 29, 2025Legislative 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

Sahara HayesHouse · District 32DemocraticPrimary sponsor
Stephanie PitcherSenate · District 14DemocraticCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

policy shift95% confidence

Victim Anonymity in Public Records

The legislation transitions certain public criminal justice records from mandatory full-name disclosure for victims to a voluntary initial-based system backed by agency record-keeping obligations.

Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth ServicesDepartment of CorrectionsYouth Parole AuthorityBoard of Pardons and Parole

Connected Entities

Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services, Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division, Youth Parole Authority and 2 more
OrganizationDivision of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services“Entity required to maintain victim information and comply with initial-usage rul”Map →
OrganizationMotor Vehicle Enforcement Division“Exempted agency whose publicly available documents are excluded from the victim ”Map →
OrganizationYouth Parole Authority“Entity required to maintain victim information and comply with initial-usage rul”Map →
OrganizationBoard of Pardons and Parole“Entity required to maintain victim information and comply with initial-usage rul”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Corrections“Entity required to maintain victim information and comply with initial-usage rul”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance55
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz25
    Current news / social attention level

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