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House approves bill directing sentencing commission to publish collateral‑consequences guide
Summary
The Utah House passed Senate Bill 126 after Representative Judkins said the measure requires the Sentencing Commission to identify and publish collateral consequences of convictions and present an annually updated public guide; the House approved the bill 68–0 and will return it to the Senate.
The Utah House on Feb. 25 approved Senate Bill 126, directing the Utah Sentencing Commission to identify provisions of state law that impose collateral consequences for convictions and produce a publicly available, annually updated guide.
Representative Judkins, sponsor on the House floor, told members that while courts must inform defendants of direct consequences of pleas such as fines, probation or incarceration, they are not required to notify defendants about collateral consequences that appear across state and federal law. "These invisible sanctions are additional punishments or disqualifications attached to a sentence, such as disenfranchisement, eviction, or the loss of a business license," Judkins said, arguing the guide will help defendants and attorneys understand long‑term impacts.
SB126 requires the Sentencing Commission to prepare and update the guide, post it on the commission's website and present an update annually to the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee. Judkins said the commission should also identify and recommend legislation addressing collateral consequences.
With no floor debate recorded against the bill, the House approved SB126 68–0. The measure will be signed by the Speaker and returned to the Senate for the President's signature.
The House took up dozens of bills during the session and did not record additional amendments or directives tied to SB126 on the floor.
