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Appropriations Committee approves criminal-justice federal funds, fee changes, reductions and priority list
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Summary
On Feb. 11 the Appropriations Committee approved federal and non-state criminal-justice funding requests, technical transfers, intent language, fee adjustments, a chair reduction list and a prioritized funding list to send to EAC; all motions passed by voice vote, generally unanimously.
The Utah Legislature's Appropriations Committee on Feb. 11 approved a package of criminal-justice funding actions, including federal funds for FY2026–FY2027, criminal justice non-state funding requests, internal transfers for the Department of Corrections, criminal justice intent language, fee adjustments in HB 8, a chair-proposed reduction list, and a prioritized criminal-justice funding list that the committee forwarded to EAC for consideration.
Committee fiscal staff walked members through a stapled voting packet listing the items. Nate Osborne summarized federal funds previously discussed (Jan. 28 materials); Representative Gwynn moved to approve those federal funds and the committee approved the motion by voice vote with no discussion.
The committee then approved criminal justice non-state funding requests and supplemental amounts (moved by Representative Gwynn), transfer technical corrections for the Department of Corrections (moved by Senator Harper) and the criminal justice intent language (moved by Representative Acton). All motions were approved by voice vote; the transcript records them as passing unanimously.
On fees, fiscal staff described changes captured in HB 8 (state agency fees and internal service fund rate authorization). Senator Owens moved to adopt criminal justice fee changes with the packet's listed updates. The transcript records fee adjustments that include an increase in garnishment fees from $50 to $75, a rise in the filing fee for divorce/separate maintenance from $3.25 to $3.50, and a projected net revenue increase on the order of about $3.36 million tied to the fee changes and funding shifts discussed by staff.
The chair's reduction list prompted questions about specific funding shifts. Fiscal staff explained an example in which $9,000,000 of general fund would be replaced by $9,000,000 of transportation fund revenue to maintain highway patrol funding (described in the packet as a transportation fund cost-share). Staff also described internal restricted-account swaps in the Department of Public Safety to reduce general fund exposure. Senator Harper moved to approve the chair's reduction list; the motion passed unanimously.
The committee adopted a prioritized list of criminal-justice requests (a mix of agency and legislator requests) and voted to forward the list to EAC (the committee referenced EAC in the transcript). Representative Gwynn described several top priorities: increasing prison capacity (including opening Bear 3), replacing the Otrack case-management/data system (described as dating from the late 1990s), converting some Criminal Justice Center (CJC) funding from one-time to ongoing to reduce repeat RFA requests, and expanding evidence-based recidivism/intervention programs along the Wasatch Front.
Chair and members publicly thanked fiscal staff and agency staff for their work. Chair Ballard noted staff "are the all stars of this" process and the committee adjourned after a final motion.
