We’ve wrapped up week two of the 2026 Legislative Session. Standing committees and appropriations subcommittees are now meeting regularly to review bills and budget requests. This week also marked the final deadline for legislators to open new bill files or submit appropriations requests. This milestone helps set the agenda for the remainder of the session. Four of my bills have successfully passed out of committee and two have passed off the Senate floor. The latter now await a committee hearing in the House.
As we move ahead, I am committed to keeping you informed and involved in our legislative process. Your voice is essential in shaping the future of our district and our state. Please reach out with any questions or concerns; I always love hearing from constituents.
Big Bills This Week…
1. HB60: Water Rights Amendments
HB60, Water Rights Amendments (Rep. Shallenberger), would modify the extent to which the state engineer may consider a protest to a water rights application and the grounds upon which they may approve or reject an application. When determining whether a plan is detrimental to public welfare, the state engineer would only be allowed to consider issues directly related to the beneficial use of water or the quantity, quality, or availability of water in the state.
I oppose this legislation. HB60 reduces opportunities for Utahns to contest new water right applications, which could impact wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation areas. It also rolls back environmental protections for the Great Salt Lake and current water sources throughout the state. Water issues impact all of us, and every Utahn should have the ability to defend, protect, and advocate for the waters of the state of Utah.
HB60 passed out of the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee on a vote of 7 for, 2 against, and 5 absent. It now goes to the House floor for a vote. If it reaches the Senate, I plan to vote no.
2. HB392: Constitutional Court Amendments
HB392, Constitutional Court Amendments (Rep. MacPherson), would create a new type of court called a Constitutional Court. The court would be comprised of three appointed judges who would have jurisdiction over any constitutional challenge brought again state law. The judges would be appointed from the existing bench of district and appellate court judges.
I do not support this legislation. This bill raises serious concerns for me about judicial independence and the proper structure for litigating constitutional issues. It would fundamentally alter the way constitutional challenges are heard by centralizing them in a statewide trial court, while limiting local courts’ ability to block state laws through injunctions. This new court is estimated to cost $2.3M in taxpayer dollars, and that’s money that we would divert from other, actual needs identified by the judiciary.
HB392 passed out of the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee on a vote of 7 for, 2 against, and 2 absent. If it passes the House and comes before me in the Senate, I plan to vote no.
3. HB174: Sex Characteristic Change Treatment Amendments
HB174, Sex Characteristic Change Treatment Amendments (Rep. Shipp), would ban health care providers from prescribing hormonal transgender treatments to all minor patients, including requiring current patients to stop their treatment by Jan. 28 next year. This ban follows a 2023 law which placed a moratorium on newly prescribed hormonal transgender treatments for Utahns under the age of 18.
I oppose this legislation. Banning gender-affirming care only pushes that care underground, and would significantly impact the mental health of our youth who are experiencing gender dysphoria. I do not believe it is the state’s role to restrict access to potentially life-saving care for an already vulnerable group of people who are at higher risk of suicide. Those decisions should be left to the patient and their doctor.
HB174 passed out of the House Health and Human Services Committee with 11 for, three against. If it passes the House and is heard in the Senate, I will be voting no.
Updates on My Legislation
Newly numbered bills since last week’s update (current as of 2/2/2026):
SB205 – Law Enforcement Artificial Intelligence Amendments: Requires law enforcement agencies to publicly post the ways in which they are using artificial intelligence in investigations and reporting, including the use of certain protective features that ensure human review and accuracy.
SB208 – Vehicle Emission Inspection Program Revisions: Amends provisions related to vehicle emissions inspections to enhance the ability to investigate whether an individual has avoided a required emissions inspection.
SB215 – Eviction Record Amendments: Provides that a court shall automatically expunge all records of an eviction if the eviction case was dismissed and at least 90 days have passed from the date of dismissal.
Click here for a complete list of the legislation I’m working on this session.
An Overview of the Committee Hearing Process
On Friday, I presented SB200 to the Senate Transportation Committee. This bill would allow an individual whose vehicle has been impounded the ability to retrieve their cell phone and employment tools from the vehicle.
The presentation is a good example of how committee hearings usually work: the bill sponsor introduces their bill, the committee asks questions, if they have any, members of the public share their thoughts, and the committee then discusses the bill and takes action (either to advance the bill to the full body of the Senate, hold the bill, or move on to the next item on the agenda).
The video below (edited for brevity) illustrates this process. Remember you can attend any of these hearings and share your thoughts on any bill scheduled to be heard that day. You can review upcoming committee agendas here.
Rally to Save Our Great Salt Lake
On Saturday, I joined my daughter, and hundreds of Utahns, for a rally to advocate for the protection and preservation of the Great Salt Lake. Governor Cox has set a goal for full restoration of the lake by 2034, and we must hold state leaders accountable. We have a critical need for water to the lake — for our health, for the protection of the lake’s unique ecosystems, and for the future habitability of Utah. I will continue to push for more investments, and more action, to save the Great Salt Lake.
Statement Regarding the Rumored ICE Detention Facility in Utah
Last week, I joined my Senate and House Democratic colleagues in sending a joint letter to our federal delegation opposing any attempt to place a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Utah.
In recent months, we have witnessed terror being systematically inflicted across our nation. ICE has made warrantless entry into homes and gone door to door in communities. They have arrested individuals with no criminal history while at church, in hospitals, and at schools, and have separated children from their families. They have incarcerated individuals in inhumane conditions, denied them basic medical care, and deprived them of due process. This is not something we can stand for in Utah.
Utah’s history and identity are inseparable from immigration. Many Utah families are only a few generations removed from those who fled persecution and came here seeking refuge and opportunity. We cannot claim to honor Utah’s pioneer roots while turning our backs on the families doing the same today.
Utah was also home to Topaz, where Japanese Americans were incarcerated by teh federal government during World War II, and that history must remain a warning to us all. Utah should never again be complicit in a system that normalizes the mass confinement of targeted communities under the weight of federal power.
I urge our federal delegation to publicly oppose the placement of an ICE detention facility in Utah, to demand transparency and accountability from the Department of Homeland Security, and to use their oversight and appropriations authority to prevent federal funding from being used to expand immigration detention here in Utah.
Snapshots from Week 2
Intern Corner
Hi everyone!
This week was busy as more of Sen. Pitcher’s bills were numbered, distributed, and hitting committees! I’ve started doing some interesting policy research, and it feels as if the session is truly up and going. With meetings, committee meetings, floor time, and projects, there is always something to work on.
A fun fact about the Capitol is the random food the interns come by. There are designated “Days on the Hill” for different groups and organizations, where they can come and present their work. They usually bring food to support, and the leftovers get brought to the staff, which has been a complete lifesaver.
Some interesting things that happened this week legislatively were:
- Joseph Gordon Levitt (yes, the actor from 10 Things I Hate About You, Inception, and Dark Knight Rises) testified this week in a committee meeting for Rep. Fiefia’s HB286. Levitt has been doing a large amount of work in the AI transparency and regulation space and it was super exciting to see him here in Utah on Capitol Hill!
- Sen. Jen Plumb’s beloved pug Kika visited the Capitol the other day and got the royal treatment (a pink cart).
Here are some fun pictures from last week:
Let’s Connect
The issues you care about matter. Let me know what your policy priorities are and what issues you think our state legislature should be focusing on this year. You can contact me anytime:
Cell: (385) 272-8032
Email: spitcher@le.utah.gov
You can also follow my campaign on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).