We have officially kicked off the 2026 Legislative Session! I am excited to share what I’ve been working on since last session and provide you with legislative updates over the next several weeks. I will be sending out a weekly newsletter that discusses big bills, caucus priorities, my legislation, and the goings-on on Capitol Hill.
You can find a full list of 2026 legislation and bill summaries here.
You can follow our daily reading calendars here.
See an overview of the Senate Democrats’ legislative priorities here.
Big Bills This Week…
1. SB134: Court Amendments
SB SB134, Court Amendments (Sen. Wilson), proposes to increase the number of Supreme Court justices from five to seven. The bill would also expand the Utah Court of Appeals from seven judges to nine, and add three new judges to the district courts. The purported intent is to help alleviate court caseloads and speed up appellate court decisions, which the bill sponsor argues has been lagging.
I do not support this legislation. Court filings and current data show that the Supreme Court workflow is healthy, and adding two new justices could actually slow the appellate process. Adding two new Supreme Court justices does not remedy perceived caseload issues and is not a need identified by the judiciary. I believe the sponsor’s arguments are pretextual, and suspect the real motive is to sway the ideology of the Supreme Court ahead of further redistricting litigation. For these reasons, I voted no.
Despite my opposition, SB143 bill passed off the Senate floor on Monday and now heads to the House for further consideration.
2. HB209: Voting Amendments
HB209, Voting Amendments (Rep. Maloy), would fundamentally change Utah’s voting system by establishing a two-tier ballot based on proof of U.S. citizenship. It would allow election officials the authority to independently determine a voter’s citizenship status and, even if otherwise eligible, voters who cannot immediately provide documentation would be restricted from voting in local and state elections.
I do not support this legislation. HB209 addresses a problem that hardly exists in Utah, as verified cases on non-citizen voting are extremely rare. Instead, HB209 imposes barriers to voting and disproportionately impacts seniors, lower-income voters, people of color, and those who have recently changed their name or lack easy access to documents. If passed, I believe the law would confuse voters by creating different classes of ballots, and could lead to discriminatory or uneven enforcement. All of this would ultimately suppress voter turnout, all without any demonstrated benefit to election integrity.
All House Democrats voted no on HB209 in committee, and the bill is now on the House floor for a vote. If it reaches the Senate, I also plan to vote no.
3. SB136: Enforcement Activities Amendments
This past Thursday, SB136, Enforcement Activities Amendments (Sen. Blouin), was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill would prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration agents in ‘sensitive locations,’ which would include places of worship, hospitals, and courts. The bill would also prohibit ICE agents from using facial coverings.
I am horrified by the recent actions of ICE and the cruel enforcement practices that separate families, violate constitutional rights, incite fear, and are disconnected from public safety. I support SB136 as a reasonable step to curb excessive immigration enforcement and provide a measure of accountability for aggressive ICE agents.
Unfortunately, the bill was tabled in committee and will not be heard again this session.
4. HJR13: Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution – Judicial Retention
On Wednesday, HJR13, Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution – Judicial Retention (Rep. Brooks) was introduced in the House. HJR13 proposes to change the Utah Constitution to allow the legislature to call a special retention election for a judge who the legislature determines is “unfit or incompetent” or has “engaged in conduct that is…improper or creates an appearance of impropriety.”
This bill is a clear violation of the separation of powers and could be used to target judges whose rulings the legislature does not agree with. This is a dangerous proposition and feels like yet another retaliatory bill introduced in response to the redistricting ruling issued by Judge Gibson earlier this year. If the bill reaches the Senate, I will be voting no.
Updates on My Legislation
SB11, Property Rights Ombudsman Act Amendments: SB11 extends the repeal date of the Land Use and Eminent Domain Advisory Board and requires that the Legislature review the board before it is repealed. This change ensures continued legislative oversight of the board’s function before any future sunset. This bill was voted unanimous out of the Senate and now awaits a committee hearing in the House.
SB24, Health Care Providers Immunity Amendments: SB24 extends the repeal date of the Health Care Providers Immunity from Liability Act to 2036. This bill was also voted unanimously off the Senate floor and awaits a committee hearing in the House.
My numbered bills updated as of 1/27/25
SB94 – Inmate Financial Literacy Amendments: Requires the Department of Corrections to provide inmates with optional financial literacy instruction, including strategies for saving and managing money.
SB133 – Offender Registry Amendments: Provides more clarity on when an individual under 18-years-old is required to register on the Sex, Kidnap, and Child Abuse Offender Registry.
SB163 – Municipal Prosecutor Amendments: Clarifies that a city attorney may employ a deputy attorney to perform the duties of a public prosecutor or civil counsel.
SB171 – State Commercial Driver License Amendments: Creates a state-issued CDL license, ensuring lawful immigrants can continue working and operating commercial vehicles following recent restrictions imposed by the Trump administration.
SB176 – Landscaping Procurement Amendments: Requires state facilities to transition to electric-powered lawn equipment. Doing so will help reduce harmful emissions produced by 2- and 4-stroke engines.
SB177 – Product Pricing Amendments: Requires businesses that use algorithmic pricing models which set a price based on information obtained about a consumer to disclose this practice to consumers.
SB182 – Attorney Admission to Jail Facilities Amendments: Ensures attorneys have proper access to jail facilities to meet with inmates and provide proper representation in criminal cases.
SB183 – Surveillance Camera Amendments: Prohibits law enforcement officers from moving, covering, or otherwise tampering with privately owned surveillance cameras.
SB184 – Post-Conviction Offense Amendments: Creates a mechanism whereby an individual convicted of a criminal offense can petition the court to reduce the severity of that conviction if the individual has provided information of criminal activity to law enforcement which lead to the apprehension and/or prosecution or the suspect.
SB187 – Renter Credit Reporting Amendments: Requires housing entities that receive public funds to report the monthly rent payments of tenants, if requested by the tenant. Doing so will help individuals build credit and better prepare for home ownership.
SB199 – Motor Vehicle Liability Policy Amendments: This bill clarifies that heirs are included in injury or death liability coverage for a motor vehicle accident.
SB200 – Impounded Vehicle Amendments: This bill allows an individual who vehicle has been impounded to remove cell phones and employment tools from their vehicle.
Click here for a complete list of the legislation I’m working on this session.
Spotlight: Public Education Policy Workshop
An Event-Filled Week
- I started off the session by speaking at a rally to end homelessness regarding barriers to housing for formerly incarcerated individuals and how we can end the cycle of recidivism through housing.
- I placed my first ‘no’ vote on the Senate floor when I voted against SJR3, which would place restrictions on the Utah State Bar’s ability to oversee the practice of law in the state of Utah. I voted no because I don’t believe it’s the legislature’s role to begin micro-managing the State Bar.
- On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to discuss UEA priorities with UEA representatives and some of my colleagues. Rep. Welton and I had an interesting conversation about SB69 – School Device Revisions, which would impose a bell-to-bell ban on cell phones in schools. This is a very nuanced issue, and I would love to hear your thoughts!
- Throughout the week, the rotunda has been filled with people and organizations who do incredible work. I had the privilege of talking to Granite School District Students about their education, career goals, and the fun projects they are currently working on.
- On Thursday night, we heard from Gov. Spencer Cox at the State of the State, where he outlined his priorities over the coming year, including 3rd-grade literacy, social media, and virtuous self-governance.
Finished up the week on the Senate floor debating many important bills, which you can track here!
Intern Corner
Hi everyone!
My name is Sahaja Rutledge, and I am Senator Pitcher’s intern for the 2026 Legislative Session! I am excited to work with all of you and assist in addressing your concerns throughout the Session.
A little bit about me: I am a student at UVU studying National Security Studies with a minor in Mathematics. In the future, I hope to attend law school and practice international law. Currently, I run the Utah chapter of the nonpartisan organization Students for Nuclear Disarmament. We focus on educating students about the existential threat of nuclear weapons and solutions to this pressing issue.
Outside of the classroom, I enjoy exploring Utah’s natural beauty and getting outside as much as possible. I love reading with a good cup of coffee and learning new things. I recently got into climbing and, with a slight nudge from Sen. Pitcher, rediscovered chess.
For this week’s intern corner, I wanted to highlight the incredible training that we received over the past two weeks from many talented individuals. A fun thing I would recommend doing, if you have the chance, is exploring the tunnels underneath the Capitol!
Here are some fun pictures from last week:
I Want to Hear from You
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 (Twitter).