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Tuesday, November 3, 2026

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Utah bill tracker

H.B. 253: Marijuana Use or Possession Penalty Amendments

2026 General Session · Originating chamber: House

Saved official records and Ledger coverage. The outcome below is from the Legislature’s own step list.

What the bill does

Did not pass both chambers; the bill was filed on March 6, 2026.

This bill changes criminal penalties for the use or possession of 14 grams or less of marijuana.

  • Provides lower criminal penalties for the use or possession of 14 grams or less of marijuana
  • Makes technical and conforming changes

The description and list come from the bill's own long title as recorded by the Legislature. Read the official bill. The Ledger takes no position on it.

Subjects: Controlled Substances · Health and Human Services · Crimes · Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice · Punishment · Criminal Procedure · Judicial Operations · Courts

How it moved

  1. · House1st reading (Introduced)Rules Committee
  2. · Houseto standing committeeLaw Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
  3. · HouseHouse Comm - Recommends Returned to RulesLaw Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
  4. · Housefiledfile for bills not passed

Steps as the Legislature recorded them; clerical and fiscal-staff entries are left out. Numbers such as 54-14-7 are yeas, nays and absent.

Fiscal note

From the Legislative Fiscal Analyst's note on 2nd Sub. H.B. 253 (Gray), dated February 10, 2026. A fiscal note estimates direct costs and revenue; it is not an appropriation.

  • State revenue: Court Security Account (GFR) Enactment of this legislation could increase revenue to the General Fund by $333,700 ongoing beginning in FY 2027, and increase revenue to the Court Security Account by $8,000 ongoing beginning in FY 2027 due to the change in penalties for possession of marijuana at different amounts.
  • State expenditures: Enactment of this legislation could increase costs to the Courts by $162,300 one-time from the General Fund in FY 2027 for system updates to track information around deferred prosecution and marijuana quantities.
  • Local government: Enactment of this legislation could result in an increase of $23,500 ongoing in local government revenue beginning in FY 2027 due to the new tiered system of marijuana possession increasing some of the penalties.
  • Individuals and businesses: To the extent that individuals violate provisions of this legislation, this could cost certain offenders about $1,500 per case. Assuming around 675 cases switch from a Class B Misdemeanor to a Class A Misdemeanor, the aggregate revenue impact could be around $365,200 ongoing beginning in FY 2027.

Bill overview

Sponsor: Grant Amjad Miller

Legislature passed-list status: Not available in the saved metadata.

Passed-list membership is not a finding that a bill was signed or took effect. A bill absent from that list is not necessarily pending or defeated.

Latest recorded action

filed
Action date:

The full step list is above. Find the bill in the official session list for status, hearings and committee records.

Recorded floor votes

No floor-vote records for this bill and session are available here. This does not mean no vote occurred; consult the official bill record.

Ledger coverage

No Ledger stories with an explicit source link to this bill and session are listed here.