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Wednesday, November 4, 2026

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Utah bill tracker

H.J.R. 13: Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution - Judicial Retention

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 joint resolution of the Utah Legislature proposes to amend the Utah Constitution to modify provisions related to retention of judges.

  • This resolution:
  • Authorize the Legislature to initiate a special retention process that allows the voters to vote on whether a judge shall remain in office when a judge engages in certain conduct
  • Provide that a judge who is subject to a special retention election is still subject to a regular retention election but that the special retention election may replace the regular retention election if the elections occur in the same year

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: Resolutions · Election Law · Utah Constitutional Amendments · Legislative Operations · Government Operations (State Issues) · Judges

How it moved

  1. · House1st reading (Introduced)Rules Committee
  2. · 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 H.J.R. 13, dated January 21, 2026. A fiscal note estimates direct costs and revenue; it is not an appropriation.

  • State revenue: Enactment of this legislation likely will not materially impact state revenue.
  • State expenditures: Enactment of this legislation could cost the Lieutenant Governor's Office $767,900 one-time from the General Fund in FY 2027 to publish the proposed amendment in Utah newspapers. The Office can absorb this cost.
  • Local government: Enactment of this legislation likely will not result in direct, measurable costs for local governments.
  • Individuals and businesses: Enactment of this legislation likely will not result in direct expenditures from tax or fee changes for Utah residents and businesses.

Bill overview

Sponsor: Walt Brooks

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.