Eighteen-year-olds in Utah could soon be allowed to carry loaded rifles and shotguns in public places under a sweeping new gun rights bill set to be heard Friday. The legislation, proposed by House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, R-Syracuse, is on Friday's House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee agenda.

Currently, Utah law allows people over 21 to carry a loaded pistol, either hidden or in the open, in public without a permit. Other types of guns, like rifles and shotguns, can be carried in the open without a permit if they are not loaded.

HB133 makes it legal for anyone over 18 to carry loaded weapons of any type in most public places. It would still be illegal to carry weapons in private schools, daycares, airports and churches.

Lisonbee is responsible for several recent bills to dramatically expand gun rights in the state.

  • In 2023, she authored HB219, which blocked the state from enforcing federal laws or regulations restricting firearms.
  • In 2021 she was behind a resolution supporting legislation to make Utah a "Second Amendment Sanctuary" sate, which would allow authorities to ignore federal laws they believed went against the Second Amendment.

What happened today:

  • The Senate advanced SB73, which requires the backers of a citizen initiative to detail how they plan to pay for the new law – either with a tax hike or detailing the programs that will have their budget cut. It faces one more vote before moving to the House.
  • The House killed HB35 which required the Department of Corrections to conduct a risk assessment for sex offenders to determine the likelihood they would offend again.
  • HB267, which takes away the collective bargaining rights for public employees, advanced out of a House committee on an 11-4 vote.
  • The House Business, Labor and Commerce Committee passed HB269. The bill restricts transgender people from living in student housing that does not match their biological sex.
  • The House Education Committee held HB104, which would require the Utah State Board of Education to create a standard for teaching firearm safety to K-12 students in the state.
  • HB157 requiring the Office of Energy Development to come up with a K-12 "energy education" curriculum was approved by the House Education Committee unanimously.

On Friday's committee agenda:

The House Judiciary Committee will hear HB252, sponsored by Rep. Lisonbee, which bans the Department of Corrections from giving gender-affirming care to inmates in state custody.

Sen. Lincoln Fillmore will ask the General Government Appropriations Subcommittee to spend $1.4 million on SJR2, a proposed constitutional amendment requiring a 60% vote to approve a ballot initiative that requires a tax increase.

The House Transportation Committee will consider HB80 from Rep. Walt Brooks, R-St. George, that targets protesters who might block a street or highway.

Newly public bills that caught my attention:

  • Right now, the Department of Cultural and Community Engagement is responsible for promoting museums, libraries, cultural organizations and the arts. SB161 from Sen. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, adds the regulation of professional unarmed combat sports, meaning mixed martial arts or UFC, to the list. It also creates the "Utah Women's History Initiative" to highlight the contribution of women to Utah history.
  • Rep. Lisonbee's HB312 proposes several criminal justice changes including:
    • Allowing a city prosecutor to file charges in some cases if a county or district attorney declines to do so.
    • Prohibits the use of state funds to operate a syringe exchange program.
    • Makes it illegal for someone to intentionally conceal their identity by wearing a mask in a public place.
  • If the vote to fill a midterm vacancy in a municipal office ends in a tie, the winner is decided by a coin flip. But Utah law does not say what happens if three candidates get the same number of votes. HB315 from Rep. Andrew Stoddard, D-Sandy, aims to resolve a three-way tie with a "game of chance."

Thursday PM headlines

  • Gavin Peterson, Franke-Hildebrandt cases drive Utah child torture bill. [KUTV]
  • Utah lawmaker seeks to establish a nuclear energy consortium. [KSL]
  • Utah leaders start debate over cutting, reallocating $60.5M in university funding. [KSL]
  • Lawmakers want to keep wildlife refuges open during a shutdown. [Deseret News]
  • House bill rules that AI-generated porn qualifies as sexual extortion. [Deseret News]