H.B. 94 Criminal Accounts Receivable Amendments

What this bill does

The bill would let a person ordered to pay a court fine get credit against it for completed court-ordered classes or treatment, including mandatory fines, unless a prosecutor objects or the judge declines. It also raises the community service credit rate from $10 to $12 an hour to match last year's change in state law.

Plain-English summary written by AI from the sponsor’s presentation in committee and on the floor. Check the official text below.

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Every vote

• 9 yes, 0 no, 2 absentHouse Judiciary Committee: vote to change the bill · Feb 11, 2026Who voted how
• 8 yes, 1 no, 2 absentHouse Judiciary Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 11, 2026Who voted how
• 74 yes, 0 no, 1 absentFinal House vote · Feb 19, 2026Who voted how
• 5 yes, 0 no, 4 absentSenate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 27, 2026Who voted how
• 26 yes, 0 no, 3 absentFinal Senate vote · Mar 6, 2026Who voted how

Hearings and debates

• Feb 11, 2026 House Judiciary Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (27 turns)

  1. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)2:54:35

     Alright. Fi our, we'll go to our final, uh, bill on agenda, HB 94, criminal accounts receivable amendments from Representative Miller. It looks like there's a third substitute online. Will you be speaking to the third sub? Yes. Yes. Okay. Oh, sorry. Yes. Just yes. You can just yell, I guess. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Representative Miller. Okay. Uh, Mr.

  2. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller2:55:00

     Chair, if I could present from here? Absolutely. Okay. Um, thank you fellow committee members. Uh, this bill is a cleanup bill for my court finds bill that I ran last year, um, was following the implication of how this bill worked through the courts. Um, and, uh, a lot of, uh, people were able to access and, and utilize, um, uh, a credit against their court finds. But there was a wrinkle in that judges did not know whether or not, uh, they could apply credit for treatment or classes against mandatory court finds. And I got a lot of text messages about it, and it's an ambiguity, and, uh, there was no clarification. And so I Uintah the court. So I Uintah the prosecutors, Uintah the defense attorneys to try to find a solution. And, uh, we worked something out. Uh, what this bill proposes is that a, um, uh, a credit can be applied towards mandatory fines. Uh, however, if it's against the interest of justice, the prosecutor can object and also it's, uh, discretionary based on the judge. And so they don't have to do that. There's two mechanisms in which, uh, if it's outside of what is appropriate, um, the judge can decline to do so, and the prosecutor can also, uh, uh, uh, ask the judge to decline to do so. Also, uh, there is something here that, uh, swap pointed out that, uh, I want to, uh, point out to the, uh, committee here. There is a change of credit here from, uh, $12 an hour, from $10 an hour, that is an adjustment consistent with law. Last year, uh, we passed a bill to modify, uh, 76 dash three dash, uh, 3 0 1 0.7. Um, compensatory service, uh, went up to $10 to $12. So this makes, uh, this part of the statute consistent with what we did last year. And with that Mr. Chair, I will, uh, yield the questions.

  3. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)2:56:46

     Thank you so much. Representative Miller, does

  4. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller2:56:48

     that conclude your presentation? It Does. Perfect.

  5. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)2:56:51

     We'll go back to the committee for discussion and clarifying questions. Seeing none, we will go. Is there anyone in the public that would like to speak to this legislation? We have one in person. It looks like two in person. Do I have a third? Do I have a third? Okay, we got two. Uh, and then do we have anyone online? All right. Thank you. We'll go to our two in person, Mr. Robinson.

  6. Ryan Robinson, Statewide Association of Prosecutors2:57:14

     Yes. Thanks for allowing me back, uh, briefly just to say that we, uh, at SWAP have appreciated, uh, working with Representative Miller. Uh, we admire his, uh, dedication to his indigent clients and to all of the indigent, uh, clients around the state. We appreciate that he's, uh, asked for our input and that he's incorporated our input into this bill and it's one that we now proudly support. Thank you.

  7. Maryann Christensen, Utah Legislative Watch2:57:38

     Maryanne Christians an Executive Director of Utah Legislative Watch, and I also appreciate the bill. A lot of people end up incarcerated because they are economically depressed and heaping fines on them is just kicking 'em when they're down. I'm pretty sure that $12 an hour is a lot less expensive than keeping 'em incarcerated, so it's a good bill. Thank you very much.

  8. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)2:58:01

     Thanks so much Ms. Christensen. We do have one, uh, person online. Mr. Seth Stewart. The time is yours, sir.

  9. Seth Stewart2:58:13

     Yeah, I'm Seth Stewart, uh, from American Fork representing myself. Um, just like to point out in sub three, there is a new provision that was added relative to at least the original version of it. Um, the line 59. If a prosecuting attorney obje objects to the court allowing satisfaction or reduction because the satisfaction or reduction is not in the interest of justice, the court may deny the defendant the opportunity to satisfy or reduce the criminal counts receivable. Um, this seems like an unjustified loophole right here because, um, the prosecutor's essentially taking it on, on his own hands to decide what constitutes, um, justice being satisfied. And it introduces a new lever into the paradigm that, uh, really doesn't seem like it could be fair to a lot of, uh, particularly indigent defendants. So if they, if the prosecutor can just press a switch and say, Hey, you, you're not allowed to actually perform service or, or have some other, uh, hardship relief here, I'm, we're still gonna hold you for the, uh, for the financial, uh, payments and so on. So, uh, again, I think that's a determination to be made by a jury. That's something that could totally be done to the satisfaction of justice by reasonable people with a conscience, uh, who are actually weighing the facts of the case. So, um, I would object to it on those grounds. Thank you.

  10. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)2:59:26

      Thank you, sir. Is that, is that all we have online, Jonathan? Yes, sir. Alright. Uh, that will conclude our public comment, uh, portion of the meeting. We'll go back to the Committee for action. And we do have to adopt the third substitute. Yeah, I guess we don't have to. But Representative Amalga,

  11. Rep. Verona Mauga2:59:50

      I'd like to make a motion to adopt the third substitute

  12. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)2:59:52

      That motion's an order. Would you like to speak to it?

  13. Rep. Verona Mauga2:59:54

      I'll waive. Okay.

  14. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)2:59:56

      Um, discussion to the motion to adopt third substitute Representative Loubet Lube. Do you, you want to? Okay. Um, we'll go seeing no further, uh, discussion to that motion, we'll go back to Representative Miller on the Motion to adopt third substitute,

  15. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller3:00:13

      uh, I'll, uh, waive.

  16. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)3:00:14

      Alright. All in favor of adopting third substitute HB 94 Criminal accounts receivable amendments. Please say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? This is what my draft. Excellent. Okay. We're now back to the, we're in front of us as the, uh, third substitute h HP 94. Representative Mauga.

  17. Rep. Verona Mauga3:00:33

      I'd like to make a motion to Fab favorably recommend HB 94 criminal accounts receivable amendments to the full body

  18. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)3:00:41

      At motions in order. Would you like to speak to that? Aye. Alright. Discussion to the motion to favorably recommend third substitute HB 94, uh, to the full body representative ox here.

  19. Rep. Anthony E. Loubet3:00:55speaker not certain

      Wait. Well I was, it's all right. Just know what I'm gonna talk about later. Okay. I mean, Say what you want on a record. I I'm not trying to, it's okay. I, I happen to like what our last, um, online commenter had to say and I think made a lot of sense. So, um, I'm hoping that the sponsor will take those into account and, and be willing to, to look at that, but as of right now, I think I'm a no thank you.

  20. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)3:01:25

      Okay. Thank you. Representative Ox here. Alright. Seeing no further discussion, we'll go back to the sponsor of the bill on the motion to favorably recommend.

  21. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller3:01:36

      Uh, yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, once again, this is a, mostly just a cleanup bill to, um, uh, modify or not modify, but clarify, uh, whether or not we could credit, um, compensatory service or, uh, or, or credit from, uh, a court, um, from, uh, uh, classes or, or treatment against a fine and, and mandatory whether or not that mandatory, uh, fees apply to that. This will clarify that. Uh, I do understand that, uh, this substitute's very different than the original, uh, bill, which contemplated, uh, uh, a requirement, uh, for the judiciary to implement this in times of hardship. Um, and, uh, while I dream of that happening one day, um, I don't think that's something I get through the finish line today. So I ask for the, uh, committee's consideration onto the underlying substitute.

  22. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)3:02:22

      Thank you, Representative Miller. We will go back to Representative Mauga for summation. Yeah,

  23. Rep. Verona Mauga3:02:30

      I think it's a good bill. I encourage my committee to support it.

  24. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)3:02:35

      Thank you so much. We'll go ahead and do a voice vote. I'll restate the motion. It's to favor the recommend HB third substitute HB 94 criminal accounts receivable amendments by Representative Miller to the full body. All in favor of that motion, please say, aye. Aye. Aye. And any opposed? Please say no. No. That motion passes eight to one with representative voting no, I'm give a chat. I believe that concludes our, I believe that concludes our, uh, uh, work today. I'll take one final motion. Motion to adjourns.

  25. Rep. Clinton Okerlund3:03:11speaker not certain

      Motion to adjourn. The motion is non debatable.

  26. Committee chair (Chair Clancy)3:03:13

      All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right. Hit the gavel.

  27. Unknown speaker3:03:24speaker not certain

      You need all the Practice. You can get that gavel Right.

• Feb 19, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (16 turns)

  1. Clerk1:25:00

     Third, substitute house bill 94 criminal accounts receivable amendments by representative Grant Millard. This bill was heard in judiciary with a vote of 8 1 2.

  2. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)1:25:10

     Representative Miller.

  3. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller1:25:12

     Thank you Mr. Speaker Pro Tem, uh, this bill adds some clarifications to my court finds bill, that we passed last year. As a quick refresher, what this bill does is if, uh, you're ordered to do a court fine and you also ordered to do like a class or complete rehabilitative treatment, then you could credit the amount that you spend on that treatment or class against the fine. Uh, it's been working really well in the courts, but judges had questions about whether or not this bill, this law could be attributed towards mandatory fines. I worked with the Statewide Association of Prosecutors, uh, on a couple of subs here, which is why we're on the third. That was adopted in committee. Um, and, uh, what we came to was a conclusion that, uh, mandatory fines, uh, could be part of this program. However, prosecutors reserve the right to object if it's not in the interest of justice. It's also discretionary for judges. And so in areas where, you know, fines are supposed to hurt and prosecutors wanna make sure the fines stick, um, um, they can make sure that the fines stick. Um, but in times when, uh, someone's indigent and they simply can't afford the fine and requiring 'em to do so, would, uh, take away from the focus of them completing a treatment process or a class, uh, then they could then take advantage of this program and use the money they spend on recovery towards that fine instead. And with that, I'll take any questions. Mr. Speaker Pro

  4. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)1:26:22

     Tam. Thank you Representative Miller.

  5. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)1:26:24

     Discussion to the bill Representative MacPherson.

  6. Rep. Matt MacPherson1:26:28

     Thank you Mr. Speaker With the sponsor yield.

  7. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)1:26:30

     The sponsor yield? Yes, go

  8. Rep. Matt MacPherson1:26:32

     Ahead. Uh, quick question on this. Um, does this apply to all fines fees? Does it include restitution or the state surcharge?

  9. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller1:26:42

     That's a fantastic question. No, it does not include restitution. And so the, the third substitute's very clear here that it only applies to, uh, uh, court fines that are levied and plea and AB advances fees. That's, uh, the limitation to it. Um, it, I think it, it addresses that interest, uh, can be credited on court fines and plea and maintenance fees, but not interest on restitution. That's excluded.

  10. Rep. Matt MacPherson1:27:03

      Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And to be clear, does that exclude the state's 90% surcharge on top of those fees? Is that included?

  11. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller1:27:11

      Yeah, it would include the state's surcharge, yes.

  12. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)1:27:13

      Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Representative MacPherson. Further discussion to the bill. See none.

  13. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)1:27:20

      Representative Miller for summation,

  14. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller1:27:22

      I'll waive. Summation

  15. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)1:27:23

      is waived. Voting is open on third substitute house bill 94, criminal accounts receivable amendments. Representative Okerlund Representative Shallenberger Representative Maloy, Representative Maloy, seeing all present having voted voting will be closed.

  16. Speaker Pro Tem (presiding)1:28:39

      Third, substitute house bill 94, having received 74 yay votes and zero nay votes passes the house and will be transmitted to the Senate for further consideration matter rating. Clerk

• Feb 27, 2026 Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (18 turns)

  1. Committee chair1:17:25

     We'll go back to Representative Miller, um, if you'd like to come forward. So we're gonna go to House Bill 9 94. Third sub Criminal Accounts receivable Amendments. Representative Miller.

  2. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller1:17:42

     Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will be brief. This is a cleanup bill, uh, last year, if you recall, ran a court fines bill. And the purpose of the bill was that if you were ordered by a judge to do a court fine, and you're also ordered to do a class or, or substance abuse treatment or mental health treatment, you could keep your receipts for what you did and go back and credit that against your fine. Um, the good news is it's been working well across the state, but judges have had questions about whether or not this applies to mandatory fines, fines that happen in like DUIs or sex solicitation cases. And I said, that's a really good question. And so I sat down with swap and we, uh, thought about what a solution would be and we figured it would make sense to allow mandatory, legislatively mandatory fines to receive this credit. However, there's a provision here that if for some reason the prosecutor feels that it's outside the interest of justice, they're allowed to object and it's discretionary upon the judge. So that is the bill. Uh, also a little cleanup provision here. Last year, we, uh, uh, upped the, uh, compensation for, uh, community service credit to $12 an hour for compensatory service. And that makes this adjustment in this part of the statute as well. And with that, I will receive questions from the committee.

  3. Committee chair1:18:55

     All right. Um, okay. I don't see any, um, oh, Senator Pitcher.

  4. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher1:19:03

     Yeah. I'm just wondering why Todd is your Senate sponsor on this one? I, he's a handsome fellow. Um,

  5. Unknown speaker1:19:10speaker not certain

     This is true.

  6. Committee chair1:19:12

     All right. All right. Um, apparently Senator Pitcher doesn't think I'm handsome. Um, any further, any relevant comments or questions from the committee? All right. We will ask if there's anyone from the public, uh, who would like to be heard on this. We've got one, two. Anybody online? No. We'll take two public comments at 90 seconds each, and then I'll close the public hearing.

  7. Carl Hollan, Executive Director, Statewide Association of Prosecutors and Public Attorneys1:19:40

     Thank you for being here, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. My name is Carl Hall, executive Director of Statewide Association of Prosecutors. Uh, we wanna thank the sponsor for bringing this bill. He's always great to hear our concerns, uh, to get these bills in a place that, uh, works for everybody. Uh, we supported, uh, the bill that came out last year that was referenced in his, uh, presentation. We support this bill as well, um, and ask for your support in this bill. Thank you very much. Thanks for yours, uh, for being succinct and for your brevity.

  8. Committee chair1:20:12

     Take one more comment. Uh, Mr.

  9. Richard Mauro, Executive Director, Salt Lake Legal Defender Association1:20:15

     Chair members of the committee. My name is Richard Morrow. I'm the Executive Director of the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association. We also support this bill. Uh, Representative Miller has worked hard on this. It, it's, it's good for our clients who can otherwise not afford to pay fines and fees, some of the fees to have this alternative. And it's a good alternative. And we would ask your support on this bill.

  10. Committee chair1:20:36

      Thank you very much, Mr. Morrow. Alright. I'm gonna close the public hearing and bring it back the committee.

  11. Unknown speaker1:20:41speaker not certain

      So, um, your bill title is criminal accounts. Why, why do, why can't we have legal accounts instead of criminal accounts?

  12. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller1:20:49

      That's a good question. Um, this was, I mean, if we, you're the committee. You got the power To amend. Just kidding. Oh, we got a motion to amend. No, I'm just kidding. Okay. Um,

  13. Committee chair1:21:01

      Amend the floor response. Senator Pitcher.

  14. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher1:21:04

      Thank you. Is the motion appropriate? Yes, I'd move that we pass that with a favorable recommendation, HB 94.

  15. Committee chair1:21:10

      We have a motion to favorably recommend the bill discussion to that motion. Seeing none. Um, Representative Miller, would you like to sum or waive?

  16. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller1:21:20

      I'll waive. Just appreciate your time. Thank you. Thank you.

  17. Committee chair1:21:22

      Uh, Senator Pitcher? I'll waive. Alright, all in favor of the motion. Favorably recommend third substitute House Bill 94. Say Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Chair that, that passes unanimously five to zero.

  18. Committee chair1:21:36

      Um, despite the Senate sponsor. Oh, okay. Um, thank you Representative Miller. Much Appreciated. Thank you.

• Mar 6, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (9 turns)

  1. Rep. Grant Amjad Miller1:30:17

     or rehabilitative treatment, the money spent on the class can be credited towards their fine. The bill from last year has been working well. Many judges want to know if this applies to mandatory fines, which prompted this bill to clarify. So this clarifies that fines are eligible for this program. Prosecutors have the right to object if they feel it's not in the best interest of justice or the victim, et cetera. Um, it is dis, uh, discretionary for a judge to enforce. This bill is supported by the Statewide Association of Prosecutors. And with that, I will yield to any questions.

  2. Senate presiding officer1:30:52

     Thank you. Senator Weiler. Uh, does that conclude your presentation? It does,

  3. Sen. Todd Weiler1:30:59

     Yes. Looking

  4. Senate presiding officer1:31:00

     for discussion. Senator Fillmore, are you up? Senator Stevenson? Seeing no discussion, I'm gonna go back

  5. Sen. Todd Weiler1:31:07

     to you summation and a motion. Uh, I'll Waive summation and move that third substitute house bill 94 pass under suspension of the rules.

  6. Senate presiding officer1:31:14

     Thank you. And the question is, under suspension of the rules, shall third substitute to house bill? 94 pass. Roll call vote.

  7. Unknown speaker1:31:20speaker not certain

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  8. Senate presiding officer1:32:07

     Aye. Third substitute house Bill 94. Having received 26 Shaa votes, zero nay votes, three being absent, passes his body and will be signed by the president. Return to the house for the signature of the speaker.

  9. Senate presiding officer1:32:27

     Senator Wilson, I'm gonna take a motion to ser for five minutes. I just wanna make sure we're giving the circle plenty of breaks up here. So mo, motion to ser. Great motion to Sonder for five minutes. Motion to Sonder. We're just gonna be gone. Five minutes. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Rule. Motion passes. The Senate is sonder.