S.B. 27 Assault or Threat of Violence Amendments

What this bill does

S.B. 27 expands the state's assault and threat-of-violence protections so they also cover National Guard and military service members, not just peace officers. It applies these protections to those service members and peace officers even when they are off duty.

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Every vote

• 28 yes, 0 no, 1 absentFinal Senate vote · Jan 20, 2026Who voted how
• 9 yes, 0 no, 2 absentHouse Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee: vote to change the bill · Feb 2, 2026Who voted how
• 10 yes, 0 no, 1 absentHouse Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 2, 2026Who voted how
• 70 yes, 0 no, 5 absentFinal House vote · Feb 5, 2026Who voted how
• 26 yes, 3 noSenate vote to accept the other chamber's changes · Feb 6, 2026

Hearings and debates

• Jan 20, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (7 turns)

  1. Senate President (presiding)38:57

     Senator Ipson. Senator Ipson.

  2. Sen. Don L. Ipson39:00

     Thank you Mr. President. This bill addresses the offensive assault and threat of violence against a peace officer or military service member. Open to questions.

  3. Senate President (presiding)39:12

     Looking for questions, saying none to you. Senator Ipson, for an action

  4. Sen. Don L. Ipson39:16

     Under suspension of the rules, I motion that Senate Bill 27 pass.

  5. Senate President (presiding)39:22

     Thank you. And the question is, under suspension of the rules shall Senate Bill 27 pass roll call

  6. Senate clerk (roll call)39:27

     Senator Vickers. Baldy Aye. Lein Aye. Brammer Aye. Bus Comore Aye. Escamia Aye. Fillmore Aye. Grover Harper Aye. Kinins Ipson Aye. Johnson Aye. Quan McKay Macl Aye. Milner Aye. Musselman. Aman Owens Pitcher Plum Rebi Sandal Aye. Stevenson Stratton. Yes. Vicar Aye. Weiler Aye. Wilson Aye. Winterton Aye. President Adams Aye. Senate

  7. Senate President (presiding)40:14

     Bill 27, having received 28 yay votes, zero nay votes, one being absent, passes his body and will be sent to the house for their consideration.

• Feb 2, 2026 House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (15 turns)

  1. Committee chair26:03

     Thank you. Senator Senate Bill 27. I believe we have a substitute on this one. We need to, yeah. Can we, you wanna move this substitute first? Yeah. That only happens in the Senate. We got, we're always far ahead, so Yeah. I just wanna make sure that Yeah, Go ahead. You, you can speak to that substitute if you'd like.

  2. Sen. Don L. Ipson26:20

     Yeah. So the substitute just makes some clarifications and includes the National Guard and the military in this threat against violence and against a peace officer and military service member when they're off duty. And that's basically what the bill does. Thank you. Uh, any clarifying questions to the committee? From the committee? Similar to a bill we passed a few years ago already with law enforcement.

  3. Committee chair26:51

     Um, I don't see any, is there anyone here from the public to speak to this one? None online. None online. Okay. I'll, that I'll close public comment and return to the committee for discussion or action. We need to move. We still need to move the bill? Yes. Substitute Representative Peterson.

  4. Rep. Peterson (surname ambiguous in roster)27:07

     Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd make a motion that we substitute, uh, Senate Bill 27 with substitute first substitute Senate bill 27. The motion is that we move first substitute Senate bill 27.

  5. Committee chair27:17

     Would you like to speak to that? I just think

  6. Rep. Peterson (surname ambiguous in roster)27:19

     This clarifies the original bill. It does. Okay.

  7. Committee chair27:23

     Any discussion to the motioning? None. Would you like to sum?

  8. Rep. Peterson (surname ambiguous in roster)27:29speaker not certain

     I'll waive Representative.

  9. Committee chair27:31

     All those in favor of adopting the first substitute, say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay. Representative Peterson,

  10. Rep. Peterson (surname ambiguous in roster)27:39

      Make a motion that we pass out with the favor of recommendations first substitute Senate bill 27. Would you like to speak to it? Um, I think that, uh, obviously like you said, Mr. Chair, this is a clarification like we did for peace officers earlier, so, uh, something that, uh, clarifies the statute.

  11. Committee chair27:56

      Thank you. I need a discussion to the motion. Senator, Thank you for your understanding.

  12. Unknown speaker28:03speaker not certain

      And I, this is a good bill and let's glad to have you pass it.

  13. Committee chair28:08

      Thank you. Representative. Would you like to sum? Let's waive. All right.

  14. Committee chair28:13

      All those in favor of passing Senate Bill 27. First substitute out to the floor. Say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay, it's done with that. We'll go to item number one on the agenda. Thank you. Thank you.

  15. Committee chair28:29

      I'll turn the chair over to my vice chair

• Feb 5, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (5 turns)

  1. Unknown speaker26:42

     Or substitutes in a Bill 27 assault or threat of Violence amendments by Senator Ipson. This bill was heard in law enforcement and criminal justice with a vote of 10 0 1. The House sponsors Representative Gwynn. Representative Gwynn.

  2. Rep. Matthew H. Gwynn26:58

     Thank you Mr. Speaker. Uh, what, uh, for substitute SB 27 does is it makes a technical change to the criminal code by separating assault on a military service member and assault on a police officer. One of the substantive policy changes it makes, however, is it now delineates whether or not, or it includes a service member or police officer who is actually not in uniform, but are still targeted for assault or threats of violence as a result of their status as a service member or a police officer. And we've unfortunately had an incident, uh, here in Utah where we're now finding out family members are being targeted because of their family members status as a police officer. So it now includes that offense. Mr. Speaker, that's all this bill does.

  3. Speaker (presiding)27:43

     Thank you Representative Gwen. Discussion to the bill? None. Back to Representative Gwen for summation.

  4. Rep. Matthew H. Gwynn27:53speaker not certain

     I'll waive. Thank you. Summation has been waived.

  5. Speaker (presiding)27:55

     Voting will now be open on first substitute SB 27 San Fifi. Would you like to vote? Clancy? Seeing now present, having voted voting is now closed. First substitute SB 27 passes this body with 70 yes votes zero no votes will be sent to the Senate for further consideration. Madam Reading Clerk

• Feb 6, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (8 turns)

  1. Senate President Stuart Adams (presiding)50:26

     Thank you for that motion. Do we have to, uh, do you wanna explain the changes?

  2. Sen. Don L. Ipson50:31

     Yes. This just made it clear that the assault and threat against military people were added to this and expanded the threat with them. That's what it did.

  3. Senate President Stuart Adams (presiding)50:44

     Thank you. We're looking for discussion. The motion. Concur. Seen none. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Roll. Motion passes.

  4. Senate President Stuart Adams (presiding)50:53

     First substitute Senate bill 27 has been read three times. The question is, shall it pass? Roll call vote.

  5. Unknown speaker50:58speaker not certain

     Senator Vickers Baldy Lewin Bramer bus Amore Aye. Escamilla Fillmore Grover. Ye Harper Hankins Aye. Ipson Aye. Johnson Quan McKay. Aye. Mikel Aye. Milner Musselman Owens pitcher Plum Rebe Sandal Stevenson Stratton Aye. Pickers Weiler Wilson Winterton pitcher Rebe

  6. Senate President Stuart Adams (presiding)51:54

     President Adams Aye. First substitute Senate Bill 27, having received 26 yay votes, three nay votes, zero being ab absent passes this body and will be returned to the house for the signature of the speaker.

  7. Senate President Stuart Adams (presiding)52:11

     That concludes our work, uh, for this morning. Senator Fillmore, do you have an announcement?

  8. Senate President Stuart Adams (presiding)52:25

     Senator Cullimore, do you have announcements and if, and emotion?