S.B. 302 Domestic Violence Amendments

What this bill does

The bill would require that charges in domestic violence cases be brought within five days, and it drops an earlier requirement to assign a detective within 48 hours. It would also remove the requirement that an alleged offender appear in court the next day, instead requiring that the person be brought before a magistrate as soon as practical.

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Every vote

• 5 yes, 0 no, 4 absentSenate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee: Amendment Recommendation · Feb 24, 2026Who voted how
• 6 yes, 0 no, 3 absentSenate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 24, 2026Who voted how
• 24 yes, 0 no, 5 absentFirst of two Senate votes · Mar 2, 2026Who voted how
• 26 yes, 0 no, 3 absentFinal Senate vote · Mar 3, 2026Who voted how

Hearings and debates

• Feb 24, 2026 Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (15 turns)

  1. Committee chair2:24:07

     Um, I'm assuming we're gonna do SB 3 0 2 domestic violence amendments.

  2. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher2:24:10

     Yeah, and I'll come down for this one. I'm gonna have somebody help me, uh, present on this one, if that's okay. Okay. And just while you're walking, just out of clarity, um, let me get to it here on 3 0 2 mm-hmm. There is a syn amendment on the system as well. You got it. There is a, an amendment on the system as well. Would you, do you want that amendment moved or would you like to speak to the bill first and then move it? Yeah, I'll present on the, the bill including the amendment, and then We can do it in committee action. That question? Yeah, sure. Okay. Okay. Um, uh, Mr. Chair and committee members, uh, It's not working as well as it did up here. Pull that a little closer. Sorry. Is it on? Yeah. Got it. Okay. Sounds good. Okay. Uh, this bill also addresses, uh, the filing of charges. I've invited Ryan Robinson to, uh, assist with the presentation on this one. So if it's okay, Mr. Gerald, turn the time over to him for a brief explanation.

  3. Ryan Robinson, SWAP2:25:18

     Go ahead. Thank you. Uh, committee. The Cohabited Abuse Procedures Act is essentially the domestic violence procedure law that's been on the books for longer than I've been around. Going back, I think to the eighties, it, it needs some updates, you know, it, it proceeds, for example, the internet. And so there's a couple places where the code just doesn't make a lot of sense. In 2026, uh, there's two main policy changes here. The one, uh, instead of having an offender be seen by a judge the next day, since most of that work is done online to review bail and make, uh, magistrate decisions, it now, um, uh, defers back to the Rule nine of criminal procedure, which makes more sense, uh, in our current landscape. The other thing it does is, uh, it allows, uh, or it asks for a police department to screen domestic violence cases, uh, within five days, which is kind of current law and practice. And also creates a carve out for more complicate complicated cases if there's cause to delay a, a screening and that's all it does.

  4. Committee chair2:26:29

     Okay. Um, Senator Pitcher, does that conclude your presentation or do you have anything to add to that?

  5. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher2:26:33

     Nope, that concludes our presentation. Thank you.

  6. Unknown speaker2:26:35speaker not certain

     Um, can you just, since we're gonna come back to committee for committee action, just explain what exactly what the amendment does as well, or did you already,

  7. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher2:26:44

     There there was a portion of the bill that, uh, was going to ask a detective be assigned within 48 hours. Um, the police departments, especially rural ones, explained that sometimes that doesn't really make sense. They were supportive more of the concept of getting a case screened timely, and so it repealed that portion of the, uh, draft. And, um,

  8. Unknown speaker2:27:05speaker not certain

     Doesn't it also remove the five day incident report?

  9. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher2:27:08

     Or it, it just kind of, what we're doing is instead of saying five days to provide an incident report, the new, uh, portion of the bill says that it needs to bring charges within in five days. So just kind of replacing old language with more current language, uh, that meets kind of the vernacular of how we discuss screening, getting cases screened within five days.

  10. Committee chair2:27:31

      Okay. Thank you. If that concludes your presentation, we'll come back to the committee for any c clarifying question. Oh, sorry, sorry. Clarifying questions. Any clarifying questions? Any, any, any going, going, going on? Anybody from the public would like to speak to this? That's here. Alright. Um, seeing none here, we do have one online. Um, I'm gonna hold you to, uh, one minute. Go ahead and introduce yourself, Seth, and, uh, state your name, where you're from and who you represent.

  11. Seth Stewart2:28:13

      Seth Stewart. Are you with us? Okay.

  12. Committee chair2:28:17

      We'll come back to the committee. That concludes public comment. We'll come back to the committee for Committee Con or either further questions, clarifying questions, or committee action. We are on SB 3 0 2 Domestic Violence amendments. It looks like it's up to you, Senator Pitcher.

  13. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher2:28:35

      All right. I'll make a motion. I think we need to adopt the amendment. First Amendment. Yes. I'll make that motion. Okay. The motion is to, um, move amendment number one to SB 3 0 2 domestic violence amendments.

  14. Committee chair2:28:49

      Would you like to speak to that? Um, You already did, I suppose. Yeah. Alright. Is there any questions from the committee? Seeing none. Um, all those in favor of moving amendment number one to SB 3 0 2 domestic violence amendment say aye. A Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none. The bill is amended to the, to the bill SB 3 0 2. Thank you. I'll make a second motion that we pass with a favor pass on with a favorable recommendation. Senate bill 3 0 2 is amended. That motion is in order. I will place it. The motion is to favorably recommend SB 3 0 2 domestic violence amendments as amended. Um, any discussion of that motion? Seeing none. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none. I ruled that my action passes unanimously.

  15. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher2:29:09

      Thank you. I'll make a second motion that we pass with a favor pass on with a favorable recommendation. Senate bill 3 0 2 is amended.

• Mar 2, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (5 turns)

  1. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher57:09

     Thank you Mr. President. Uh, this bill ensures that when a domestic violence offense is committed, um, that that investigation happens quickly and is referred to the prosecutor. Um, within, uh, five days after the incident occurs. It also removes a provision requiring that an individual who's been, uh, alleged to have committed offense be brought into court the next day. That's proved to be unrealistic. This does have, um, broad stakeholder support. Happy to answer any questions.

  2. Senate President Adams (presiding)57:36

     Thank you. Looking for discussion on your bill. Say no discussion. I'll go to you.

  3. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher57:43

     Any summation and a motion I move that Senate Bill 3 0 2 be read for a third time.

  4. Senate President Adams (presiding)57:48

     Thank you. And the question is, shall Senate bill 3 0 2 be read? A third time Roll call vote. Senator Vickers spery Aye. Lein remer bus Aye. Comore es camia Aye. Fillmore Grover Aye. Harper Aye. Hankins Aye. Ipson. Aye. Johnson? Yes. Juab? Yes. McKay. Aye. Mikel Milner. Musselman Owens pitcher Aye. Plum Rebe Aye. Sandal Aye. Stevenson Stratton. Aye. Vickers Weiler Aye. Wilson Aye. Winterton Aye. President Adams Aye. Senate Bill 3 0 2, having received 24 yay votes, zero nay votes, five being absent shall be read a third time.

  5. Senate President Adams (presiding)58:47

     First substitute Senate bill 3 0 3. First substitute Senate bill 3 0 3 expungement amendments. Senator Pitcher, Three numbers and a row, three in a row. Senator Pitcher.

• Mar 3, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (7 turns)

  1. President Adams (presiding)38:32

     Senator Pitcher. Senator Pitcher.

  2. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher38:36

     Thank you Mr. President. Uh, this bill ensures an expedited investigation for domestic violence allegations, and, uh, states that the individual should be brought in front of a magistrate as soon as practical. I'm happy to answer any questions.

  3. President Adams (presiding)38:50

     Hold on. Thank you for the presentation. Senator Pitcher looking for discussion to the bill. Say none going to you.

  4. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher38:57

     Thank you. I move that Senate Bill 3 0 2 pass.

  5. President Adams (presiding)39:00

     Thank you. And the question is, shall Senate Bill three oh two pass Roll call vote.

  6. Unknown speaker39:04speaker not certain

     Senator Vickers Baldry Lewin Bramer Bus Comore Escamia Fillmore Grover Aye. Harper Kins Sson Johnson Juab McKay Mikel Milner Musselman Owens Pitcher Aye. Plum rebe Sandal Aye. Stevenson Stratton Bickers Weiler Wilson Winterton, president Adams Aye.

  7. President Adams (presiding)39:57

     Senate Bill 3 0 2, having received 26 yay votes, zero na votes three being absent passes. This body will be sent to the house for their consideration.