Legislators / Cheryl K. Acton
Cheryl K. Acton
Republican · House District 38
cacton@le.utah.gov
2026 General Session.
What they've said
139 remarksH.B. 123 Sex, Kidnap, and Child Abuse Offender Registration Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Explains that the bill clarifies that an offender transferring to Utah from out of state must be registered on the sex offender registry, and that a technical timestamp issue required a third substitute.
▶ Watch at 9:25Read what they said
Yes. This is the bill that clarifies that an offender transferring to Utah from out of state must be registered on our sex offender registry. And, um, what happened? It was a, a anyway, we had, we adopted the third substitute, which was identical to the bill that we passed here, which was the first substitute. But due to a very technical timestamp issue within the system, we had to do a third sub. And so it is back to where it was when we passed it through the house.
S.B. 252 Water Usage at State-owned Facilities Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Asks the floor sponsor to yield for questions.
▶ Watch at 29:56Read what they said
Thank you. I will the sponsor yield to a question. Representative Koford, will you yield to a question?
S.B. 252 Water Usage at State-owned Facilities Amendments · House floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Asks whether the bill would require retrofitting existing landscaping and whether it applies only near the Great Salt Lake or statewide.
▶ Watch at 30:05Read what they said
I'm just wondering will they have to go retroactively re landscape anything? And it is it the other question, I guess two questions. Um, the other question is, isn't isn't it only in the, um, the vicinity of the Great Salt Lake or is it statewide?
H.B. 123 Sex, Kidnap, and Child Abuse Offender Registration Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Moves to refuse to concur with the Senate amendments to H.B. 123 and ask the Senate to recede from its amendments.
▶ Watch at 35:23Read what they said
Thank you Mr. Speaker. I move to refuse to concur with and ask the Senate and ask the Senate to recede from their amendments.
H.B. 123 Sex, Kidnap, and Child Abuse Offender Registration Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Says the Senate substitute has a serious flaw that the Senate also recognizes, and a quick conference is needed to fix it.
▶ Watch at 35:39Read what they said
That sounds so exciting and I appreciate the response but it's actually very simple. Um, the sub that they adopted has a serious flaw. They now realize it as well. And so we just need a quick conference to undo that and that's what this is about.
S.B. 92 Prosecution Amendments · House floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026
Speaks in support of the bill, saying the perpetrators received lighter sentences than they should have and that similar laws exist in other states.
▶ Watch at 1:37:38Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. Speaker Pro Tem. I also wanted to rise in, um, support for this bill. Uh, I, we learned that because this individual fought for her life and survived this horrific ordeal and 50 subsequent surgeries, because of her determination to live, her perpetrators will receive or have received a lighter sentence than they should have received since she did ultimately succumb to their injuries. And so this is a great bill and I understand that it is done in multiple other states already that, so it's nothing unusual and it does not place them in double jeopardy anyone who would be charged. So I do support this bill. Thanks.
S.B. 124 Child Welfare Modifications · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Moves to adopt the second substitute.
▶ Watch at 1:14:48Read what they said
Yes, I would. Thank you. Motion To adopt First substitute, Oh, I'm sorry. Second substitute. Motion to adopt. Second substitute, which is online
S.B. 124 Child Welfare Modifications · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Explains the second substitute: it covers child lethality review background, requires probable cause, a peace officer accompanying the caseworker, limits investigations to child health and safety, and requires review by a supervisor, the attorney general, and a judge; asks for support.
▶ Watch at 1:15:08Read what they said
Thank you. That was close. Um, it is online and there is a handout out that was passed around. But the background on this, as the good representative from Price mentioned, um, she and I and the bill sponsor serve, uh, on the child, um, welfare legislative oversight panel. And one of the things we do on that panel is we review each year the child lethality report for Utah, which, which summarizes the deaths of all children in who've had any association with DCFS over the previous two years, if they pass away or nearly pass away. Uh, we review that. And the reason for that is, um, there was a court case years ago in which, um, the …
S.B. 124 Child Welfare Modifications · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Explains that the bill grew out of the child welfare oversight panel's review of child lethality reports and high-profile cases, requires probable cause, a peace officer, and approvals from several officials before a warrant to see a child, and asks for the body's support.
▶ Watch at 1:15:08Read what they said
Thank you. That was close. Um, it is online and there is a handout out that was passed around. But the background on this, as the good representative from Price mentioned, um, she and I and the bill sponsor serve, uh, on the child, um, welfare legislative oversight panel. And one of the things we do on that panel is we review each year the child lethality report for Utah, which, which summarizes the deaths of all children in who've had any association with DCFS over the previous two years, if they pass away or nearly pass away. Uh, we review that. And the reason for that is, um, there was a court case years ago in which, um, the …
S.B. 124 Child Welfare Modifications · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Answers that removal warrants are separate from this bill, have a higher standard and a tighter timeline, and that this bill addresses cases where the family cannot be reached and the child's safety cannot be verified.
▶ Watch at 1:20:33Read what they said
Uh, I will answer that a removal warrant by, you know, very, very necessary for that to be a very high standard. Um, removing a child from a parent's home is, I've heard tragic stories of how that is just devastating, not only to the parent, but also to the child in many cases, especially if it's unfounded accusation. So a removal warrant is completely separate. It wasn't, it's not involved with either the underlying bill or the sub. It's a comp, it's a whole different, and it is more exigent, so it has to happen much more quickly. It has a much tighter timeline and so forth. This is just, we, we can't get ahold of the family. We …
S.B. 124 Child Welfare Modifications · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Explains that a removal warrant is separate from this bill, has a higher standard and a faster timeline, and that this bill addresses cases where the family cannot be reached and a child's safety cannot be verified.
▶ Watch at 1:20:33Read what they said
Uh, I will answer that a removal warrant by, you know, very, very necessary for that to be a very high standard. Um, removing a child from a parent's home is, I've heard tragic stories of how that is just devastating, not only to the parent, but also to the child in many cases, especially if it's unfounded accusation. So a removal warrant is completely separate. It wasn't, it's not involved with either the underlying bill or the sub. It's a comp, it's a whole different, and it is more exigent, so it has to happen much more quickly. It has a much tighter timeline and so forth. This is just, we, we can't get ahold of the family. We …
S.B. 124 Child Welfare Modifications · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Says the bill seeks to strike a balance and thanks members for their support.
▶ Watch at 1:24:28Read what they said
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just would say, again, it's trying to strike that balance. And with that, i, I, I waive the rest of my sum or thank you for your support. I hope.
S.B. 124 Child Welfare Modifications · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Says the bill seeks to strike a balance and waives the rest of her time.
▶ Watch at 1:24:28Read what they said
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just would say, again, it's trying to strike that balance. And with that, i, I, I waive the rest of my sum or thank you for your support. I hope.
S.B. 130 River Restoration Amendments · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Presents S.B. 130, which directs the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands to coordinate efforts along the Jordan River, including capital improvements for recreational access and river safety, through a matching grant program subject to legislative appropriation.
▶ Watch at 2:24:19Read what they said
Thank you Mr. Speaker. Um, there is so much I would love to say about this bill and about the Jordan River in general, but in the interest of time, um, this bill directs our state agency, the division of forestry, fire, and state lands, to coordinate efforts along the Jordan River. Um, it has some needs for some capital improvements for safer recreational access to the river. Um, other improvements related to the river, um, in terms of safety. Um, also by administering a matching, oh, the way they'll accomplish this is by administering a matching, a matching grant program only as it is appropriated by the state legislature. So we do retain control over that. Uh, the bill …
S.B. 229 State Employee Benefits Amendments · House floor debate (day 43) · Mar 4, 2026
Asks whether the bill will decrease the total sick leave available to a parent whose child with a chronic illness uses all sick leave early each year.
▶ Watch at 2:38:36Read what they said
Um, I have a child with chronic illness and she uses all of her sick leave every year pretty close to the beginning of the year. Is this going to decrease the amount of sick leave that she has total?
From the official recordings' automatic captions, with speakers and summaries identified by AI. Use the ▶ links to check the recording before you rely on a quote.
How they voted
Their full voting record, attendance, and party-line score are still being compiled from the official roll calls. Each bill page shows their vote on that bill.
Bills they sponsored
- H.B. 123 Sex, Kidnap, and Child Abuse Offender Registration Amendments · Governor Signed
- H.B. 134 Offender Transfer Amendments · Governor Signed
- H.B. 434 Child Welfare Fatality Review Report Amendments · Did not pass
- H.B. 446 Conflict of Interest Disclosure Amendments · Did not pass
- H.B. 528 Local School Board Reporting · Did not pass
Carried in the House as floor sponsor
- S.B. 25 Retirement Modifications · Governor Signed
- S.B. 130 River Restoration Amendments · Governor Signed
About
- In office since
- Appointed September 9, 2017
- Counties
- Salt Lake
- Profession
- Writer/ Homemaker
- Affiliations
- Jordan River Commission; DDI Vantage (Board)
- Education
- B.A., English, BYU
- Honors and awards
- None listed in their official profile.
Committees
- Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee
- House Health and Human Services Committee
- House Judiciary Committee
- Health and Human Services Interim Committee
- Judiciary Interim Committee
- Retirement and Independent Entities Interim Committee
- Child Welfare Legislative Oversight Panel
Official biography
Representative Cheryl Acton was born and raised in Kansas before moving to Arizona for her senior year of high school. She lived in northern Denmark for a year as a Rotary Youth Ambassador, then arrived in Utah to begin her freshman year at BYU. Awed by Utah's scenic beauty and its wonderful people, she takes enormous pride in her adopted home state. After graduating from BYU with a B.A. in English, Cheryl worked as a law librarian while her husband finished graduate school. She has also worked for the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Defense, where she earned the Meritorious Service Award. She has been a freelance writer and editor, an independent contractor, an internet researcher, a newspaper reporter, and a classroom volunteer, but in her heart, she has always been a teacher. Cheryl and her husband, Scott, have occupied the same home in West Jordan for 28 years. Over an 11-year span touching three decades and two millennia (1989-2000), they had two sons and two daughters. As a family, they accomplished the goal of traveling together to all 50 states. Representative Acton has many hobbies and interests, including writing, traveling, current events, history, quote collecting, and photography. She is endlessly fascinated by people, nature, and animals. Cheryl was motivated to run for office by a desire to restore and preserve freedom, which, in her view, has been eroding over her lifetime. Cheryl believes in the worth and dignity of individuals and families and their right and ability to govern their own affairs. She also believes that, for the good of the Republic, civility, wit, and wisdom must return to politics. Representative Acton believes that while other elected titles (senator, governor, etc.) have lost their original meaning, "Representative" is unambiguous. It describes perfectly her role as a voice for the people of District 38.
Profile details come from the Utah Legislature's official legislator data.