Bill of the Week

The Elephant Club’s Session Newsletter is a weekly explainer published during the legislative session. It focuses on complex bills that benefit from plain-English explanations. Each issue highlights 1 bill, explains what it does, why it was introduced, and provides updates as the bill moves through the process. Content is prepared independently, with sponsor review for accuracy, and is intended to improve understanding for the public.

Bill number: HB 540

Sponsor: Rep Logan Monson

• Short Name: Judicial Transparency, Information Access, and Transition Amendments
• Where it is: House Floor
• Why it’s complex: It mixes tech changes (streaming, recordings, a new database) with ethics rules for judges, balancing transparency with privacy and court integrity.
  

Why the Bill Exists

“I feel like transparency is deserved across all branches of government. This bill came from frustration over not being able to easily access rulings and outcomes related to house judges are ruling in the state. We have a real opportunity to lead out with working on finding solutions that will show collaboration and transparency. ”

What the Bill Does

What Supporters Say

• Expands transparency by letting the public follow court proceedings without needing to be physically present.
• Improves accountability by making records easier to find in one clear, searchable place.
• Strengthens trust in the judiciary with clearer disclosure rules and limits on potential conflicts.

What Critics May Worry About

• Easy online access to recordings could raise privacy and safety worries in sensitive cases.
• Building and managing the technology could create new workload and cost pressures for the courts.
• Some may worry that posting recordings broadly could change courtroom dynamics or discourage candid participation.

Why I Support the Bill

As President of the Utah Elephant Club, I support this bill because open courts should truly be open to the public, not just to the people who can sit in a courtroom all day. Making hearings accessible online and putting records in one clear place brings common-sense transparency without creating new bureaucracy. At the same time, stronger ethics rules help protect the integrity of the bench and reinforce public confidence that decisions are made fairly and in the open.

Take Action This Week

• Call or email your State House Rep to voice your support

How Contact Your Legislators

(it’s simpler than it sounds)

How to find your Legislators

• Go to the Utah Legislature website and use the “Find My Legislator” tool.
• Enter your home address.
• The site will show your House Representative and Senator with contact details.

How to contact them

• Email is usually best for a clear record.
• Phone calls work well for urgent or local issues.
• Meeting requests carry more weight if you live in their district.

What to say

• Introduce yourself as a constituent.
• Keep it to one issue or bill.
• Share a brief local or personal reason it matters to you.

Good to know

• Legislators pay close attention to voters in their district.
• Short, respectful messages are far more effective than long ones.

Updates on Prior Bills

HB 209 (Voting Amendments) had a substitute adopted in the Senate committee. The substitute makes the bill clearer by setting up two ballot types and giving voters more time and notice to fix citizenship issues. It also gives election officials clearer steps to follow so the rules are applied the same way across the state. The sub passed and it’s now on the Senate floor for a final vote.

HB 392 (District Court Amendments) passed both the House and Senate chambers, and was just signed into law by Governor Cox.

HB 274 (Sentencing Amendments) is now in the Senate for a final vote.

Note from the Elephant Club President 

Thank you for staying engaged this legislative session. If you know colleagues or community members who follow complex policy issues, please forward this along so we can help the public stay more informed.

Best,
Leslie Carpenter
President, the Utah Elephant Club