Utah News

After adding justices to the Utah Supreme Court and, on Friday, creating a new “constitutional court,” Republicans are continuing their crusade to overhaul the state judiciary.

With the backing of House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, lawmakers are now aiming to require the courts to stream audio of district and juvenile court cases, submit financial disclosures from judges and, among other measures, prevent judges from joining particular law firms after they leave the bench.

The blitz comes after key pieces of the GOP agenda have been dealt defeat after defeat by judges. In December, Republican lawmakers passed a resolution condemning the courts, accusing the state Supreme Court and lower district court judges of judicial activism.

A group of nearly 700 Utah attorneys — calling itself Co-Equal, referring to the co-equal branches of government — sent a letter to lawmakers this week saying the array of bills, if passed, would politicize judicial selection and retention, weaken judicial independence, meddle with court administration and erode trust in the courts.

“Taken together … they represent a significant and unprecedented restructuring of judicial authority, selection, retention, jurisdiction and administration,” the letter said. “This cumulative impact matters.”

On Friday, Gov. Spencer Cox signed the most recent judicial reform bill to become law, creating the new constitutional court: a special three-judge panel that will hear challenges to laws passed by the Legislature.

Cox signed the bill hours after it was rushed through the Legislature. It takes effect immediately and allows the state — either through the attorney general, Legislature or governor — to take current and future cases away from the judges hearing them and move them to a panel of judges assigned at random from across the state.

People or groups challenging the Legislature’s laws do not have the same prerogative.

Earlier this month, Cox signed a bill that will add two justices to the Utah Supreme Court — a move GOP leaders said was about giving the high court more resources, but even conservative commentator Glenn Beck said was blatant “court-packing” in response to the courtroom setbacks.

Applications to fill the two new positions on the Supreme Court are being accepted through March 6. The Administrative Office of the Courts has until March 7 to create a process for randomly assigning judges to the new panel.

Questioning the constitutional court

As originally proposed, the constitutional court would have consisted of three judges who would be permanently designated to hear challenges to the constitutionality of laws passed by the Legislature.

But because the Legislature and the governor would almost always be a party to those challenges, and would also be responsible for appointing the three judges, opponents pointed out that they would essentially be picking their own referees.

The new version would randomly assign the three judges from different districts, ensuring geographic diversity on the panel.

Despite the revisions, the Utah State Bar opposed the bill. Friday afternoon, the association said in a statement it is “deeply disappointed” that the legislation was rushed through the process and creates “unequal procedural rights that favor the state over its citizens.”

“Public confidence in the judicial system depends on the belief that the courts remain free from political interference,” the statement read. “This law erodes that trust by allowing the legislative and executive branches to dictate the adjudication of constitutional claims.”

Because the bill received a two-thirds vote in both chambers, it took effect immediately. The state is currently engaged in numerous constitutional challenges to state laws that could be moved to the new venue — including cases dealing with redistricting, elections, incorporation of towns and the Legislature’s bid to ban abortion.

According to the attorney general’s office, the office handled 35 constitutional challenges to state laws in 2025, including cases on drug pricing, bail reform, public lands management and rights of disabled Utahns.

Judicial transparency

The latest bill aimed at the judiciary is HB540, sponsored by Rep. Logan Monson, R-Blanding, part of Schultz’s goal of adding transparency to the courts, which he says is lacking.

It would require the courts to provide a live audio stream of public court proceedings, including juvenile court, free of charge for up to 50 downloads. Currently, cases are recorded and may be purchased for a fee. It would cost an estimated $7.5 million to implement the system.

Kim Cordova, president of the Utah State Bar, said that people who go to court are often in sensitive positions — divorces, employment disputes, evictions, guardianship fights or being accused of or witnesses to a crime.

“This is a vulnerable time in their lives, and for it to be livestreamed, especially when we’re dealing with very serious and private issues, that is a concern for lawyers in the state,” she said. “It could prevent people from coming forward. … There’s intimidation, there’s safety concerns.”

And Steve Burton, director of the Utah Defense Attorneys Association, said he is concerned about information about accused individuals being made public without having the context of the individual’s defense.

Monson said during a hearing on the bill Friday that he recognizes there would need to be exceptions for crime victims and juvenile cases — details that still need to be worked out.

Based on the concerns raised and the gaps still in the bill, the House Judiciary Committee initially voted to hold it while it can be worked on. But after Rep. Jason Thompson, R-River Heights, changed his vote, it moved forward by a 6-5 count for consideration by the full House.

His bill also requires judges to file a financial disclosure, similar to the disclosures filed by legislators, that will be available online.

It also prohibits a law firm that is suing any state entity from hiring a judge for two years after the judge steps down from the bench. Monson compared it to a one-year cooling-off period before legislators can become hired lobbyists.

In recent years, two former Supreme Court justices — Deno Himonas and John Pearce — were hired by a firm that has challenged state laws banning transgender girls from playing high school sports, banning flavored vapes, restricting minors’ access to social media, and other cases.

When former Justice Thomas Lee left the bench, he was hired the same day to represent the state in defending the state’s transgender ban. That would still be allowed under the proposed law. His law partner, John Nielsen, is now a justice on the Supreme Court.

Cordova said the proposed prohibition on hiring by law firms could encroach on the regulation of the practice of law, which under the Utah Constitution is an authority given to the Utah Supreme Court.

Fix The Court, a New York-based progressive nonprofit that has advocated for judicial transparency, particularly from the U.S. Supreme Court, praised the proposed financial disclosures.

The group’s director, Gabe Roth, said passage of the bill would make Idaho the only state that doesn’t require annual financial disclosures from judges.

“Every government official in the country should be obligated to file a financial disclosure each year, and that includes judges and justices,” Roth said in a statement. “Though Utah’s HB540 is not perfect, it represents an important step toward improving the landscape of judicial transparency in this country.”

Still on the docket

There are numerous additional bills aiming to change the way Utah courts do business. They include these:

• HB262 would require judges to get two-thirds of the vote in their retention elections to remain on the bench, rather than a simple majority.

• HB274 adds county sheriffs to the Utah Sentencing Commission, which sets penalties for crimes. Schultz, who is sponsoring the bill, says he thinks criminal penalties have gotten too soft.

• HJR5 seeks to amend the Utah Constitution to allow the governor to nominate anyone he wants to fill a court vacancy and not be limited by recommendations from Judicial Nominating Commissions, which currently vet applicants.

• HJR13 is another proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the Legislature to force a judge to an immediate retention election if lawmakers believe the judge is “incompetent” or has overstepped the court’s authority.

These bills come after the Legislature last year stripped the justices of the power to choose their own chief justice and gave that job to the governor.

Utah’s gymnastics team found its groove Friday night, and the 12^th-ranked Red Rocks found it in a big way as they produced their best score of the season to top No. 23 BYU 198.025-196.025 at the Huntsman Center.

In a season full of ups and downs and inconsistencies, Utah was able to brush aside all the chatter and struggles and knock out its first four-event meet of 2026.

The best part about the meet was that even with the season high, the Red Rocks know they left tenths on the table, especially on vault where they finished with a 49.225.

“We know we can do a lot better vault,” said Avery Neff. “I think we are just trying to get our groove on everything and that showed today.”

Vault wasn’t bad by any means, it just wasn’t where Utah had gotten it in prior meets. The Red Rocks will take solid at this point, but they’re still shooting for a stronger start.

“We are putting more pieces back together, and we got a 198 with not even our most extravagant gymnastics, so I think that’s a really a huge testament of the fight of this team,” Neff said.

What was excellent in the meet for Utah, though, was bars. The Red Rocks once again hit the nation’s best score on the event, and did so in impressive fashion with a 49.75.

Makenna Smith set the tone with a leadoff 9.9, and the final four gymnasts didn’t go lower than a 9.925 as Abbi Ryssman (9.925), Ella Zirbes (9.975), Ana Padurariu (9.95) and Avery Neff (10.0) all shined.

It was Neff’s second perfect routine of her career, and her first on bars.

“We have proven before that we are such a great bars team,” said Zirbes. “Grace (McCallum) came up to us before and was like ‘What’s holding you back? You guys are the best bar team in the country so why don’t you show it?’ We took that and ran.”

McCallum is a year removed from competing for Utah and finishing as one of its best after earning an Olympic medal, and she’s now a student assistant coach for the team.

“I think this bars performance, compared to our other ones, we were more aggressive going for our handstands and like the little details,” Smith said.

“I think we’ve built the confidence up in the gym that we can go for it, and there isn’t a doubt that it’s not going to work.”

Utah also had strong beam and floor efforts. Neff and Camie Winger matched their performances from a week ago with back-to-back 9.95s to anchor the beam lineup and boost the team to a 49.50 total.

Floor settled in at 49.55 with Smith, Neff and Zirbes earning 9.95s, but the highlight on floor was Sage Curtis’s 9.9 in the final spot.  

“I was extremely proud of Sage tonight,” said Utah coach Carly Dockendorf. “I was like ‘Are you sure you’re a freshman?’ Because that was a veteran move to go out and just crush that routine knowing that a 198 for the team was on the line.”

The Huntsman faithful also knew what was on the line and erupted the minute Curtis’ score flashed, and then the scoreboard showed Utah with the 198.025.

All in all it was a good night for Utah as the Red Rocks knocked out season and career high after season and career high. They also stuck five landings on bars and six on beam. 

Neff won the all-around and pretty much summarized her night with her discussion around her team’s vault. The sophomore hit a career-best 39.70, which ranks in the top five nationally, and went for 9.95 or higher on three events.

But the total score also came with a 9.80 on vault, the event she hit a 10.0 on earlier this season — meaning there are some tenths still on the table.   

BYU

The score wasn’t what the Cougars had hoped for, but they still had bright spots across the meet.

Deb Silva finished third on vault with a 9.85, while teammate Scarlett Sonnenberg tied for fourth with a 9.825. Daisy Stephenson finished fourth on floor with a 9.875.

“My team was just super gritty tonight, and I love that,” said BYU coach Guard Young. “When there was a mistake, they fought, they stayed up and they didn’t give up. They fought for everything that they had so I’m really proud of the fight, and the effort that they gave.

“Utah was awesome. As a gymnastics fan, they were doing just great gymnastics. That bar rotation was the best in the country, so super proud of them and it was fun to be on the floor with them when they did that.”

Up next

Utah and BYU are both home next Friday. The Red Rocks host SUU, while BYU hosts No. 18 Denver. 

Event winners

All-Around — Avery Neff (Utah); 39.70

Vault — Makenna Smith and Ashley Glynn (Utah); 9.9

Bars — Avery Neff (Utah); 10.0

Beam —  Avery Neff and Camie Winger (Utah); 9.95

Floor — Ella Zirbes, Makenna Smith and Avery Neff (Utah); 9.95

Utah was rattled Friday by another earthquake — the third to be widely felt in less than a month.

The 3.5-magnitude earthquake shook Salt Lake County on Friday evening about 6:32 p.m., with its center on the west side near Magna and West Valley City, according to the University of Utah’s Seismograph Stations.

Both the U. and the U.S. Geological Survey reported it on their websites, noting the tremor was about 5.4 miles deep.

Its origin, though, adds an interesting element: Currently, University of Utah researchers believe that because the Friday quake hit in Magna, it’s an aftershock of the even bigger 5.7-magnitude tremor that hit in the same place in March 2020, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We might change our mind in the future. But that’s our initial hypothesis: This could be an aftershock of that event‚” said Katherine Whidden, a research scientist at the U.’s Seismograph Stations.

Aftershocks, she said, can stretch long after a quake — even six years later. And the big earthquake had several before the likely one Friday.

“They can just go on for a long time,” she said.

Typically, seismologists determine if a quake is an aftershock based on the baseline for a fault. And Magna, while it’s started returning to its baseline from the 2020 quake, hasn’t gotten all the way back yet, Whidden noted.

The 2020 quake was the most significant to rumble Utah in recent years, causing up to $50 million in damage mostly to historic brick buildings around the Salt Lake Valley.

Since 1981, the U. notes, there have been 232 quakes of a 2.0 or greater magnitude at that same epicenter. There have already been two smaller aftershocks registered just on Friday’s earthquake, too.

The tremor was nerve-rattling because it comes after two more recent quakes in the state.

There was a 4.7-magnitude quake felt in Utah on Jan. 22. That epicenter was about 6 miles south of the Wyoming state border.

Another quake on Feb. 5 was centered in northern Utah County, near Thanksgiving Point and about 4.4 miles west of Lehi. That one was also a 3.5 magnitude, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Whidden said having three quakes close together like that might cause alarm, but there’s good news: Because those three recent ones were in such different locations, they aren’t related.

“It’s just coincidence,” she said. “This is how a random distribution looks.”

The one that hit by Wyoming, near the Uinta Mountains, in particular, Whidden said, “is in a completely different stress regime.”

People from across the Salt Lake County went on social media Friday to report feeling the quake. And the U. has, so far, received more than 2,800 reports from individuals.

It was felt as far north as Ogden and as far south as Provo. To the east, residents in Park City might have felt it. And to the west, those in Tooele could’ve been a little shaken.

A bout of rumbling was also felt at the earthquake-retrofitted Utah Capitol.

Some people reported seeing objects moving in their houses during the quake. Others said they could hear a loud noise.

Whidden said after any tremor, there’s a 5% chance it is a foreshock to a bigger quake. Those odds decrease as more time passes, though.

The recent rattling, she said, is a “really good reminder that we are in earthquake country.”

She advised Utah residents to be prepared with a 72-hour kit containing food, water and medicine in the event of a larger quake. If a weeklong kit can be prepared, that’s even better.

Families should also draft plans, Whidden said, for what they’ll do in a major earthquake, such as how they’ll reach each other and where they’ll go.

Cell towers are sometimes damaged by quakes, she added, but more likely they’ll be overwhelmed with multiple people trying to call or text at the same time in an emergency.

Utah has long been set to have a massive quake — known as the “Big One” — with a 50% chance of that happening sometime within the next 50 years.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A highly pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in wild birds around the Great Salt Lake and in several other counties throughout Utah, according to the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR).

The first case of the virus was detected in April 2022 when dead great horned owl tested positive for the flu. DWR says multiple waves of the outbreak have affected Utah’s wild bird populations since then.

“We saw a lull in new avian flu cases in wild birds from March 2025 to September 2025, but in the last few months, we have seen another uptick in new cases across Utah,” DWR Veterinarian Ginger Stout said.

According to officials, 49 wild bird carcasses have been collected since Oct. 2025 from across Utah and were submitted for disease testing. All tested positive for avian influenza. Biologists estimate that roughly 50,000 eared grebes and 250 California gulls have died along the south arm of the Great Salt Lake during this latest influx of avian influenza.

The birds most impacted by the latest influx of avian flu cases are:

• Eared grebes in Box Elder, Davis, Salt Lake, Tooele and Weber counties

• California gulls in Salt Lake County

• Canada geese in Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Iron, Sevier, Salt Lake, Summit, Utah, Washington and Weber counties

• Ducks in Box Elder and Davis counties

• Great horned owls in Box Elder, Davis, Summit and Weber counties

• Hawks in Box Elder, Davis and Weber Counties

• Swans in Cache and Salt Lake counties

• Turkey vultures in Box Elder and Weber counties

“Roughly 4 million eared grebes migrate through the Great Salt Lake each year, so the birds lost to avian influenza in this recent wave should not have a significant impact on the overall population,” DWR Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program Wildlife Biologist John Neill said.

Eared grebes typically use the Great Salt Lake as a rest area during their winter migrations to eat brine shrimp, fatten up and molt before they continue their southern migration, Neill explained. But because of the warm winter, eared grebes are still on the lake.

“The warmer lake temperatures are helping brine shrimp persist longer into the winter, and because they’re the primary food source for eared grebes, that’s likely why the birds are still here. Dead birds may continue to wash ashore in the coming months,” Neill said.

Since 2022, 242 wild birds, one mountain lion, some skunks and three red foxes have tested positive for avian flu in Utah. The virus has been confirmed in 19 counties in Utah since 2022.

What are highly pathogenic avian influenzas

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses are very contagious among wild birds and can cause rapid and high mortality in domestic birds, such as chickens, turkeys and domestic ducks. But DWR biologists claim that this strain is more pathogenic and has been killing more wild birds.

The virus is spread among birds through nasal and oral discharge, as well as fecal droppings. It can be spread to backyard poultry and domestic birds through contaminated shoes or vehicles.

The previous outbreak of avian flu in the U.S. occurred in 2014–15, when highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza were detected in wild birds of the Pacific, Central and Mississippi flyways. During that outbreak, officials say the virus was only detected in two healthy ducks in Utah.

What must you know?

If you have a bird feeder, DWR officials say that you shouldn’t have to remove it unless you also have backyard chickens, domestic ducks or wild waterfowl on their property. However, if you have a bird feeder or birdbath, you should clean it regularly.

Officials are also asking the public to not touch or pick dead birds up. “The outbreak is still ongoing, so we are still advising anyone who finds a group of five or more dead waterfowl or shorebirds — or any individual dead scavengers or raptors, to report it” Stout said. You are asked to report it to nearest DWR office.

Biologists say they will continue to monitor this virus in wild bird populations. “This particular strain is affecting more wild birds and is more widespread than the last outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the U.S.,” Stout concluded.

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Utah State won six games last year, but it could’ve been better.

It had Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, and road trips to Hawaii and New Mexico on the slate, but it should’ve beaten UNLV and came close against Boise State late. 

This year, it’s another hard run early, but the potential is there to come out strong in the new Pac-12.

Here’s our analysis of the 2026 Utah State football schedule.

Breaking Down the Utah State 2026 Football Schedule

The Good

It’s a bit rough early, but the Aggies get a nice midseason run of three home games in four dates and get the flex – maybe against Boise State – in the end.

Dealing with Troy won’t be a breeze, but it’s a home game, and hosting Washington State and Fresno State helps, but …

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The Bad

After starting with Idaho State, the Aggies play at Washington, at Utah, and the Pac-12 opener is at Boise State.

That’s bad, having to make the long trip to San Marcos isn’t fun, and closing the pre-flex portion of the season at San Diego State and then at Oregon State will be a challenge.

Best-Case Scenario

The Aggies have no problems with Troy before diving into the Pac-12 portion of the slate. And then they upset Boise State on the road.

That starts a run where they own home, pull off a win at Texas State, and all of a sudden, they’re unbeaten in the conference going into the nasty finishing kick. After winning two of their last three, they’re off to the Pac-12 Championship.

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Worst-Case Scenario

After getting steamrolled by Washington and Utah, the Aggies have a bad game against Troy and lost at Boise State for a 1-4 start.

There are a few wins here and there at home, but they drop the home game to Fresno State, lose all of November when things get tough, and it’s on to 2027.

2026 Utah State Football Schedule

Sept 5 Weber State
Sept 12 at Washington
Sept 19 at Utah
Sept 26 Troy
Oct 3 at Boise State
Oct 9 or 10 Washington State
Oct 17 OPEN DATE
Oct 24 at Texas State
Oct 31 Colorado State
Nov 7 Fresno State
Nov 14 at San Diego State
Nov 21 at Oregon State
Nov 28 Boise State (flex)

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Games That Will Decide Utah State’s 2026 Season

1. Washington State, Oct. 9

It’s expected to be a Friday night game, and it’s a must-win as an oasis between road games at Boise State and an off week before traveling to Texas State.

2. Troy, Sept. 26

Yeah, it’s a non-conference game, but coming off the road games at Washington and Utah, and before going to Boise State, there’s a big problem if they don’t pull it off.

3. Fresno State, Nov. 7

At San Diego State, at Oregon State, and, likely, Boise State. Those are the last three games coming after the date with Fresno State.

Related: Washington State Football 2026 Schedule: Analysis & Key Games

This story was originally published by College Football News on Feb 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.