House rejects bill that would criminalize posting some crime videos before reporting

The Utah House voted down House Bill 147 on Feb. 17, 2023, after an extended floor debate about whether intentionally sharing recordings of harm without calling for help should be a misdemeanor.

Representative King, sponsor of HB147, said the measure is intended to reach people who film persons in need of immediate assistance and post recordings to social media for clicks rather than summon help. "It's wrong to intentionally film something, know that someone is in need of immediate assistance, and disregarding that need, post it to social media for your own gratification rather than call 911 or call law enforcement," King said.

Opponents raised practical and First Amendment concerns. Representative Cutler asked whether footage from a home security camera or a Ring device could fall under the bill; King replied the bill is intended to be narrow and to target recordings of persons in immediate need (not property crimes). Representative Brammer and Representative Abbott cautioned that the bill could be difficult to apply uniformly and might expose journalists or bystanders to prosecution in ambiguous cases. Abbott said he "rises in opposition" and asked for further refinement, calling prosecutorial discretion an imperfect safeguard.

The House ultimately rejected HB147 on a roll-call vote, 30-39. The clerk reported the bill failed and it was referred for filing; sponsors said they had worked with prosecutors on language but opponents said more narrowing is needed.

Next steps: With the floor defeat, HB147 will not proceed and may be returned to sponsors or committee for revision if proponents choose to reintroduce a narrower measure in a future session.