House approves tougher sentencing floor for fatal DUI cases in HB273 over judicial‑discretion objections

The Utah House on Feb. 14 passed House Bill 273, which raises the sentencing floor for certain DUI cases that result in a fatality to a 5‑to‑15‑year indeterminate prison term for the second‑degree automobile homicide charge when convicted.

Representative Andrew Stoddard, sponsor, said the bill is narrow and applies only to the most serious DUI cases involving fatalities, describing rising counts of impaired drivers and fatalities in his committee discussions. "If there is a case with sympathetic facts, it can be charged differently," Stoddard said, adding prosecutors can seek different charges where appropriate.

Representative Carl King, among opponents, said he finds mandatory minimums troubling because they remove judicial discretion and may be a one‑size‑fits‑all response to complex cases. "I really dislike mandatory minimum sentences," King said, urging colleagues to weigh policy tradeoffs.

After adoption of an amendment and floor debate, the House passed the second substitute of HB273 by a roll call of 46 yes and 21 no. The bill will be sent to the Senate for further consideration.