HJR026 • 2026

Joint Resolution Amending Rules of Evidence to Address Machine-Generated Evidence

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Rep. Ballard, Melissa G.
Last action: 2026-03-17
Official status: House/ to Lieutenant Governor
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Joint Resolution Amending Rules of Evidence to Address Machine-Generated Evidence

This resolution amends the Utah Rules of Evidence regarding the admissibility of machine-generated evidence.

What This Bill Does

This resolution amends the Utah Rules of Evidence regarding the admissibility of machine-generated evidence.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-17 Clerk of the House
House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
2026-03-17 Clerk of the House
House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
2026-03-17 Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
House/ to Lieutenant Governor
2026-03-17 Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
House/ to Lieutenant Governor
2026-03-11 Clerk of the House
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
2026-03-11 Clerk of the House
House/ enrolled bill to Printing
2026-03-10 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Bill Received from House for Enrolling
2026-03-10 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
2026-03-06 House Speaker
House/ received from Senate
2026-03-06 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
2026-03-06 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
2026-03-06 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
2026-03-06 Senate President
Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
2026-03-06 House Speaker
Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
2026-03-06 House Speaker
Senate/ to House
2026-03-04 Senate Rules Committee
Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
2026-03-03 Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2026-03-03 Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee
Senate/ committee report favorable
2026-03-03 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
2026-02-27 Senate Rules Committee
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2026-02-27 Waiting for Introduction in the Senate
Senate/ received from House
2026-02-27 Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee
Senate/ to standing committee
2026-02-26 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ 3rd reading
2026-02-26 Senate Secretary
House/ passed 3rd reading
2026-02-26 Senate Secretary
House/ to Senate
2026-02-23 House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2026-02-23 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ 2nd reading
2026-02-23 House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
House/ committee report favorable
2026-02-17 House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
House/ to standing committee
2026-02-12 House Rules Committee
House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
2026-02-12 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HJR026
2026-02-12 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HJR026
2026-02-11 Legislative Research and General Counsel
Bill Numbered but not Distributed
2026-02-11 House Rules Committee
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2026-02-11 Clerk of the House
House/ received bill from Legislative Research
2026-02-11 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HJR026
2026-02-11 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HJR026
2026-02-11 Legislative Research and General Counsel
Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed

Official Summary Text

This resolution amends the Utah Rules of Evidence regarding the admissibility of machine-generated evidence.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

4
Rule 707
0
Joint Resolution Amending Rules of Evidence to Address Machine-Generated Evidence
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Melissa G. Ballard
Senate Sponsor: Brady Brammer
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This resolution amends the Utah Rules of Evidence regarding the admissibility of
machine-generated evidence.
Highlighted Provisions:
This resolution:
amends the Utah Rules of Evidence by adding Rule 707 to address the admissibility of
machine-generated evidence.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This resolution provides a special effective date.
Utah Rules of Evidence Affected:
ENACTS:
Rule 707
, Utah Rules of Evidence
Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, two-thirds of all members elected to each
of the two houses voting in favor thereof:
As provided in Utah Constitution Article VIII, Section 4, the Legislature may amend rules of
procedure and evidence adopted by the Utah Supreme Court upon a two-thirds vote of all
members of both houses of the Legislature:
Section 1.
Rule 707
, Rules of Evidence is enacted to read:
Rule 707
. Machine-Generated Evidence.
(a) Definitions.
As used in this rule:
(1) "Machine-generated evidence" means information or material produced by a
machine-based system that autonomously processes data to generate an inference, prediction,
classification, or conclusion.
(2) "Simple scientific instrument" means a device that directly measures and reports
information or material without generating an inference, prediction, classification, or
conclusion.
(b) Admissibility.
(1) When machine-generated evidence is offered without an expert witness and provides
an inference, prediction, classification, or conclusion that would be subject to Rule 702(b) if
testified to by an expert, the court may admit the evidence only if the machine-generated
evidence:
(A) will help the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in
issue;
(B) is based on sufficient facts or data;
(C) is the product of reliable principles and methods; and
(D) reflects a reliable application of the principles and methods to the facts of the
case.
(2) This rule does not apply to the output of a simple scientific instrument.
(3) This rule applies when machine-generated evidence is:
(A) entered directly; or
(B) accompanied by lay testimony.
Section 2.
Effective Date.
As provided in Utah Constitution, Article VIII, Section 4, this resolution takes effect
upon a two-thirds vote of all members elected to each house.
3-11-26 1:43 PM