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What to Say to Your Representative?
Now is the time to lobby your Utah lawmakers to urge them to pass H.B. 290 to make parole and probation into off-ramps away from prison instead of long, costly roads back to incarceration.
First, get started by signing up to receive our Legislative Action Alert Texts.
Because legislation moves fast on Capitol Hill, we will use simple text messages to keep you informed as priority bills are assigned a crucial committee hearing or scheduled for a vote on the House or Senate floor. We want to let you know how and when you can make your voice heard.
Second, contact your Utah representative.
Find how who represents you by going to https://le.utah.gov and click on "My Legislators". You can then click on their pictures to get their contact information.
When you contact your representative be sure to explain that you are a constituent (i.e. a resident of their district) and use the talking points below. You can also check out our "Guide to Legislative Advocacy in Utah" to help craft your message.
Tell them to Support H.B. 290 because...
First, get started by signing up to receive our Legislative Action Alert Texts.
Because legislation moves fast on Capitol Hill, we will use simple text messages to keep you informed as priority bills are assigned a crucial committee hearing or scheduled for a vote on the House or Senate floor. We want to let you know how and when you can make your voice heard.
Second, contact your Utah representative.
Find how who represents you by going to https://le.utah.gov and click on "My Legislators". You can then click on their pictures to get their contact information.
When you contact your representative be sure to explain that you are a constituent (i.e. a resident of their district) and use the talking points below. You can also check out our "Guide to Legislative Advocacy in Utah" to help craft your message.
Tell them to Support H.B. 290 because...
- In 2018, almost 18,000 Utahns were on probation or parole. These community members need our support to succeed.
- Utah has the second-fastest growing prison population in the nation. Parole and probation violations are fueling that increase. We need reform now.
- According to a 2020 report from the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, “(Parole) is the most direct driver of the overall increase in [prison] admission numbers between FY2016 and FY2019.” We need parole reform now to address this issue.
- A 2019 report from the Council of State Governments noted that almost 80% of people entering prison in Utah are already on probation or parole. And about half of these people going to prison were from technical violations.
- The cost of sending all those people to prison for probation and parole violations costs Utah taxpayers about $75 million per year. We can spend less money by supporting people in the community instead of sending them to prison.
- H.B. 290 will help end needlessly sending people to prison for technical violations. Technical violations do not involve breaking criminal laws. Technical violations can be anything from missing an appointment with a parole officer to breaking curfew without permission. Technical violations can also result from issues that shouldn't put someone in prison, like not getting a job or struggling with addiction.
- Each Utahn sent to prison for making a simple mistake or struggling with their circumstances is falling further behind in rebuilding their lives, their careers, and their connections to friends and family.
- HB290 will transform parole and probation into an off-ramp away from prison instead of a long, costly road to prison.