UTAH STATE CAPITOL—State lawmakers, law enforcement and prosecutors gathered at the State Capitol on Tuesday to introduce H.B. 137, a bipartisan bill intended to help close unsolved violent crime cases and provide justice for victims. Rep. Tyler Clancy, R-Provo and Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork are the bill’s sponsors. 

“This is one of the most important issues facing our country and facing our state and that is violent crime,” said Clancy. “It’s quite literally the worst of the worst. It’s the news that no parent wants to hear, the shock and the awe of neighbors and loved ones that no one should ever have to deal with.”

H.B. 137 gives law enforcement and investigators more tools to solve violent crime cases, he said. “As we pulled some data together about Utah homicide clearance rates there’s a number of different opportunities that Utah has to move our clearance rate forward.”

Think about a gang member who’s pulling up to a gas station, who is ready to pull that trigger, what does he or she think in terms of being caught before they squeeze that trigger and change someone’s life forever? said Clancy. “Do they have the certainty that the minute they pull that trigger, they will be caught and they will be held accountable for what they’ve done to someone's loved one, to someone’s world? Violence impacts us all – it’s not someone else’s problem.”

One impulsive act of pulling the trigger, or one impulsive act of violence can change generations for years to come, he said. “The pain of a child never growing up to know his father, only learning about him in photos. We do not quantify that in a graph.”

“I’m supporting H.B. 137, violent crimes clearance rates amendment,” said Rep. Verona Mauga, D-West Valley. “My focus is and always has been about the victims and their families. Too many people are still waiting for answers in cases that have gone cold. That kind of uncertainty is incredibly painful.”

 It doesn’t end when the headlines fade, she said. “Families live with unanswered questions for years, sometimes decades. Families who have lost loved ones to violence are still waiting for answers.”

Mauga said she’s heard directly from police chiefs and investigators who see this as a meaningful step in the right direction. “It’s focused and practical and it keeps the priority where it belongs – solving violent crimes. What I appreciate about his approach is that it’s targeted.”

It’s not about expanding surveillance or unrelated enforcement, she said. “It’s about keeping the work focused on clearing cases and providing clarity for families who have been waiting for answers.”

Law enforcement in Utah does everything in its power to bring violent criminals to justice, said Ogden City Police Chief Jacob Sube. “However, police departments both urban and rural are today faced with numerous challenges that have strained capacity across the board, including the ability to investigate and solve violent crimes.”

Sube said despite these challenges, law enforcement continues to work tirelessly to clear every offense committed in their communities. “We must ensure that the resources available to law enforcement match the importance and urgency of their work. Evidence suggests that resources are critical in solving cases, including those that would otherwise go unsolved.”

H.B. 137 asks the legislature to fund $250,000, the rest would be private funding, said Clancy. “There are families in Utah that have a really big interest in this topic. So I’m confident that we will get an investment from the legislature but also that there are going to be individuals who care about the pursuit of justice and they’re going to want to chip in.” 

This doesn’t have to be this massive “break the bank investment,” he said. “This really is just smart, smart investment in reducing crime.”