Utah Senate Approves Bill Banning the Release of Mug Shots Until Someone Is Convicted of a Crime

The Utah Senate voted unanimously Wednesday in favor of a bill that would ban police from publicly releasing mug shots until a person has been convicted of a crime.

Under HB228, photos taken by police after someone is arrested would become a protected record, and police couldn’t share them with the public or media unless that person is convicted or a judge orders their release. {snip}

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The bill, which previously passed through the House with a 69-1 vote, has received the backing of Black Lives Matter Utah and others who said that, historically, mug shots of people of color have been published disproportionately on news websites.

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