Shall KRAIG POWELL be retained in the office of Judge of the District Court of the Fourth Judicial District?

Sponsored a 2016 law (H.B. 126), signed March 21, 2016, that makes it a crime to fly a drone in certain areas near a wildfire, with some exceptions.

March 21, 2016Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: le.utah.gov

Voted against H.B. 348, the 2015 criminal justice overhaul, on March 3, 2015, as one of 3 no votes when the House passed it 72-3. He voted no again on the final version on March 12. The law lowered penalties for some drug and traffic crimes and expanded treatment to cut repeat offending.

March 3, 2015Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2013 law (H.B. 41), signed March 26, 2013, that repealed a rule making newspaper owners file a statement when they print election-related material. It also repealed the criminal penalties tied to that rule.

March 26, 2013Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2016 bill (H.B. 299) to replace the words husband and wife with spouse or married couple throughout Utah law. It died without a vote on March 10, 2016.

March 10, 2016Supports Civil Rights

Source: le.utah.gov

Voted for S.B. 296 on March 11, 2015, when the House passed it 65-10. The law bans job and housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, with protections for religious groups and speech.

March 11, 2015Supports Civil Rights

Source: le.utah.gov

Received a camouflage judge's robe from veterans in his Utah County Veterans Treatment Court on August 22, 2023. He was the first Utah judge given this honor for his work with veterans.

August 22, 2023

Source: deseret.com

Was confirmed 25-0 by the Utah Senate as a judge of the Fourth District Court on November 16, 2016. Governor Gary Herbert had appointed him on October 19, 2016.

November 16, 2016

Source: le.utah.gov

Apologized to the LGBTQ community at his Senate confirmation hearing on November 14, 2016. He said he regretted his statements about a 2016 bill that LGBT advocates said favored opposite-sex couples in adoptions. LGBT rights groups had questioned whether he could be impartial.

November 14, 2016

Source: fox13now.com

Sponsored a 2016 law (H.B. 175), signed March 23, 2016, requiring school districts and charter schools to ask for background information about certain job applicants and volunteers.

March 23, 2016

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2016 bill (H.B. 157) to raise the legal age to buy or use tobacco and e-cigarettes from 19 to 21. A House committee voted 4-8 against advancing it on February 29, 2016, and it did not pass.

February 29, 2016

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2015 law (H.B. 115), signed April 1, 2015, that puts state 911 dispatchers in the public safety retirement system. Other public employers may choose to do the same.

April 1, 2015

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2015 law (H.B. 131), signed March 23, 2015, that bars people under 19 from being in tobacco specialty shops under certain conditions. It also changed the legal definition of an electronic cigarette.

March 23, 2015

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2015 law (H.B. 91), signed March 20, 2015, on anonymous campaign gifts. Candidates must give away anonymous cash gifts over $50 to the government or a charity. Other political groups may not spend such gifts.

March 20, 2015

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2015 resolution (H.J.R. 7) asking Congress to call a convention of states to propose a federal balanced budget amendment. The House passed it 40-30 and the Senate passed it 15-13 on March 6, 2015.

March 6, 2015

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2014 law (H.B. 392), signed April 1, 2014, setting rules for Utah delegates to a convention of states that proposes U.S. Constitution amendments. Delegates who back unauthorized amendments can be removed and face criminal penalties.

April 1, 2014

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2014 law (H.B. 262), signed April 1, 2014, requiring a majority of all voting members of a city council to pass an ordinance or take action.

April 1, 2014

Source: le.utah.gov

Voted for S.B. 54 on March 5, 2014, when the House passed it 49-20. The law lets candidates reach a party primary ballot by gathering voter signatures, through the party convention, or both.

March 5, 2014

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2012 law (H.B. 62), signed March 22, 2012, on elementary school supply lists. Schools may send parents a suggested list, but it must say supplies are voluntary and the school will provide them otherwise.

March 22, 2012

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2012 campaign finance disclosure law (H.B. 493), signed March 20, 2012, in a version rewritten in the Senate. Candidates must report money from all their campaign and officeholder accounts. City and county candidates must keep a separate campaign account.

March 20, 2012

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2012 voter roll law (H.B. 253), signed March 15, 2012. It removes voters who register in another state or lose voting rights through a criminal conviction. It also has clerks notify voters who skip two straight general elections.

March 15, 2012

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2012 bill (H.B. 89) requiring party caucus meetings to be open to the public when a quorum of a public body is present and discusses legislation. It died without a vote on March 8, 2012.

March 8, 2012

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2011 law (H.B. 55), signed March 23, 2011, that changed workers' compensation for volunteer members of county sheriff search and rescue teams. It also lets state search and rescue funds pay those costs.

March 23, 2011

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2011 law (H.B. 54), signed March 16, 2011, that lets members of a public body send each other electronic messages outside an open meeting.

March 16, 2011

Source: le.utah.gov

Voted for H.B. 477 on March 3, 2011, when the House passed it 61-12, and again for its final version on March 7. The bill removed text messages, voice mails and instant messages from Utah's public records law and changed records request fees.

March 3, 2011

Source: le.utah.gov

Sponsored a 2010 law (H.B. 115), signed March 30, 2010, that limits a county's duty to pay for a poor person's lawyer in juvenile court to the case the lawyer was appointed for.

March 30, 2010

Source: le.utah.gov

Received a 12-0 vote from the Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, which found he meets or exceeds its standards, in the report it shows voters for his 2026 retention question. He passed all 8 minimum standards, and 91% of surveyed court users recommended keeping him. The report said he should be more decisive and avoid calendar delays.

October 15, 2026Favorable on Impartiality

Source: judges.utah.gov

Received a 13-0 vote to retain from the Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission in its 2020 report. He passed all 8 minimum standards, and 90% of surveyed court users recommended keeping him. A few court users said he could manage time better.

July 14, 2020Favorable on Impartiality

Source: utahjpec.file.force.com

Received a 12-0 vote from the Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, which found he meets or exceeds its standards, in the report it shows voters for his 2026 retention question. He passed all 8 minimum standards, and 91% of surveyed court users recommended keeping him. The report said he should be more decisive and avoid calendar delays.

October 15, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: judges.utah.gov

Received a 13-0 vote to retain from the Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission in its 2020 report. He passed all 8 minimum standards, and 90% of surveyed court users recommended keeping him. A few court users said he could manage time better.

July 14, 2020Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: utahjpec.file.force.com