[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6147933,"mediaKeyId","5518658-5fed5bf4bc9220fd0c4941b260f5ca1e","parentId",5518658,"title","Committee unanimously recommends B. Mason to replace Commissioner Anderson as Utah Commissioner of Public Safety","audioSeconds",1058,"startMs",1266420,"endMs",2324915,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5518658-5fed5bf4bc9220fd0c4941b260f5ca1e&start=1266&end=2324","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5518658-5fed5bf4bc9220fd0c4941b260f5ca1e/thumbnail_1266420.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6147933/Utah/Committee-unanimously-recommends-B-Mason-to-replace-Commissioner-Anderson-as-Utah-Commissioner-of-Public-Safety","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147933-746e6cfe6568bb0ccfe855f803acf34b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440088&Signature=N4zSSLxPNjK0sy0nRe70BRJ6U5RBTkxhG0P8AskROBDYkNiYAi4lAOJ6JwwJD3yuArUCsWncsEkL-hfauYHoPxxXtvoh3QKPiUpcO6T7vvff6MJRZLYEhbPAL524cy~6FnGfwwN15VaCrVloMZz0Z4vPyxTGZe2mljt5LYt1l6Sch8jjsFcnc2MpaaKJ2I-UhbVxWXqW98Yog7qLj7NWavV~5Rraph243SieMNhKieK6B0tZoMZeijIhdMzXJOaS6XHq6mecyCKt6QyX8xWMwXnf86lVHMlCSm7lgbUK0QRse2XjXBNevtIWYOw18lwQDviS5UlhLpu9Wt8z9hybxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utah Legislature","date","2025-07-30T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Confirmation Committee unanimously favorably recommended B. Mason to serve as Commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, advancing the nomination to the full Senate following a hearing that reviewed his law-enforcement career and plans for the department.

Mason, introduced as the governor’s nominee to replace Commissioner Anderson, told the committee he spent 20 years as a state trooper and has held roles on the motor squad, the CERT team, training divisions and in leadership including serving as deputy commissioner. He said he has pursued further education, including a master’s in leadership and a master’s in public safety (capstone pending).

Mason laid out priorities for the department that include sustaining customer-service improvements in driver licensing, addressing Emergency Medical Services and the implications of proposed FEMA changes, strengthening relationships with chiefs, sheriffs and federal partners, and preparing for the 2034 Olympics. He stated: “I promise I can make is I will give this everything I’ve got for as long as I’m given the opportunity to serve in this position.”

On workforce issues, Mason said the Department of Public Safety has 13 divisions and about 1,700 employees, with roughly 700 sworn officers and more non‑sworn staff. He told senators some frontline non‑sworn workers are starting at $18 an hour and that pay and turnover in non‑sworn divisions are concerns he intends to address.

Senator Escamilla, among committee members who questioned Mason, asked how he would handle constituency outreach and crises; Mason cited community outreach during Operation Rio Grande and meetings with small‑area stakeholders as models for including diverse input before pursuing policy changes.

Senator Escamilla moved that the committee favorably recommend B. Mason to the full Senate; the chair ruled the motion passed unanimously. The committee record shows positive remarks from members about Mason’s temperament and past service. The nomination will proceed to the full Senate for confirmation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Confirmation Committee - July 30, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate committee favorably recommended B. Mason to serve as Utah’s Commissioner of Public Safety after a hearing that highlighted his 20 years with the Utah Highway Patrol, leadership roles, and priorities including customer service, EMS coordination and workforce pay for non‑sworn staff.","taxTitle","2025 Utah Legislature, Utah Legislature, Utah Legislative Branch, Utah","taxId",78171,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6147936,"Committee backs Tara Beheunen for statewide Search and Rescue Advisory Board seat",224,1020535,1245429,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5518658-5fed5bf4bc9220fd0c4941b260f5ca1e&start=1020&end=1245","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5518658-5fed5bf4bc9220fd0c4941b260f5ca1e/thumbnail_1020535.jpg","/articles/6147936/Utah/Committee-backs-Tara-Beheunen-for-statewide-Search-and-Rescue-Advisory-Board-seat","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147936-4b16e32628a7ade1a4143cef00b83d08/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440088&Signature=VyBleUFbvNkrp4SBHz1xMz~j0R72z4UkB~PPlSNp~MzJ8g6dm68p7fjhI37CsTnbH4ItZ8DPEzuCvJK~ObbisXIXOGQl19HXacW1E3Xw6Oq5EEkF2UiginciZQCn3wtfR0i0VvkTH0ALfIxYj2LRtupaF9f-xEOnp0LSQemPrqishG2s8uqAKdvJ6dsNcneRYq-MduA5JcWNAhTRYUjlaAOJIsvv3z9S68dBR5sKlPcdx5f11GfsS6GJCf6IdWFDFt~e14VwMCnKlFuiSdcxPGl7MgXLM07efdLaWQeGO4ilLf9TDnwa7q9vG4cBM50-47Do3B71VJuuv6EWLqzRWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Confirmation Committee favorably recommended Tara Beheunen to serve in the business-at-large seat on the statewide Search and Rescue Advisory Board, citing her long administrative support role with the board and institutional knowledge of search-and-rescue operations across Utah.

Beheunen told the committee she served as administrative support to the Utah Search and Rescue Advisory Board from 2006 to 2024 and said that experience gave her “a depth of institutional knowledge, organizational insight, and continuity that would benefit the board’s work.”

She told senators the statewide teams face funding gaps, aging equipment and strains from “increasing number of missions” tied to recreational users in Utah. “Throughout my career, I’ve consistently demonstrated a dedication to ensuring that systems run efficiently and that mission critical operations receive the necessary support to succeed,” she said.

Senator Owens moved that the committee favorably recommend Beheunen to the full Senate. The chair ruled the motion passed unanimously. The chair invited the nominee to attend the full-Senate confirmation on Aug. 20 at 4:00 p.m., though attendance is optional.

The committee record shows no public comment in opposition and no amendments to the recommendation. The committee’s favorable recommendation advances Beheunen’s nomination to the full Senate for advice and consent.","The confirmation committee favorably recommended Tara Beheunen for the statewide Search and Rescue Advisory Board, citing her 2006–2024 administrative support experience and knowledge of search-and-rescue funding, equipment and volunteer challenges.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6147938,"Committee unanimously recommends Lisa Crawford for pro tem seat on Utah Board of Pardons and Parole",846,269665,1116015,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5518658-5fed5bf4bc9220fd0c4941b260f5ca1e&start=269&end=1116","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5518658-5fed5bf4bc9220fd0c4941b260f5ca1e/thumbnail_269665.jpg","/articles/6147938/Utah/Committee-unanimously-recommends-Lisa-Crawford-for-pro-tem-seat-on-Utah-Board-of-Pardons-and-Parole","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147938-3493198d944346aff459b915341b39ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440088&Signature=lJFU6F8DV7CInE0sKAGkm-01VfeHW-r5nw-J6zl0M0HiWGXee8Jr84jDQW9U9RF-mtkHmyv-uVEO2Mps2MP3hk7ahqWscnA3a6uExjPo7zf-HbqIx0vS6o2Tgi8GtmP9bbnfSuq1B8TuYMmmm6ziCT9OJ8ZdL22v~LR9PtK0OBHDlK2zBM1zTBDqXudHMFi7Hb-PGyP0~hJuvYOe56uwk7t6MRzCqOAq2339ZFXbOfOKadGyloMyWdToG~73bXwZuEHHuQLXDC6hq5Rv79rvbdn6HkCSeeHqpxh-SmoD7O5uS-0OHmHxa3pY9AOyComos7zo77pruuU2-4DUU67-UQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Confirmation Committee unanimously favorably recommended Lisa Crawford to serve as a pro tempore member of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole following a confirmation hearing during which Crawford described her background in juvenile and criminal defense and discussed how she would apply statute and legislative intent when making decisions.

Crawford, introduced to the committee as the governor's nominee, said she would balance “public safety, victim input, and rehabilitation of the offender” and that she would “apply the law and be guided by legislation and intent, court decisions, rules, sentencing guidelines, and evidence based resources.”

Crawford told the committee she was raised in Ohio, moved to Utah for college, earned dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sociology at the University of Utah, attended J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University, worked nearly 19 years at the Utah County Public Defender’s Office, and most recently has been in part-time solo practice. She described earlier work supervising youth at the Genesis Youth Center and serving as a juvenile probation officer with the Fourth District Juvenile Court in American Fork.

When a senator asked how she would determine “intent” when applying statute, Crawford said: “When you apply statute, you first look at the clear language of the statute. . . . When there’s ambiguous terms, you do look at legislative intent, which includes having to review legislative history, hearings, case law, other case decisions that have analyzed what that statute’s intent was.”

Don Blanchard, Crawford’s father‑in‑law and a former member and chair of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, spoke during public comment in support of the nomination, saying he has “engaged in discussions about criminal justice issues with her from time to time” and that he knows “of her genuine concern about the justice system, about fairness and equity.”

Senator Escamilla moved that the committee favorably recommend Crawford to the full Senate. The chair ruled the motion passed unanimously. The chair announced the full Senate confirmation will be held during the interim on August 20 at 4:00 p.m.

The hearing record shows Crawford emphasized procedural caution: she said she would not rush decisions and would rely on risk and needs assessments, statutory guidance, sentencing rules and court decisions when reviewing cases. No committee member registered opposition during the hearing.","The Senate Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Confirmation Committee on a voice vote favorably recommended Lisa Crawford to serve as a pro tempore member of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole after a confirmation hearing in which Crawford summarized her legal and corrections-related background and a family member testified in support.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee unanimously recommends B. Mason to replace Commissioner Anderson as Utah Commissioner of Public Safety

Committee backs Tara Beheunen for statewide Search and Rescue Advisory Board seat

Committee unanimously recommends Lisa Crawford for pro tem seat on Utah Board of Pardons and Parole