Utah lawmakers are working to find out more about deaths in Utah's jails after a series of inmate deaths last year.
Republican Sen. Todd Weiler's proposal requires jails and prisons to submit annual reports on jail deaths, how they treat inmates who are addicted to opioids and what prescribed drugs are not given to inmates while they're incarcerated.
The Senate Judiciary committee on Thursday unanimously approved the bill, sending it to the Senate floor for a vote.
Weiler says he thinks county sheriffs and jails are have a difficult job and work hard to prevent suicides and deaths but he's concerned about rising fatalities.
