Derrin R. Owens

Office held

Voting record

All votes by Derrin R. Owens

Teaching, coaching and counseling

Derrin R. Owens grew up in Arizona's White Mountains and later moved to Sanpete County. He played football at Snow College and began teaching and coaching at Juab High School in 1992. His official Senate biography describes graduate study in education and school counseling, followed by work as a high school counselor during a career of roughly three decades in education. ^[1]

From the House to a rural Senate district

Owens entered the Utah House in 2015 and joined the Senate in 2021. He represents District 27, which reaches across portions of ten counties in central and southern Utah. His biography identifies Fountain Green as his home and names him chair of Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment. His earlier House service is part of his career, separate from his Senate tenure. ^[1]

Economic development after the classroom

After his school career, Owens returned to Snow College's Business Department to oversee small-business development, economic development and continuing education, according to the Senate biography. The Legislature lists economic development as his profession. His current Senate assignments include Economic Development and Workforce Services as well as Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment, linking his professional transition with two major areas of legislative work. ^{[1] [2]}

In the 2026 General Session, Derrin R. Owens was chief sponsor of S.B. 43, Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office Amendments. It clarifies the Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office's role as the primary representative of trust beneficiaries, refines the director's duties, sets accountability requirements for non-public-education trust distributions following a legislative audit, and updates the nominating committees for the trustee boards. The governor signed it on March 19, 2026. ^[3]

In the 2026 General Session, Derrin R. Owens was chief sponsor of S.B. 51, School Safety Modifications. It creates a statewide student threat flag, requires school systems to report student threat information to the state board and sets privacy protections and sharing procedures. The governor signed it on March 19, 2026. ^[4]

Criminal justice, resources and health governance

Owens serves on Criminal Justice Appropriations and Economic and Community Development Appropriations. His additional assignments include the Federalism Commission and Medical Cannabis Governance Structure Working Group, alongside interim natural-resources and public-utilities work. Those responsibilities broaden his portfolio beyond education and small business, bringing agency funding, state-federal relations and the structure of a healthcare program into his legislative record. ^[2]

Profile sources

Profile refreshed October 20, 2026. Candidate statements describe the candidate's own experience or positions; official records and reporting are labeled separately.

1. Utah Senate — official senator biography · Official record
2. Utah Legislature — official member biography and assignments · Official record
3. Utah Legislature, S.B. 43 Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office Amendments · Official record
4. Utah Legislature, S.B. 51 School Safety Modifications · Official record

From the Legislature's roster

Profession

Executive Director, Economic Development

Education

Ma. Ed.

Committees

• Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee
• Economic and Community Development Appropriations Subcommittee
• Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee
• Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Interim Committee
• Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Confirmation Committee
• Federalism Commission
• Senate Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Confirmation Committee
• Medical Cannabis Governance Structure Working Group
• Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Confirmation Committee
• Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee
• Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee

As listed by the Utah Legislature.

In the news

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