- Gov. Spencer Cox appointed Blake Hills as chair of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
- Hills, a former prosecutor, has served on the board since 2021.
- His appointment follows Scott Stephenson's departure and requires Utah Senate confirmation.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox named former prosecutor and acting Chairman Blake Hills as the chair of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
Hills has served on the board since 2021 and as vice chairman since April. He will replace former Board Chairman Scott Stephenson, who left earlier this year.
"Blake understands what's at stake for victims, offenders and communities," Cox said. "He makes careful decisions and he keeps his word. That is the kind of leadership this board deserves."
Tasked with deciding when people convicted of crimes should be released from prison, Utah's Board of Pardons and Parole is made up of five full-time and up to five temporary members. The board currently has four members, as Brett Varoz is awaiting Senate confirmation to fill Stephenson's seat.
Hills brings decades of prosecutorial experience to the board after working in the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office and Summit County Attorney's Office, according to the governor's office. During that time, Hills focused on cases involving victims of domestic violence and child abuse.
He teaches constitutional and statutory criminal law at the Salt Lake Community College Law Enforcement Academy.
"I am truly humbled by this honor, and I am grateful to Gov. Cox for placing his faith in me," Hills said. "Serving on the Board of Pardons and Parole for the last four and a half years has truly been a privilege. As chair, I will continue to work faithfully to promote public safety while honoring the rights of everyone involved in the criminal justice process."
Hills earned a bachelor's degree from Weber State University before graduating from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. He clerked for the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals and worked in the Utah Attorney General's Office early on in his career.
His appointment is effective Tuesday, after which he will need to be confirmed by the Utah Senate.
