# Utah H.B. 21: Criminal Code Recodification and Cross References Utah H.B. 21, Criminal Code Recodification and Cross References, is a 2025 General Session House bill sponsored by Gwynn, Matthew H.; status signed, last action 2025-03-25 (Governor Signed); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-HB21-2025GS - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Utah H.B. 21 - State: Utah - Session: 2025 General Session - Title: Criminal Code Recodification and Cross References - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2024-12-17 - Last action: 2025-03-25, Governor Signed - Sponsor: Gwynn, Matthew H. - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Recodification, Crimes, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 21 (210 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 108 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Diversion option for some youth offenses: benefit, medium. Courts can grant diversion for eligible sexual offenses committed before age 16. Enticing a minor, sexual battery, lewdness, and lewdness involving a child are excluded. The court must find no force or coercion and an age gap of no more than three years. Subject to statutory exceptions, delayed rep… - More felony arrests qualify for bail: benefit, medium. County jail officials can set bail up to $5,000 for added third-degree felonies involving family offenses or abortion prohibition. The arrested person cannot be on separate pretrial release, probation, or parole. Missing court must be the main risk, and the person must agree in writing to appear. P… - Registry removal option for some voyeurism: benefit, medium. People convicted of class A misdemeanor recorded or photographed voyeurism can seek registry removal five years after their sentence ends. It must be their only offense requiring registration, with no later convictions except traffic offenses. They must finish ordered treatment and pay all ordered… - Solicited children get services, not delinquency cases: benefit, medium. Officers encountering a child engaged in sexual solicitation must refer the child to the Division of Child and Family Services. The referral is for services. The child cannot face delinquency proceedings under this provision. - Breastfeeding mothers gain clear legal protection: benefit, low. Breastfeeding does not violate this chapter when a woman is somewhere she has a right to be. The protection applies whether or not her breast is covered during or as part of feeding. - Coerced solicitation convictions gain relief pathway: benefit, low. A person who committed sexual solicitation of a child under force, fraud, or coercion can seek postconviction relief. Relief is not automatic. The person must also satisfy the postconviction law’s other requirements and its standard for granting relief. - Firearm safekeeping records get destroyed sooner: benefit, low. Utah law enforcement agencies must destroy firearm safekeeping records immediately when the firearm is returned or disposed of. Agencies no longer have five days afterward. The requirement covers records created under the firearm safekeeping chapter. - Kids gain protection against online information sharing: benefit, low. Adults face a class A misdemeanor for publicly posting an unrelated minor’s identifying information online while consciously disregarding a substantial, unjustifiable risk. The risk must involve the child becoming a victim of an offense against a person, and the child must know about the disclosure… - Owners get deadlines for seized-material review: benefit, low. Owners or possessors of material seized under the covered warrant procedure can challenge its classification as pornographic or harmful to minors. They must file written notice within 10 days after seizure. After the hearing, the court must make a further probable-cause decision within two days. Wi… - People harmed by tracking can sue: benefit, low. People injured by an unlawfully installed tracking device can sue the person responsible. Heirs can sue if the injured person has died. Courts must stop continued violations and can award proven losses. A finding of a violation entitles the plaintiff to reasonable attorney fees; malicious violation… - People trying to leave avoid dispersal charges: benefit, low. The failure-to-disperse offense does not apply to people who try but fail to leave the scene. The exception covers riots, disorderly conduct, and unlawful assemblies. - Privacy victims gain damages and legal fees: benefit, low. People injured by unlawful privacy violations, private-communication interception or disclosure, or identity use in ads can sue. Heirs of deceased victims can also sue. Courts must stop continued violations and award reasonable attorney fees after finding a violation. Plaintiffs can recover proven… - Some fathers keep adoption notice rights: benefit, low. An unmarried biological father’s adoption notice and consent rights can be denied when a child results from a sexual offense. That rule excludes offenses under Sections 76-5-417 through 76-5-420. It also excludes substantially similar offenses under the law where the child was conceived. Fathers ke… - Unaware package couriers gain tobacco protection: benefit, low. Couriers carrying someone else’s package are not treated as providing tobacco, nicotine, electronic cigarette products, or tobacco paraphernalia without reason to know its contents. The protection applies to transporting or delivering the package. - Antitrust witnesses get lawyers and reimbursements: benefit, low. People ordered to give oral testimony in a civil antitrust investigation can have a lawyer advise and represent them. They can object on legal or privilege grounds. Testimony must be recorded under oath, and witnesses can request a free copy. Witnesses also receive district-court witness fees and m… - Landlords and tenants lose specific criminal penalties: benefit, low. The law removes a class A misdemeanor for owners or intermediate lessors who willfully allow specified prohibited property use to continue. That penalty applied after a qualifying conviction and notice. It also removes a class A misdemeanor for tenants or occupants staying more than 10 days after w… - Educators face narrower sexual-offense discipline grounds: benefit, low. Educators can face professional discipline, including license loss, for committing covered sexual offenses. Offenses under Sections 76-5-417 through 76-5-420 are excluded from this particular discipline ground. The rule applies to educators defined by state law. - Health-access applicants get narrow background-check exception: benefit, low. Certain health and human services applicants seeking direct-access-qualified status get a narrow background-check exception. A conviction under Section 76-5b-206 is excluded from the listed Sexual Exploitation Act offense category. This applies to denial decisions involving convictions within the t… - Tobacco businesses gain advertising and giveaway flexibility: benefit, low. The law removes Utah’s smokeless-tobacco health-warning requirement for ads in newspapers, magazines, and periodicals published in the state. Tobacco retailers, manufacturers, and distributors can give a free tobacco product to a customer age 21 or older with a tobacco purchase. The giveaway except… - Antitrust evidence can require scheduled destruction: benefit, low. A confidentiality agreement or order can require Utah’s attorney general to destroy materials produced in a civil antitrust investigation. The requirement binds the attorney general even when state records-retention rules call for keeping the materials. The agreement or order sets the destruction t… - Contracted police animals gain criminal protections: benefit, low. Criminal protections for police service dogs also cover animals contracted to assist law enforcement agencies with their duties. The protections address endangerment, injury, death, and interference involving those animals. - Covered conspiracy offense needs three people: benefit, low. This conspiracy offense now requires a person to conspire with at least two other people, rather than two people total. It remains a third-degree felony with a minimum $1,000 fine and at least 60 days of incarceration that cannot be suspended. After a prior conviction under this section, it is a se… - Defendants face fewer sexual-offense charge enhancements: benefit, low. Offenses under Sections 76-5-417 through 76-5-420 no longer supply the sexual-offense grounds for threat-of-violence charges or aggravated kidnapping. Other threat grounds remain, including bodily injury, death, substantial property damage, and an immediate show of force. Soliciting an adult to com… - Domestic water protected from sheep washing: benefit, low. Washing or dipping sheep is a class B misdemeanor when it makes a city or town’s domestic-use stream impure or unwholesome. The rule covers washing in the stream and use of a nearby pool or dipping vat that contaminates it. - Educational and treatment films receive exemptions: benefit, low. Films distributed to or shown by listed educational institutions, libraries, churches, and museums are exempt from the applicable film regulation. The showing must have scientific, religious, or educational justification. Department of Corrections showings are also exempt when used solely to assess… - Four offenses excluded from gang cases: benefit, low. Four specified sexual-offense sections cannot serve as underlying crimes for Utah’s criminal street gang laws. The exclusion covers Sections 76-5-417 through 76-5-420. It applies when prosecutors evaluate whether an offense qualifies as a gang-related underlying crime. - Governments face tighter firearm rule limits: benefit, low. Utah state and local governments generally cannot ban or require permits for the firearm activities and places covered by this law. Covered activities include owning, buying, selling, transferring, transporting, and keeping firearms, ammunition, and accessories. Government restrictions on public or… - Identity sharing to cause harassment covered: benefit, low. The identifying-information disclosure offense covers sharing intended to cause electronic harassment when harassment actually results. The actor must expect others to spread or use the information. The harassment definition includes three specified offenses, including unlawful electronic disclosur… - Immigration documents bring limited legal protections: benefit, low. For this immigration chapter, listed Utah, tribal, and government IDs and resident immigrant permits support a presumption of lawful presence. That protection does not apply if an officer reasonably suspects the document is false or belongs to someone else. Beginning on the legally defined program… - Lawful drone work gains privacy exception: benefit, low. Drone operators are exempt from this unlawful privacy violation offense for legitimate commercial or educational flights following applicable federal aviation rules or authorizations. Any privacy-related conduct must be solely incidental to that lawful use. The exception does not cover conduct outs… - Minors gain limited lawful weapon access: benefit, low. Minors can possess dangerous weapons for listed lawful activities, including safety courses, shooting ranges, competitions, hunting, and permitted real-property use. The exceptions also cover target concessions and unloaded travel to or from listed activities. Children under 14 need parent or guard… - Restricted people gain limited weapon relief: benefit, low. People restricted under dangerous-weapons law can possess archery equipment, including crossbows, for lawful hunting or target shooting. Court conditions for pretrial release or probation, and parole conditions, can still prohibit that equipment. After a court removes a specified mental-health fire… - Some computer conduct avoids access charges: benefit, low. The unlawful computer access offense does not apply when the circumstances also constitute an offense under Section 76-12-205. The exception also covers other offenses listed in Section 76-6-703.7(2)(b). Other applicable criminal charges remain possible. - Some misdemeanor defendants avoid hate-crime enhancements: benefit, low. The hate-crime penalty increase no longer applies to misdemeanors under Sections 76-9-105.5, 76-9-105.6, and 76-9-110 through 76-9-114. The enhancement concerns intent to intimidate or terrorize, or reason to believe the conduct will do so. The listed offenses are excluded from that enhancement. - Some sexual offenses escape sentencing add-ons: benefit, low. Enticing a minor, lewdness, and child lewdness no longer count toward habitual violent offender status. Those offenses, plus sexual battery, are excluded from the one-level increase for knowingly having HIV, AIDS, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C. First-degree felonies remain outside that increase. Prio… - Stronger privacy protections in changing rooms: benefit, low. People in changing rooms have a reasonable expectation of privacy under voyeurism and recorded or photographed voyeurism laws. Government entities running public facilities must contact police about privacy-space complaints involving recorded voyeurism or sharing voyeurism images. The reporting dut… - Tobacco violations face narrower misdemeanor rule: benefit, low. The tobacco penalty rule makes violations of Sections 59-14-501, 59-14-502, 59-14-504, and 59-14-509 class B misdemeanors. It no longer applies across the entire statutory part. Violations outside those four sections are not covered by this particular penalty rule. - Valuable material gains limited display exemption: benefit, low. Material with serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors is excluded from the indecent public display offense. The material must be judged as a whole. The law says descriptions or depictions of illicit sex or sexual immorality have no serious value for minors. - Victim safety interviews allow camera pauses: benefit, low. Officers can pause body cameras during an evidence-based lethality assessment with domestic violence or qualifying sexual-offense victims. The victim or officer must believe the pause encourages complete, accurate information or protects the victim’s safety or identity. The officer must restart rec… - Voyeurism brings higher privacy-space loitering penalties: benefit, low. Knowingly or intentionally remaining unlawfully in a privacy space generally carries a class B misdemeanor charge. It is a class A misdemeanor when combined with recorded or photographed voyeurism, or distribution of voyeuristic images. Other listed grounds for class A treatment remain in place. - Consent required for minors’ tattoos and piercings: benefit, low. Tattooing or piercing a minor, or offering either service, requires parent or guardian consent when done for pay or business. A violation is a class B misdemeanor, and the business owner or operator faces a $1,000 civil penalty per violation. An actor without actual knowledge of the minor’s age has… - Unauthorized identity ads face matching corrections: benefit, low. A person convicted of using someone’s identity in an ad without consent can be ordered to issue an apology or retraction. The correction must be similar in size and placement to the original ad. The order must come within 30 days of conviction unless the victim waives the correction. - Online providers gain conditional criminal liability protection: benefit, low. Qualifying online services and hosting companies are exempt from specified offenses when harmful-material distribution is incidental to their normal services. Covered services include transmission, routing, connections, storage, and caching. Providers must not intentionally help distribute the mate… - Older public entities gain antitrust exemption: benefit, low. Certain project, electric, and energy services entities share Utah’s antitrust exemption for political subdivisions. They must have formed under the Interlocal Cooperation Act before January 1, 1981. Their covered activities must be authorized or directed by state law. - Corporate record fraud offense becomes narrower: benefit, low. This corporate or association offense now targets insiders, and their helpers, who knowingly receive or hold entity property for personal benefit. Property received to satisfy a valid claim is excluded. The person must intentionally leave a full, truthful entry out of the books with intent to defra… - Children face fewer solicitation case protections: cost, medium. The law removes the express bar on delinquency proceedings against children for prostitution or sexual solicitation. Proceedings are allowed, not required. People with juvenile sexual solicitation adjudications also lose this section’s pathway to ask a court to clear those adjudications. - Some victims lose specific legal protections: cost, medium. The crime-victim rights definition no longer lists sexual battery or lewdness as sexual offenses. Both that definition and Safe at Home exclude enticing a minor, lewdness involving a child, and computer-technician reporting failures. Safe at Home also excludes sexual battery and lewdness. Jail-rele… - Under-21 tobacco shop visits face penalties: cost, medium. People under 21 cannot enter or stay inside a retail tobacco specialty business unless an exception applies. A first offense is a class C misdemeanor, a second is class B, and later offenses are class A. Entry is allowed with a parent or legal guardian, who cannot allow tobacco, electronic cigarett… - Child-abuse findings block parents' homeschool exemptions: cost, medium. School boards cannot accept a homeschool attendance-exemption affidavit from a parent or guardian convicted of child abuse. The same bar applies after a court makes a substantiated child-abuse finding, and boards cannot grant the exemption on that basis. Covered abuse includes qualifying felony or… - Businesses face currency reporting penalties: cost, medium. Businesses other than financial institutions must file required federal information after receiving more than $10,000 in domestic or foreign currency. The threshold covers one transaction or related transactions during one business day. Knowingly or intentionally failing to file is an offense, and… - Littering brings fines and possible cleanup: cost, low. Discarding litter, or allowing it to be discarded, on land or waterways without the owner’s or controller’s permission is unlawful. A violation is a class C misdemeanor with a minimum $100 fine per violation. A court can also order at least four hours of cleanup in a safe area it selects. - Riot victims lose specific restitution mandate: cost, low. The law removes a specific requirement to order restitution for convictions under former Subsection 76-9-101(4), a riot provision. This removes that subsection’s repayment mandate. It does not establish that restitution available under other law is barred. - Victim reparations use narrower sexual-assault definition: cost, low. Utah’s crime victim reparations rules exclude four types of conduct from the sexual-assault definition. They are enticing a minor, sexual battery, lewdness, and lewdness involving a child. This changes whether those cases are treated as sexual assault for reparations purposes. - Insurance rules narrow covered abuse definitions: cost, low. Applicable insurance rules define child abuse through specified assault-related and sexual offenses committed or attempted against a child. That definition excludes enticing a minor. The domestic-violence definition excludes enticing a minor, sexual battery, lewdness, and lewdness involving a child… - Medical-care rules narrow sexual assault definition: cost, low. Medical-care rules in Utah Code Part 26B-4 exclude four offenses from the definition of sexual assault. They are enticing a minor, sexual battery, lewdness, and lewdness involving a child, under Sections 76-5-417 through 76-5-420. The exclusions affect how victim status is determined for care cover… - Drug testers must report suspect urine: cost, low. Specimen collectors reporting drug or alcohol test results to employers must report information indicating adulterated or synthetic urine was submitted. They must notify both the employer and Utah’s Department of Public Safety. This rule does not impose a new reporting duty on the person who submit… - Public hiring protections exclude serious convictions: cost, low. Specified conviction-related hiring protections do not cover violent felonies or qualifying sexual-offense felonies. This rule covers mental-health-professional applicants to public employers and people working under public-employer contracts. The sexual-offense category excludes felonies under Sec… - Workers face narrower confidentiality-clause protections: cost, low. Utah's sexual-misconduct confidentiality rules exclude conduct in Sections 76-5-417 through 76-5-420 from the definition of sexual assault. Those sections concern enticing a minor, sexual battery, lewdness, and lewdness involving a child. Protections tied to sexual-assault allegations therefore do… - Adults aiding minors face harsher penalties: cost, low. Adults 18 or older commit a third-degree felony by knowingly encouraging or intentionally helping minors in specified conduct involving harmful material. The offense requires the minor's intentional conduct and the stated knowledge or age-check conditions. The mandatory fine is at least $5,000 plus… - Cities must designate gang-loitering prohibition areas: cost, low. Cities and counties must designate public places where gang loitering is prohibited because gangs control, intimidate, or conceal illegal activity. They must consult knowledgeable people as appropriate and set procedures to review and update the areas. Gang loitering means staying where a reasonabl… - Dangerous animal owners face criminal liability: cost, low. Owners face criminal liability when they know an animal’s dangerous tendencies and willfully let it roam or keep it without ordinary care. The animal must injure or kill another animal or a person who took reasonable precautions. The offense is generally a class B misdemeanor. It becomes a third-de… - Disabling minors’ filters brings criminal penalties: cost, low. Adults other than a minor’s parent or guardian cannot intentionally disable a required device filter to send pornography to that minor. The device must be in the minor’s possession. A first violation is a class A misdemeanor with a fine up to $2,500. Another violation after a conviction is a third-… - Fight promoters face broader criminal liability: cost, low. Publicizing, promoting, or conducting a qualifying live fighting match is a class A misdemeanor, alongside participating. The match must charge admission and allow professional contestants to use a combination of specified combat techniques. It must also lack listed safeguards involving formal judg… - Gang enforcement carries weapon and dispersal penalties: cost, low. For five years after a qualifying gang-enhanced conviction, possessing a dangerous weapon, ammunition, or firearm facsimile is a class A misdemeanor. In designated gang-loitering areas, people must obey an officer’s order to disperse beyond sight and hearing of the location. Failing to leave or ret… - Gun dealers face unlawful transfer felonies: cost, low. Firearm dealers face a third-degree felony for willfully and intentionally making sales or transfers that violate the specified Utah firearm laws. The rule targets dealers’ unlawful sales and transfers, not every firearm transaction. - Laundering criminal proceeds brings felony exposure: cost, low. Specified dealings with property known to be unlawful proceeds are second-degree felonies. Covered transactions include those intended to promote unlawful activity, hide the property, or avoid transaction-reporting requirements. Each act moving more than $10,000 in funds counts as a separate violat… - Litter rules bring fines and cleanup: cost, low. Advertising distributors must take reasonable steps to prevent litter, and people removing wrecked vehicles must remove dangerous debris left behind. Construction and demolition site managers must take reasonable steps to prevent litter buildup. Operators of listed places must provide enough litter… - Material-display defendants face fewer legal defenses: cost, low. The law removes a specific defense under Sections 76-10-1206, 76-10-1227, and 76-10-1228. The defense covered displays using qualifying opaque wrappers, blinder racks, or areas physically closed to minors. County attorneys, or district attorneys in prosecution districts, can prosecute chapter viola… - Minors lose a specific disclosure remedy: cost, low. The law repeals a specific crime involving an adult publicly sharing an unrelated minor’s identifying information. That former offense required conscious disregard of a substantial, unjustifiable risk of a specified crime against the minor. It also required the minor to know about the disclosure. T… - Nitrous oxide misuse carries misdemeanor penalties: cost, low. Specified misuse of nitrous oxide, including substances containing it, is a class A misdemeanor. Covered conduct includes possession for intoxicating use and knowingly or intentionally being under its influence. Providing it while knowing another person intends prohibited use is also covered. Medic… - Offers to pay expand solicitation exposure: cost, low. Offering or agreeing to pay a fee, or its equivalent, for sexual activity can count as patronizing a prostituted individual. Payment does not need to be completed. Sexual solicitation provisions for adults also expressly include offers to pay. The arranged-meeting form requires arranging and attend… - Private-place intoxication can bring criminal charges: cost, low. Public intoxication can now include conduct in a private place where the person could unreasonably disturb others. The person must be intoxicated enough to possibly endanger themselves or someone else. The rule covers alcohol, controlled substances, and substances releasing toxic vapors. The offens… - Receiving criminal proceeds brings added penalties: cost, low. Knowingly accepting or receiving property represented as criminal proceeds is a separate third-degree felony. Each act moving more than $10,000 in funds counts as a separate violation. People convicted of accepting unlawful proceeds as a second-degree felony must register with the Utah Attorney Gen… - School sexual material rules expand: cost, low. The school-property offense includes material depicting or describing illicit sex or sexual immorality, or nude or partly nude figures. It covers willfully or knowingly creating, viewing, or accessing that material on school property. It applies only when specified distribution, aiding, inducing ac… - Suspected computer crimes require reporting: cost, low. People with reason to believe a listed computer-related offense is happening or has happened must report it. Reports go to the specified prosecutor or a state or local law enforcement agency. The listed offenses are Sections 76-6-703, 76-6-703.3, 76-6-703.5, 76-6-703.7, and 76-12-205. The duty does… - Unlawful activity brings wider asset risks: cost, low. Authorities can seek forfeiture of gambling bets, proceeds, debts, and fringe gaming devices tied to unlawful gambling. Property must be reasonably identifiable as used or obtained in violation of state gambling law or a local ordinance. Permitting gambling, online gambling, and helping minors dist… - Voyeurism brings registry duties and felonies: cost, low. Felony or class A misdemeanor convictions for recorded voyeurism or sharing voyeurism images fall within Utah’s sex-offender registry category. Lewdness becomes a third-degree felony when recorded voyeurism or sharing voyeurism images happens at the same time. This felony rule also applies to lewdn… - Flavored electronic cigarette sales are banned: cost, low. People cannot sell, offer, give, distribute, or furnish flavored electronic cigarette products to anyone, regardless of age. A first violation is a class C misdemeanor. Later violations are class B misdemeanors. - Anticompetitive pricing brings fines for businesses: cost, low. Commodity suppliers face $500 to $4,000 fines per offense for intentional local price differences aimed at destroying or blocking competition. Distance and freight differences must first be accounted for. Covered dairy buyers face the same fine range and a class B misdemeanor for monopoly-driven or… - Market-price fraud carries fines per offense: cost, low. Willfully using false statements, false rumors, or other fraudulent means to affect property market prices is a class B misdemeanor. The fine is $500 to $4,000 for each offense. - Company insiders face financial misconduct felonies: cost, low. Company or association directors, officers, agents, members, and people helping them face third-degree felonies for covered financial misconduct. This includes stealing or willfully misusing entity money or credit, or circulating entity notes without directors' approval. It also covers unauthorized… - Association directors face broader knowledge presumption: cost, low. Directors of joint stock associations now face the same knowledge presumption as corporate directors. For covered offenses, the law treats them as knowing enough about the entity’s affairs to assess their acts or omissions. - Protective orders cover different sexual offenses: mixed, medium. Sexual exploitation offenses join the acts that can support a sexual violence protective order. The definition excludes enticing a minor, sexual battery, lewdness, and lewdness involving a child. It also excludes a computer technician’s failure to report child sexual abuse material. Covered acts in… - Required HIV tests after listed convictions: mixed, medium. People entering a guilty, no-contest, or guilty-with-a-mental-condition plea, or found guilty of listed offenses, must receive HIV testing. Testing must happen before sentencing. People not tested before sentencing must be tested while confined in county jail or state prison. The person pays unless… - Pornography convictions affect landlords and tenants: mixed, medium. After a tenant, occupant, or their employee has a covered pornography conviction involving the property, owners or intermediate lessors can void the lease or title. This option starts only after direct appeals end or are abandoned; possession returns 10 days after written notice exercising it. Know… - Handgun owners face identification mark rules: mixed, low. Utah’s Department of Public Safety can assign an identifying mark, on request, to a handgun with missing or erased identification. Stamping a number not assigned by the department is a class A misdemeanor, with exceptions for specified owner restoration and routine manufacturer marking. Changing or… - Libelous comments lose some legal protection: mixed, low. Some communications between interested people receive a legal privilege. The privilege also covers relationships giving reasonable grounds to believe the speaker had an innocent motive. Libelous remarks or comments connected to an otherwise protected communication do not receive that protection. - Parents face revised custody and notice rules: mixed, low. Beginning May 7, 2025, custody and parent-time courts must consider a parent’s intentional exposure of a child to pornography or harmful material. Knowingly living with, or giving a child access to, someone convicted of a qualifying sexual offense against a minor can establish changed circumstances… - Breast-exposure lewdness rule becomes gender-specific: mixed, low. The breast-exposure lewdness rule applies only when the actor is female. It covers exposure of the female breast below the top of the areola. The act must occur in public or where the actor should know it is likely to offend or alarm someone 14 or older. - Business obstruction has separate crime levels: mixed, low. Unlawfully entering or staying at a business to interfere with its people or operations is a class A misdemeanor. The law removes a separate felony version and establishes aggravated commercial obstruction as a second-degree felony. The aggravated crime also requires intent to take or alter listed… - Child abuse definition adds voyeurism: mixed, low. The child sexual abuse definition includes recorded or photographed voyeurism and sharing images obtained through voyeurism. It excludes unlawful sexual activity with a minor when the alleged offender is also a minor. It also excludes enticing a minor. These changes affect laws that use this defini… - Crime patterns bring fines and restitution: mixed, low. Covered pattern-of-unlawful-activity offenses are second-degree felonies; a pattern means at least three related unlawful acts within five years. Instead of another authorized fine, courts can impose up to twice the net proceeds: property gained minus direct acquisition costs. After conviction, cou… - Domestic violence rules add and exclude offenses: mixed, low. When one cohabitant acts against another, domestic violence includes recorded or photographed voyeurism and sharing images obtained through voyeurism. It also includes sexual exploitation and aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor. The law removes sexual battery from the listed offenses. It expr… - Electronic records orders cover different offenses: mixed, low. The electronic-records order process includes aggravated sexual extortion of a child in its sexual-offense-against-a-minor definition. Sexual battery, lewdness, and lewdness involving a child are excluded. The process also covers stalking and child kidnapping investigations. Police need reasonable… - Explosive possession penalties include work exceptions: mixed, low. Intentional, knowing, or reckless possession of an explosive, chemical, or incendiary part is a third-degree felony outside weapons-of-mass-destruction offenses. Exceptions cover specified official public safety and military duties, permit or license holders, employees, and lawful business operatio… - Explosives convictions count differently for sentencing: mixed, low. The law changes which explosives offenses count toward habitual violent offender status. It removes older listed offenses for possessing, using, or removing explosive, chemical, or incendiary devices. It includes specified unlawful conduct involving those devices or their parts. - False medal claims face revised penalties: mixed, low. Intentional false claims of receiving a service medal and specified deceptive medal transactions are infractions. The rule also covers unauthorized use of military-related organizations’ medals or identifying features with the required deceptive intent. Wearing a service medal is no longer listed a… - Farms gain protection from nuisance claims: mixed, low. An unlawful act or failure to act can be a public nuisance when it harms three or more people. The definition also covers interference with or danger to specified public routes and waters. Normal agricultural and critical infrastructure materials operations following sound practices are presumed no… - Fewer misconduct claims can dissolve nonprofits: mixed, low. Conduct under Sections 76-5-417 or 76-5-420 cannot support a misconduct claim used to dissolve a nonprofit. Courts must find a covered nonprofit liable for the misconduct claim before dissolving it. Bona fide churches and religious organizations are outside this dissolution provision. - More people liable for dangerous child abandonment: mixed, low. The unattended-child vehicle offense applies to any actor, not only someone responsible for the child. It is a class C misdemeanor when a child under nine lacks supervision by someone at least nine. The child must face heat illness, cold illness, or dehydration risk inside an enclosed vehicle compa… - Parents face targeted weapon safety duties: mixed, low. The firearm-access offense is limited to parents or legal guardians who knowingly or intentionally provide or allow firearm possession. It applies when their child or ward has a specified violent-felony conviction or qualifying juvenile adjudication. A first offense is a class A misdemeanor; later… - Police interception authority covers revised offenses: mixed, low. Judges can authorize communications interception for a revised list of offenses when it may provide or has provided evidence. The list includes unlawful explosive, chemical, or incendiary device conduct under Section 76-15-210 and assault with intent to commit bus hijacking. It removes a separate l… - Unlawful-pattern cases face limits on remedies: mixed, low. Employers and other principals remain liable for actual damages caused by agents acting within their employment or apparent authority. Double damages require board or senior-manager involvement in the unlawful pattern, including authorization, direction, participation, or reckless tolerance. The se… - Weapon offenders must repay response costs: mixed, low. People convicted of covered weapons-of-mass-destruction or hoax-weapon offenses must repay all response expenses and losses. Repayment goes to affected governments, businesses, organizations, individuals, and other responders. A court can decline repayment only by explaining its reasons on the reco… - Workplace computer reports go to police: mixed, low. Employers can require computer technicians to report findings to a designated employee. That employee must immediately forward the report to state or local police. Sending it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Cyber Tip Line is no longer an alternative. - Smokeless tobacco ads require health warnings: mixed, low. Smokeless tobacco ads in Utah-published newspapers, magazines, and periodicals must carry this warning: “Use of smokeless tobacco may cause oral cancer and other mouth disorders and is addictive.” The warning must be easy to see and read, with contrasting type, layout, and color. The rule covers to… - Local tobacco zoning authority stays intact: mixed, low. Cities and counties retain authority to adopt and enforce land use rules affecting tobacco products and electronic cigarettes. The law’s rule overriding covered local tobacco regulations does not apply to those land use rules. It continues to apply to other local regulations covered by the state ru… - Schools change sexual misconduct offense lists: mixed, low. Public-school law defines sexual crime or misconduct to include the referenced sexual-offense and sexual-exploitation chapters, plus incest. It excludes enticing a minor, lewdness involving a child, and a computer technician's failure to report child sexual abuse material. The law also removes the… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Gwynn, Matthew H. - Cosponsor: Keith Grover (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-06 | House | House/ circled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-03-06 | House | House/ concurs with Senate amendment | pass | 74 | 0 | | | 2025-03-06 | House | House/ uncircled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-03-05 | Senate | Senate/ circled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-03-05 | Senate | Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension | pass | 29 | 0 | | | 2025-03-05 | Senate | Senate/ substituted | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-03-05 | Senate | Senate/ uncircled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-02-05 | Senate | Senate/ circled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-02-05 | Senate | Senate/ uncircled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-02-05 | Senate | Senate/ passed 2nd reading | pass | 27 | 0 | | | 2025-01-28 | Senate | Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation | pass | 6 | 0 | | | 2025-01-21 | House | House/ substituted | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-01-21 | House | House/ passed 3rd reading | pass | 74 | 0 | | | | House | House/ uncircled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | House | House/ substituted | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | Senate | Senate/ substituted | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | Senate | Senate/ uncircled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | Senate | Senate/ circled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | House | House/ circled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | Senate | Senate/ uncircled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | Senate | Senate/ circled | fail | 0 | 0 | | ## Actions (45) - 2025-03-25: Governor Signed - 2025-03-17: House/ to Governor (House) - 2025-03-17: House/ received enrolled bill from Printing (House) - 2025-03-13: House/ enrolled bill to Printing (House) - 2025-03-13: Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate - 2025-03-06: Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared - 2025-03-06: Bill Received from House for Enrolling - 2025-03-06: House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling (House) - 2025-03-06: House/ received from Senate (House) - 2025-03-06: Senate/ to House (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Senate/ received from House (Senate) - 2025-03-06: House/ to Senate (House) - 2025-03-06: House/ concurs with Senate amendment (House) - 2025-03-06: House/ uncircled (House) - 2025-03-06: House/ circled (House) - 2025-03-05: House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar (House) - 2025-03-05: House/ received from Senate (House) - 2025-03-05: Senate/ to House with amendments (Senate) - 2025-03-05: Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension (Senate) - 2025-03-05: Senate/ substituted (Senate) - 2025-03-05: Senate/ uncircled (Senate) - 2025-03-05: Senate/ circled (Senate) - 2025-03-05: Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Senate/ placed on 3rd Reading Calendar table (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Senate/ 3rd reading (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Senate/ passed 2nd reading (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Senate/ uncircled (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Senate/ circled (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Senate/ 2nd reading (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Senate/ committee report favorable (Senate) - 2025-01-28: Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Senate/ to standing committee (Senate) - 2025-01-22: Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced) (Senate) - 2025-01-21: Senate/ received from House (Senate) - 2025-01-21: House/ to Senate (House) - 2025-01-21: House/ passed 3rd reading (House) - 2025-01-21: House/ substituted (House) - 2025-01-21: House/ 3rd reading (House) - 2025-01-21: House/ 2nd reading (House) - 2025-01-21: House/ 1st reading (Introduced) (House) - 2025-01-21: House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst (House) - 2025-01-21: House/ received bill from Legislative Research (House) - 2024-12-17: Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-03-13: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/enrolled/HB0021.pdf) - Substitute #2, 2025-03-03: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/HB0021S02.pdf) - Substitute #1, 2025-01-20: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/HB0021S01.pdf) - Introduced, 2024-12-17: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/HB0021.pdf) ## Related bills - S.B. 199: Guardianship Amendments (signed) - H.B. 562: Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Amendments (signed) - H.B. 493: Medical Examiner Amendments (signed) - H.B. 482: Health and Human Services Reporting Requirements (signed) - S.B. 197: Property Tax Amendments (vetoed) - S.B. 3: Appropriations Adjustments (signed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/enrolled/HB0021.pdf) - [Substitute #2 (PDF)](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/HB0021S02.pdf) - [Substitute #1 (PDF)](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/HB0021S01.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/HB0021.pdf) ## Related - [S.B. 199: Guardianship Amendments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-SB199-2025GS) - [H.B. 562: Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Amendments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-HB562-2025GS) - [H.B. 493: Medical Examiner Amendments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-HB493-2025GS) - [H.B. 482: Health and Human Services Reporting Requirements](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-HB482-2025GS) - [S.B. 197: Property Tax Amendments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-SB197-2025GS) - [S.B. 3: Appropriations Adjustments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-SB3-2025GS) - [Utah bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/utah/bills) - [Utah state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/utah) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-HB21-2025GS (as of 2026-10-17).