# Utah S.B. 117: Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act Utah S.B. 117, Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act, is a 2025 General Session Senate bill sponsored by Michael K. McKell (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-03-25 (Governor Signed) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-SB117-2025GS - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Utah S.B. 117 - State: Utah - Session: 2025 General Session - Title: Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-14 - Last action: 2025-03-25, Governor Signed - Sponsor: Michael K. McKell (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Family, Judicial Operations, Uniform Laws, Civil Litigation, Civil Procedure - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (144 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 9 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Families can seek temporary arbitration relief: benefit, medium. A party can request a temporary court order before an arbitrator is selected and able to act. After selection, arbitrators may issue temporary awards. Courts can still act on urgent requests when the arbitrator cannot respond in time or provide an adequate remedy. A party who wins a temporary award… - Families get arbitrator training and disclosures: benefit, medium. Unless parties waive the requirements in a record, arbitrators must meet attorney qualifications and have judicial-level domestic violence and child-abuse training. Qualifying attorneys may be admitted in Utah or another state, including those on inactive status. If the chosen arbitrator cannot ser… - Family awards need court confirmation: benefit, medium. Arbitrators must give parties notice of a dated, signed written award, generally with reasons unless parties waive them. Child-related awards must include the reasons Utah requires for family-court orders, even when parties agree otherwise. Awards become enforceable judgments only after court confi… - Safety protections for families in arbitration: benefit, medium. Arbitrators must pause arbitration and refer parties to court when a protection order applies or safety or effective participation is at risk. Restarting requires the at-risk person's recorded agreement and court findings that it is informed and voluntary. The court must also find arbitration consi… - Arbitrator protections can raise lawsuit costs: cost, low. Family-law arbitrators and arbitration organizations receive the same civil-liability protection as Utah judges acting in their judicial role. Arbitrators generally cannot be forced to testify or provide records about their arbitration work. Exceptions cover their own claims and specified hearings… - Courts oversee family arbitration and limits: mixed, medium. Arbitrators must apply Utah law, including its rules for choosing which state's law applies; Utah's general arbitration law fills gaps. Arbitrators cannot grant divorce, legal separation, annulment, adoption, or guardianship of a minor or incapacitated person. They also cannot end parental rights o… - Families get award review with deadlines: mixed, medium. Parties have 30 days after notice to request arbitrator correction of specified errors or clarification of an unconfirmed award. Court requests to correct, set aside, or amend generally must come within 90 days after notice of the award or corrected award. Review grounds include fraud, bias, miscon… - Family hearing rights come with costs: mixed, medium. Each party must have a chance to speak, present relevant evidence, and question witnesses; hearings may be remote. Parties can have lawyers and bring a support person who is neither a witness nor an advocate. Unless parties agree otherwise in a record, arbitrators may order discovery, appoint exper… - New rules for family arbitration agreements: mixed, medium. Utah's law takes effect May 7, 2025, and covers family arbitration agreements made on or after that date. Parties with earlier agreements can opt in through a recorded agreement. Agreements must be signed records identifying the dispute and an arbitrator, arbitration organization, or selection meth… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Michael K. McKell (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Jordan D. Teuscher (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-21 | House | House/ passed 3rd reading | pass | 67 | 0 | | | 2025-02-18 | House | House Comm - Favorable Recommendation | pass | 9 | 0 | | | 2025-02-18 | House | House Comm - Consent Calendar Recommendation | pass | 9 | 0 | | | 2025-02-05 | Senate | Senate/ passed 3rd reading | pass | 28 | 0 | | | 2025-02-04 | Senate | Senate/ passed 2nd reading | pass | 26 | 0 | | | 2025-01-24 | Senate | Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation | pass | 5 | 0 | | ## Actions (33) - 2025-03-25: Governor Signed - 2025-03-13: Senate/ to Governor (Senate) - 2025-03-13: Senate/ received enrolled bill from Printing (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate - 2025-02-25: Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared - 2025-02-25: Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling - 2025-02-21: Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling (Senate) - 2025-02-21: Senate/ received from House (Senate) - 2025-02-21: House/ to Senate (House) - 2025-02-21: House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate (House) - 2025-02-21: House/ passed 3rd reading (House) - 2025-02-21: House/ 3rd reading (House) - 2025-02-19: House/ 2nd reading (House) - 2025-02-19: House/ comm rpt/ placed on Consent Calendar (House) - 2025-02-18: House Comm - Consent Calendar Recommendation (House) - 2025-02-18: House Comm - Favorable Recommendation (House) - 2025-02-11: House/ to standing committee (House) - 2025-02-05: House/ 1st reading (Introduced) (House) - 2025-02-05: House/ received from Senate (House) - 2025-02-05: Senate/ to House (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Senate/ passed 3rd reading (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Senate/ 3rd reading (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Senate/ passed 2nd reading (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Senate/ 2nd reading (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Senate/ committee report favorable (Senate) - 2025-01-24: Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation (Senate) - 2025-01-23: Senate/ to standing committee (Senate) - 2025-01-21: Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced) (Senate) - 2025-01-20: Senate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst (Senate) - 2025-01-16: Senate/ received bill from Legislative Research (Senate) - 2025-01-14: Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-03-06: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/enrolled/SB0117.pdf) - Introduced, 2025-01-14: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0117.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/SB0117.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0117.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-SB117-2025GS (as of 2026-10-17).