All Roll Calls
Yes: 141 • No: 11
UtahS.B. 592026 General SessionSenate
Alimony Amendments
Sponsored By: Lincoln Fillmore (Republican)
Signed by Governor
FamilyMarriage/DivorceJudicial OperationsRevenue and Taxation
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 5 mixed.
Equal living standard in long marriages
Beginning May 6, 2026, if your marriage lasted 10 years or more and you left work by agreement to care for the payor’s minor child, the court starts with a presumption to equalize your living standards. The other party can rebut this for good cause, and the court must make findings. You cannot use this presumption to change an award if the divorce petition was filed before May 1, 2024.
What courts weigh for alimony
Beginning May 6, 2026, courts must use a set list of factors to set or change alimony. These include the couple’s standard of living, each person’s needs and income, time out of work to care for a payor’s minor child, the payor’s ability to pay, taxes for each party, length of the marriage, custody, work in a payor-owned business, and help given to the payor’s education. Courts may consider fault, such as adultery, serious harm, threats of deadly harm, or wrecking the other person’s finances. If fault is raised, the court may close the hearing and seal those records. The law also defines who is the payee (receives) and payor (pays).
Alimony ends after remarriage or cohabiting
Beginning May 6, 2026, alimony stops if the payee remarries or dies, unless the decree says otherwise. If that remarriage is annulled as void, payments resume only if the payor is made a party to the annulment and the payor’s rights are decided. If the payor proves the payee is cohabiting, the court ends alimony and cannot order new alimony, including temporary alimony. Cohabiting means living together regularly in the same home in a romantic or sexual relationship. The payor must ask to end payments within the legal time limit after learning of the cohabitation.
Time limits on alimony payments
Beginning May 6, 2026, alimony generally cannot last longer than the marriage. The marriage length runs from the wedding day to the divorce petition filing date. Courts can order a longer period only for good cause or extenuating circumstances. Any temporary alimony paid while the case is pending counts toward the total. If you married, divorced, and remarried the same person, the court usually adds the two marriage lengths when the later petition was filed on or after January 1, 2026, but can refuse if unfair. Earlier divorces stay final and are not reopened.
When alimony can change later
Beginning May 6, 2026, retirement is a substantial change that can support a request to modify alimony, unless the decree says otherwise. This rule applies to decrees entered on or after May 12, 2020. Courts generally cannot raise alimony to cover new needs that did not exist at the time of the decree, unless there are extenuating circumstances. When modifying, courts usually cannot count a payor’s new spouse’s income, except to consider shared living expenses or when the payor’s improper conduct justifies it.
When these alimony rules start
Most changes take effect May 6, 2026. If two-thirds of both houses approve, the law can take effect sooner: on the governor’s signature, the day after the constitutional deadline if unsigned, or on a veto override date.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Lincoln Fillmore
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Paul A. Cutler
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 2/27/2026
Senate/ concurs with House amendment
Yes: 24 • No: 1
Senate vote • 2/27/2026
Senate/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/27/2026
Senate/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/26/2026
House/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/26/2026
House/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 55 • No: 0
House vote • 2/23/2026
House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
Yes: 6 • No: 3
House vote • 2/23/2026
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 5 • No: 4
Senate vote • 2/17/2026
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 22 • No: 2
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Senate/ passed 2nd reading
Yes: 24 • No: 1
House vote • 1/27/2026
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 5 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
3/23/2026Senate/ to Governor
3/3/2026SenateSenate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
3/3/2026SenateSenate/ enrolled bill to Printing
3/2/2026SenateEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
3/2/2026Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
3/2/2026Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling
3/2/2026Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
2/27/2026SenateSenate/ received from House
2/27/2026SenateHouse/ to Senate
2/27/2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
2/27/2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
2/27/2026HouseSenate/ to House
2/27/2026SenateSenate/ concurs with House amendment
2/27/2026SenateSenate/ uncircled
2/27/2026SenateSenate/ circled
2/27/2026SenateSenate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
2/26/2026SenateSenate/ received from House
2/26/2026SenateHouse/ to Senate
2/26/2026HouseHouse/ passed 3rd reading
2/26/2026HouseHouse/ substituted
2/26/2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
2/26/2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
2/23/2026HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ substituted
2/23/2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2/23/2026
Bill Text
Enrolled
3/2/2026
Substitute #2
2/25/2026
Substitute #1
2/19/2026
Introduced
12/30/2025