This bill addresses the definition of a cohabitant.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah's domestic violence and protective order laws rely on the legal term "cohabitant" to determine who qualifies for legal protections, and this bill revises that definition in two related areas of law. For general domestic violence and protective order statutes, the bill narrows the blood-relation category to parents and grandparents (rather than any relative) while adding a specific category for adult siblings, stepsiblings, or foster siblings of a child; it also clarifies that a parent, stepparent, or foster parent is not considered a "cohabitant" of a child they care for, and that a child is not a "cohabitant" of that parent figure or of a sibling under 18 — meaning these parent-child and sibling relationships would instead fall under separate child protective order laws rather than cohabitant abuse laws. For the "battered person mitigation" law, which allows a reduced criminal charge when someone commits an offense against an abusive household member, the bill clarifies that "cohabitant" specifically includes both a minor abused by a parent or stepparent figure and a parent or stepparent figure abused by a minor. The bill also adds a definition of "parent" tied to existing parent-child relationship law and makes other minor wording and numbering changes to the affected sections.
Introduction
Jan 20
House Rules
Mar 5
House Committee
Jan 28
House Floor Vote
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Senate 2nd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading
Governor
IntroductionJan 20
House RulesMar 5
House CommitteeJan 28
House Floor Vote
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Senate 2nd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading
Governor
This bill addresses the definition of a cohabitant.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah's domestic violence and protective order laws rely on the legal term "cohabitant" to determine who qualifies for legal protections, and this bill revises that definition in two related areas of law. For general domestic violence and protective order statutes, the bill narrows the blood-relation category to parents and grandparents (rather than any relative) while adding a specific category for adult siblings, stepsiblings, or foster siblings of a child; it also clarifies that a parent, stepparent, or foster parent is not considered a "cohabitant" of a child they care for, and that a child is not a "cohabitant" of that parent figure or of a sibling under 18 — meaning these parent-child and sibling relationships would instead fall under separate child protective order laws rather than cohabitant abuse laws. For the "battered person mitigation" law, which allows a reduced criminal charge when someone commits an offense against an abusive household member, the bill clarifies that "cohabitant" specifically includes both a minor abused by a parent or stepparent figure and a parent or stepparent figure abused by a minor. The bill also adds a definition of "parent" tied to existing parent-child relationship law and makes other minor wording and numbering changes to the affected sections.
House/ filed
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Clerk of the House
House/ comm rpt/ sent to Rules
House Rules Committee
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House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
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House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
Last updated Aug 29, 2026, 5:26 PM