Open Carry of a Firearm Amendments
Introduction
Jan 20
House Rules
House Committee
House Floor Vote
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Senate 2nd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading
Governor
What This Bill Does
This bill addresses the open carrying of a firearm.
Key Provisions
This bill:
- defines terms;
- creates the offense of prohibited open carry of a firearm at a large public gathering; and
- makes technical and conforming changes.
Plain-Language Summary
AI-generated summary, reviewed by Better Utah staff.
Under this bill, openly carrying a firearm — whether loaded or unloaded — within 500 feet of a "large public gathering" becomes a criminal offense, but only after a law enforcement officer has verbally warned the person that such carrying is prohibited in that area. A "large public gathering" is defined as 200 or more people assembled on public property for events like protests, rallies, marches, parades, vigils, or similar First Amendment-protected activities. Once warned, a person must either conceal the firearm (if they are legally permitted to do so) or move more than 500 feet away from the gathering; returning to openly carry after initially complying also constitutes a violation, punishable as a class B misdemeanor.
Introduction
Jan 20
House Rules
House Committee
House Floor Vote
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Senate 2nd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading
Governor
IntroductionJan 20
House Rules
House Committee
House Floor Vote
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Senate 2nd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading
Governor
What This Bill Does
This bill addresses the open carrying of a firearm.
Key Provisions
This bill:
- defines terms;
- creates the offense of prohibited open carry of a firearm at a large public gathering; and
- makes technical and conforming changes.
Plain-Language Summary
AI-generated summary, reviewed by Better Utah staff.
Under this bill, openly carrying a firearm — whether loaded or unloaded — within 500 feet of a "large public gathering" becomes a criminal offense, but only after a law enforcement officer has verbally warned the person that such carrying is prohibited in that area. A "large public gathering" is defined as 200 or more people assembled on public property for events like protests, rallies, marches, parades, vigils, or similar First Amendment-protected activities. Once warned, a person must either conceal the firearm (if they are legally permitted to do so) or move more than 500 feet away from the gathering; returning to openly carry after initially complying also constitutes a violation, punishable as a class B misdemeanor.
Documents
Subjects
Action History11
House/ filed
House file for bills not passed
House/ strike enacting clause
Clerk of the House
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
House Rules Committee
House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
Clerk of the House
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0166
Released
Last updated Mar 26, 2026, 9:39 PM