HB0295S01 (Substitute)
Overdose Amendments
Introduction
Jan 21
House Rules
House Committee
Feb 23
House Floor Vote
Feb 26
Senate Rules
Mar 7
Senate Committee
Mar 3
Senate 2nd Reading
Mar 6
Senate 3rd Reading
Governor
This bill concerns criminal provisions relating to an overdose.
This bill:
AI-generated summary. We recommend consulting the bill text for important decisions.
Utah's existing "Good Samaritan" overdose law already allows people who call for help during a drug overdose to use that action as a legal defense against certain drug charges. This bill expands and clarifies those protections in two important ways: it explicitly extends the defense to someone who stays with the overdose victim even if they weren't the one who made the call for help, and it makes clear that the overdose victim themselves can also use this defense. The bill also creates a new option for prosecutors to move to dismiss first-time drug possession or paraphernalia charges entirely — rather than just use the overdose response as a mitigating factor at sentencing — if the person qualifies for the defense and completes a substance abuse evaluation and any recommended treatment before their case is resolved.
Current version: HB0295S01 (Substitute)
Introduction
Jan 21
House Rules
House Committee
Feb 23
House Floor Vote
Feb 26
Senate Rules
Mar 7
Senate Committee
Mar 3
Senate 2nd Reading
Mar 6
Senate 3rd Reading
Governor
IntroductionJan 21
House Rules
House CommitteeFeb 23
House Floor VoteFeb 26
Senate RulesMar 7
Senate CommitteeMar 3
Senate 2nd ReadingMar 6
Senate 3rd Reading
Governor
This bill concerns criminal provisions relating to an overdose.
This bill:
AI-generated summary. We recommend consulting the bill text for important decisions.
Utah's existing "Good Samaritan" overdose law already allows people who call for help during a drug overdose to use that action as a legal defense against certain drug charges. This bill expands and clarifies those protections in two important ways: it explicitly extends the defense to someone who stays with the overdose victim even if they weren't the one who made the call for help, and it makes clear that the overdose victim themselves can also use this defense. The bill also creates a new option for prosecutors to move to dismiss first-time drug possession or paraphernalia charges entirely — rather than just use the overdose response as a mitigating factor at sentencing — if the person qualifies for the defense and completes a substance abuse evaluation and any recommended treatment before their case is resolved.
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
Senate Rules Committee
House/ filed
House file for bills not passed
House/ received from Senate
Clerk of the House
Senate/ to House
Clerk of the House
Senate/ strike enacting clause
Senate Secretary
Last updated Mar 26, 2026, 9:40 PM