This bill concerns criminal provisions relating to an overdose.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah's existing "Good Samaritan" overdose law already lets someone who calls for help during a drug overdose use that action as a defense against certain drug possession or paraphernalia charges. This bill clarifies and expands those protections by explicitly covering not just the person who makes the call, but also someone who stays with the overdose victim and helps in other required ways (such as cooperating with responders), as well as the overdose victim themselves, even if they didn't personally call for help. It also creates a new option allowing a prosecutor to ask a court to dismiss — rather than just reduce the sentence for — a first-time drug possession or paraphernalia charge if the person qualifies for this defense and completes a substance abuse evaluation and any recommended treatment before the case is resolved, and it applies these same clarified protections to the separate sentencing mitigation law that judges use at sentencing. If a related bill recodifying Utah's drug laws (H.B. 301) also passes, this bill includes provisions to keep the two laws consistent with each other.
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, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah's existing "Good Samaritan" overdose law already lets someone who calls for help during a drug overdose use that action as a defense against certain drug possession or paraphernalia charges. This bill clarifies and expands those protections by explicitly covering not just the person who makes the call, but also someone who stays with the overdose victim and helps in other required ways (such as cooperating with responders), as well as the overdose victim themselves, even if they didn't personally call for help. It also creates a new option allowing a prosecutor to ask a court to dismiss — rather than just reduce the sentence for — a first-time drug possession or paraphernalia charge if the person qualifies for this defense and completes a substance abuse evaluation and any recommended treatment before the case is resolved, and it applies these same clarified protections to the separate sentencing mitigation law that judges use at sentencing. If a related bill recodifying Utah's drug laws (H.B. 301) also passes, this bill includes provisions to keep the two laws consistent with each other.
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 Aug 29, 2026, 5:26 PM