This bill creates an affirmative defense.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
When someone is sued for causing harm, this bill would let them raise a new legal defense: if the specific conduct, inaction, or condition that allegedly caused the harm was authorized or required by a statute, ordinance, administrative rule, permit, license, or other government-issued document with the force of law, the defendant could argue in court that this government authorization shields them from liability, regardless of the legal theory used to sue them. That defense would not apply if the government agency that issued the authorization determines the person violated its terms, exceeded its scope, or obtained it through fraud, and it would not apply at all in product liability lawsuits. The bill also specifies that this defense does not create a new right to sue, does not remove other defenses already available in court, and does not eliminate the underlying duty to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances, even when someone had government authorization for their actions.
Current version: HB0330S02 (Substitute)
Introduction
Jan 23
House Rules
House Committee
Feb 2
House Floor Vote
Feb 10
Senate Rules
Feb 12
Senate Committee
Feb 17
Senate 2nd Reading
Feb 19
Senate 3rd Reading
Feb 25
House Concurrence
Feb 26
Governor Signed
Mar 18
IntroductionJan 23
House Rules
House CommitteeFeb 2
House Floor VoteFeb 10
Senate RulesFeb 12
Senate CommitteeFeb 17
Senate 2nd ReadingFeb 19
Senate 3rd ReadingFeb 25
House ConcurrenceFeb 26
Governor SignedMar 18
This bill creates an affirmative defense.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
When someone is sued for causing harm, this bill would let them raise a new legal defense: if the specific conduct, inaction, or condition that allegedly caused the harm was authorized or required by a statute, ordinance, administrative rule, permit, license, or other government-issued document with the force of law, the defendant could argue in court that this government authorization shields them from liability, regardless of the legal theory used to sue them. That defense would not apply if the government agency that issued the authorization determines the person violated its terms, exceeded its scope, or obtained it through fraud, and it would not apply at all in product liability lawsuits. The bill also specifies that this defense does not create a new right to sue, does not remove other defenses already available in court, and does not eliminate the underlying duty to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances, even when someone had government authorization for their actions.
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Governor Signed
Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
House/ to Governor
Executive Branch - Governor
House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
Clerk of the House
House/ enrolled bill to Printing
Clerk of the House
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
Clerk of the House
Last updated Aug 29, 2026, 5:26 PM