This bill addresses protective custody warrants and child safety warrants relating to child welfare.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah's child welfare laws currently allow juvenile courts to issue only one type of warrant—commonly called a search or protective custody warrant—when a peace officer or caseworker needs to remove a child from their home due to a threat of harm. This bill would create a new, separate "child safety warrant" that a court could issue based on probable cause of a credible, specific threat to a child's health, safety, or welfare, allowing an officer or caseworker to view the child, inspect the home, examine the child, or interview them—but this new warrant would not by itself authorize taking the child into protective custody, which would still require the existing protective custody warrant, a court order with parental notice, parental consent, or emergency circumstances. The bill also specifies that anyone executing either type of warrant may request assistance and generally must be accompanied by a peace officer unless one is not reasonably available, and it adds new legal definitions—such as "credible threat"—to clarify when these warrants can be used. Additional technical updates throughout the juvenile code renumber definitions and cross-references to reflect these changes.
Current version: SB0124S02 (Substitute)
Introduction
Jan 20
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Jan 30
Senate 2nd Reading
Feb 17
Senate 3rd Reading
Feb 18
House Rules
Feb 26
House Committee
Feb 26
House Floor Vote
Mar 4
Governor
IntroductionJan 20
Senate Rules
Senate CommitteeJan 30
Senate 2nd ReadingFeb 17
Senate 3rd ReadingFeb 18
House RulesFeb 26
House CommitteeFeb 26
House Floor VoteMar 4
Governor
This bill addresses protective custody warrants and child safety warrants relating to child welfare.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah's child welfare laws currently allow juvenile courts to issue only one type of warrant—commonly called a search or protective custody warrant—when a peace officer or caseworker needs to remove a child from their home due to a threat of harm. This bill would create a new, separate "child safety warrant" that a court could issue based on probable cause of a credible, specific threat to a child's health, safety, or welfare, allowing an officer or caseworker to view the child, inspect the home, examine the child, or interview them—but this new warrant would not by itself authorize taking the child into protective custody, which would still require the existing protective custody warrant, a court order with parental notice, parental consent, or emergency circumstances. The bill also specifies that anyone executing either type of warrant may request assistance and generally must be accompanied by a peace officer unless one is not reasonably available, and it adds new legal definitions—such as "credible threat"—to clarify when these warrants can be used. Additional technical updates throughout the juvenile code renumber definitions and cross-references to reflect these changes.
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Senate/ filed
Senate file for bills not passed
Senate/ strike enacting clause
Senate Secretary
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0124S02
Released
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0124S02
Version Sponsor
House/ to Senate
Senate Secretary
Last updated Aug 29, 2026, 5:26 PM