Utah 2026 General Session Status: Enacted 2 R cosponsors

SB 227 — Punitive Damages Amendments

Last action — Governor Signed

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 30, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Spencer Cox (Republican) on March 18, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 54% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (2 R).

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

42 added · 65 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendments to Bill SB 227 remove previous provisions related to punitive damages tied to motor vehicle claims and clarify that insurers cannot consider punitive damages when making decisions about insurance coverage. Additionally, the revised bill now specifies that employers or agents cannot be held responsible for punitive damages based solely on the actions of their employees. These changes are significant because they provide clearer limitations on liability, which may lead to more predictable insurance practices and potentially lower costs for employers.

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SB0227S04 compared with SB0227 {Omitted text} shows text that was in SB0227 but was omitted in SB0227S04 inserted text shows text that was not in SB0227 but was inserted into SB0227S04 DISCLAIMER:
Enrolled Copy S.B.
This document is provided to assist you in your comparison of the two bills.
227 Punitive Damages Amendments GENERAL SESSION STATE OF UTAH Chief Sponsor:
Sometimes this automated comparison will NOT be completely accurate.
Therefore, you need to read the actual bills.
This automatically generated document could contain inaccuracies caused by:
limitations of the compare program;
bad input data;
or other causes.
Punitive Damages Amendments GENERAL SESSION STATE OF UTAH Chief Sponsor:
Winterton House Sponsor:Colin W.
Winterton House Sponsor:
Colin W.
This bill enacts provisions relating to {limitations on liability for } punitive damages.
This bill enacts provisions relating to punitive damages.
▸ {defines "motor vehicle";} ▸ provides {a limit on an award of punitive damages resulting from a personal injury claim } that {involves a motor vehicle;
▸ provides that an insurer may not rely on the existence, likelihood, possibility, or exposure to punitive damages when taking actions under Title 31A, Insurance Code;
andprovides a limit } an insurer may not rely on the {attorney fees related } existence, likelihood, possibility, or exposure to {an award of } punitive damages{.} when taking actions under Title 31A, Insurance Code;
S ▸ provides that the provisions this bill enacts apply only to a claim arising after thB effective date of the bill;
▸ provides that the provisions this bill enacts apply only to a claim arising after the effective date of the bill;
and 2 ▸ makes technical changes.
and ▸ makes technical changes.
SB0227 compared with SB0227S04 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
31A-20-101 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 1986, Chapter 204 ENACTS:
31A-20-101, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1986, Chapter 204 ENACTS:
78B-8-204 , Utah Code Annotated 1953 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
78B-8-204, Utah Code Annotated 1953 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
31A-20-101.
S.B.
227 Enrolled Copy 31A-20-101 .
Section 2 is enacted to read:
Section 78B-8-204 is enacted to read:
78B-8-204.
78B-8-204 .
{Limitations on award of punitive } Punitive damages {for a personal injury claim involving a motor vehicle} in an employment or agency relationship.
Punitive damages in an employment or agency relationship.
(1) As used in this section, {"motor vehicle} "managing agent" means {the same as that term is defined in Section 41-1a-102.} an employee or agent who:
(1) As used in this section, "managing agent" means an employee or agent who:
or - 2 - SB0227 compared with SB0227S04 (b) acts in a managerial capacity.
or (b) acts in a managerial capacity.
(2){(4)} {If the basis } Subsections (2) and (3) apply to any claim for an award of punitive damages, including a claim for punitive damages {under Section 78B-8-201 is based on } arising out of the tortfeasor's operation of a motor vehicle {and the cause of action arises out of a personal injury claim, an award of punitive damages may not exceed an amount equal to the greater of:} or motorboat while voluntarily intoxicated or under the influence of any drug or combination of alcohol and drugs as prohibited by Section 41-6a-502.
(4) Subsections (2) and (3) apply to any claim for an award of punitive damages, including a claim for punitive damages arising out of the tortfeasor's operation of a motor vehicle - 2 - Enrolled Copy S.B.
{(a) {the sum of:} } (5) The provisions of this section:
227 or motorboat while voluntarily intoxicated or under the influence of any drug or combination of alcohol and drugs as prohibited by Section 41-6a-502.
(i){(a)} {two times the amount of economic damages} are subject to Section 63G-7-603;
(5) The provisions of this section:
and {(ii) {an amount equal to any noneconomic damages not exceeding $750,000;
(a) are subject to Section 63G-7-603;
or} } {(b) {$200,000.} } {(3) {If a court awards a person punitive damages in accordance with this section, attorney fees for the person may not exceed 25% of the amount of the total award of punitive damages.} } (b) apply only to a claim arising on or after May 6, 2026.
and (b) apply only to a claim arising on or after May 6, 2026.
Effective date.
- 3 - SB0227 compared with SB0227S04 3-3-26 9:09 PM - 4 -
- 3 -
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Amendments

1 amendment

Click Show changes on an amendment above to see how it modifies the bill.

Action History

  1. Governor Signed

  2. Senate/ to Governor

  3. Senate/ received enrolled bill from Printing

  4. Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing

  5. Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate

  6. Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared

  7. Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling

  8. Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling

  9. Senate/ received from House

  10. House/ to Senate

  11. House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate

  12. House/ received from Senate

  13. Senate/ to House

  14. Senate/ concurs with House amendment

  15. Senate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar

  16. Senate/ received from House

  17. House/ to Senate

  18. House/ passed 3rd reading

  19. House/ substituted

  20. House/ 3rd reading

  21. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0227S04

  22. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0227S04

  23. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0227S04

  24. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0227S04

  25. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0227S03

  26. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0227S03

  27. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0227S03

  28. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0227S03

  29. House/ 2nd reading

  30. House/ committee report favorable [House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee]

  31. House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee]

  32. House/ to standing committee [House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee]

  33. House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

  34. House/ received from Senate

  35. Senate/ to House

  36. Senate/ passed 3rd reading

  37. Senate/ 3rd reading

  38. Senate/ passed 2nd reading

  39. Senate/ floor amendment

  40. Senate/ substituted

  41. Senate/ uncircled

  42. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0227S02

  43. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0227S02

  44. Senate/ circled

  45. Senate/ 2nd reading

  46. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0227S01

  47. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0227S01

  48. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0227S02

  49. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0227S02

  50. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0227S01

  51. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0227S01

  52. Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar

  53. Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee]

  54. Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee]

  55. Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee]

  56. Senate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst

  57. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0227

  58. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0227

  59. Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

  60. Senate/ received bill from Legislative Research

  61. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0227

  62. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0227

  63. Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed

  64. Bill Numbered but not Distributed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 102 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (102)

102 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 102 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

finance civil-rights
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 227?
SB 227 is sponsored by Colin W. Jack (Republican) and Ronald M. Winterton (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 227?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 30, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 227?
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