Utah 2026 General Session Status: Enacted 2 R cosponsors

SB 59 — Alimony 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 December 30, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Spencer Cox (Republican) on March 23, 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

161 added · 170 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent changes to Bill SB 59 specify that courts must now consider the tax implications of alimony for both parties when determining or modifying alimony payments. Additionally, the bill clarifies what cohabitation means in the context of alimony and addresses how living together can affect these payments. These changes are important because they aim to create a fairer process for determining alimony, ensuring that both parties' financial situations and living arrangements are taken into account.

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SB0059S02 compared with SB0059 {Omitted text} shows text that was in SB0059 but was omitted in SB0059S02 inserted text shows text that was not in SB0059 but was inserted into SB0059S02 DISCLAIMER:
Enrolled Copy S.B.
This document is provided to assist you in your comparison of the two bills.
59 Alimony Amendments GENERAL SESSION STATE OF UTAH Chief Sponsor:
Sometimes this automated comparison will NOT be completely accurate.
Lincoln Fillmore House Sponsor:
Therefore, you need to read the actual bills.
Paul A.
This automatically generated document could contain inaccuracies caused by:
limitations of the compare program;
bad input data;
or other causes.
Alimony Amendments GENERAL SESSION STATE OF UTAH Chief Sponsor:
Lincoln Fillmore House Sponsor:Paul A.
{and} ▸ addresses when a court shall consider the length of two marriages between the same individuals as the length of one marriage for purposes of determining alimony;
▸ addresses when a court shall consider the length of two marriages between the same individuals as the length of one marriage for purposes of determining alimony;
None S Other Special Clauses:
None Other Special Clauses:
B This bill provides a special effective date.
This bill provides a special effective date.
5 SB0059 compared with SB0059S02 AMENDS:
AMENDS:
81-4-501 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 366 81-4-502 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 366 81-4-504 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 366 81-4-505 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 366 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
81-4-501, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 366 81-4-502, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 366 81-4-504, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 366 81-4-505, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 366 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
81-4-501.
81-4-501 .
As used in this part:
S.B.
59 Enrolled Copy As used in this part:
(c) knowingly and intentionally causing the other party or a minor child to reasonably fear life- threatening harm;
(c) knowingly and intentionally causing the other party or a minor child to reasonably fear life-threatening harm;
81-4-502.
81-4-502 .
- 2 - SB0059 compared with SB0059S02 (1) For a proceeding under Chapter 4, Dissolution of Marriage, or in a proceeding to modify alimony, the court shall consider at least the following factors in determining alimony:
(1) For a proceeding under Chapter 4, Dissolution of Marriage, or in a proceeding to modify alimony, the court shall consider at least the following factors in determining alimony:
(c) the payee's earning capacity or ability to produce income, including the impact of diminished workplace experience resulting from primarily caring for a minor child of the payor;
- 2 - Enrolled Copy S.B.
59 (c) the payee's earning capacity or ability to produce income, including the impact of diminished workplace experience resulting from primarily caring for a minor child of the payor;
(2) (a) The court may consider the fault of the parties in determining whether to award alimony and the terms of the alimony.
(2)(a) The court may consider the fault of the parties in determining whether to award alimony and the terms of the alimony.
(3) (a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, the court shall consider the standard of living, existing at the time of separation, in determining alimony in accordance with this section.
(3)(a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, the court shall consider the standard of living, existing at the time of separation, in determining alimony in accordance with this section.
(4) (a) The court may attempt to equalize the parties' respective standards of living.
(4)(a) The court may attempt to equalize the parties' respective standards of living.
(b) - 3 - SB0059 compared with SB0059S02 (i) If a marriage has been in effect for 10 years or more, and if the payee has significantly diminished workplace experience resulting from an agreement between the spouses that the payee reduce the payee's workplace experience to care for a minor child of the payor, it shall be the rebuttable presumption that the court equalize the parties' standard of living.
(b)(i) If a marriage has been in effect for 10 years or more, and if the payee has significantly diminished workplace experience resulting from an agreement between the spouses that the payee reduce the payee's workplace experience to care for a minor child of the payor, it shall be the rebuttable presumption that the court equalize the parties' standard of living.
(5) (a) If the marriage is short in duration and a minor child has not been conceived or born during the marriage, the court may consider the standard of living that existed at the time of the marriage.
(5)(a) If the marriage is short in duration and a minor child has not been conceived or born during the marriage, the court may consider the standard of living that existed at the time of the marriage.
(b) In determining alimony when a marriage of short duration dissolves and a minor child has not been conceived or born during the marriage, the court may consider restoring each party to the condition which existed at the time of the marriage.
- 3 - S.B.
(6) (a) When a marriage of long duration dissolves on the threshold of a major change in the income of one of the parties due to the collective efforts of both parties, the court shall consider the change when dividing the marital property and in determining the amount of alimony.
59 Enrolled Copy (b) In determining alimony when a marriage of short duration dissolves and a minor child has not been conceived or born during the marriage, the court may consider restoring each party to the condition which existed at the time of the marriage.
(6)(a) When a marriage of long duration dissolves on the threshold of a major change in the income of one of the parties due to the collective efforts of both parties, the court shall consider the change when dividing the marital property and in determining the amount of alimony.
(7) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (7)(c), the court may not order alimony for a period of time longer than the length of the marriage.
(7)(a) Except as provided in Subsection (7)(c), the court may not order alimony for a period of time longer than the length of the marriage.
(8) - 4 - SB0059 compared with SB0059S02 (a) If the parties to the divorce action were previously married to each other, divorced, and then remarried each other, the court shall consider the aggregate of the two marriages as the length of the marriage under Subsection (7)(a) if:
(8)(a) If the parties to the divorce action were previously married to each other, divorced, and then remarried each other, the court shall consider the aggregate of the two marriages as the length of the marriage under Subsection (7)(a) if:
(c) A court may decline to consider the aggregate of the two marriages as the length of the marriage if the court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that aggregating the two marriages would be inequitable.
- 4 - Enrolled Copy S.B.
59 (c) A court may decline to consider the aggregate of the two marriages as the length of the marriage if the court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that aggregating the two marriages would be inequitable.
81-4-504.
81-4-504 .
(2) (a) A party's retirement is a substantial material change in circumstances that is subject to a petition to modify alimony, unless the divorce decree, or the findings that the court entered at the time of the divorce decree, expressly states otherwise.
(2)(a) A party's retirement is a substantial material change in circumstances that is subject to a petition to modify alimony, unless the divorce decree, or the findings that the court entered at the time of the divorce decree, expressly states otherwise.
- 5 - SB0059 compared with SB0059S02 (3) The court may not modify alimony or issue a new order for alimony to address needs of the recipient that did not exist at the time the decree was entered, unless the court finds extenuating circumstances that justify that action.
(3) The court may not modify alimony or issue a new order for alimony to address needs of the recipient that did not exist at the time the decree was entered, unless the court finds extenuating circumstances that justify that action.
81-4-505.
81-4-505 .
(1) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b), or unless a decree of divorce specifically provides otherwise, any order of the court that a payor pay alimony to a payee automatically terminates upon the remarriage or death of that payee.
(1)(a) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b), or unless a decree of divorce specifically provides otherwise, any order of the court that a payor pay alimony to a payee automatically terminates upon the remarriage or death of that payee.
Show all 46 changed rows (6 more)
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(2) (a) If a payor establishes that a payee cohabits with another individual during the pendency of the divorce action or after the court enters a divorce decree, the court:
(2)(a) If a payor establishes that a payee cohabits with another individual during the - 5 - S.B.
59 Enrolled Copy pendency of the divorce action or after the court enters a divorce decree, the court:
[(3) (a) Subject to Subsection (3)(b), the court shall terminate an order that a payor pay alimony to a payee if the payor establishes that, after the order for alimony is issued, the payee cohabits with another - 6 - SB0059 compared with SB0059S02 individual even if the payee is not cohabiting with the individual when the payor files the motion to terminate alimony.] [(b) A payor may not seek termination of alimony under Subsection (3)(a) later than one year after the day on which the payor knew or should have known that the payee has cohabited with another individual.] Section 5.
[(3)(a) Subject to Subsection (3)(b), the court shall terminate an order that a payor pay alimony to a payee if the payor establishes that, after the order for alimony is issued, the payee cohabits with another individual even if the payee is not cohabiting with the individual when the payor files the motion to terminate alimony.] [(b) A payor may not seek termination of alimony under Subsection (3)(a) later than one year after the day on which the payor knew or should have known that the payee has cohabited with another individual.] Section 5.
Effective date.
This bill takes effect {on May 6, 2026.} :
This bill takes effect:
2-25-26 11:10 AM - 7 -
- 6 -
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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/ uncircled

  16. Senate/ circled

  17. Senate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar

  18. Senate/ received from House

  19. House/ to Senate

  20. House/ passed 3rd reading

  21. House/ substituted

  22. House/ 3rd reading

  23. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0059S02

  24. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0059S02

  25. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0059S02

  26. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0059S02

  27. House/ 2nd reading

  28. House/ comm rpt/ substituted [House Judiciary Committee]

  29. House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Judiciary Committee]

  30. House Comm - Substitute Recommendation [House Judiciary Committee]

  31. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0059S01

  32. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0059S01

  33. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0059S01

  34. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0059S01

  35. House/ to standing committee [House Judiciary Committee]

  36. House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

  37. House/ received from Senate

  38. Senate/ to House

  39. Senate/ passed 3rd reading

  40. Senate/ 3rd reading

  41. Senate/ passed 2nd reading

  42. Senate/ 2nd reading

  43. Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar

  44. Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]

  45. Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]

  46. Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]

  47. Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

  48. Senate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst

  49. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0059

  50. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0059

  51. Senate/ received bill from Legislative Research

  52. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0059

  53. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0059

  54. Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed

  55. 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

taxation
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 59?
SB 59 is sponsored by Paul A. Cutler (Republican) and Lincoln Fillmore (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 59?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 30, 2025. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 59?
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