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HB 513UTAHSession 2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Utah Overhauls Attorney General Legal Services Funding with Annual Retainers and New Litigation Program

Original title: Attorney General Funding Amendments

Last action · March 19, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Val Peterson and 1 other

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

Beginning July 1, 2027, the Office of the Attorney General will bill state agencies for legal services based on actual time spent in 15-minute increments rather than , requiring agencies to agree on an annual retainer and execute a .

Why it matters

State agencies must budget for and transfer annual legal service retainers into a newly created special revenue fund, altering how legal counsel is paid for and tracked across state government.

Background
  • State agencies in Utah historically relied on internal service funds managed by the Division of Finance to account for interagency billings, including legal services provided by the Attorney General. context

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Office of the Attorney General

The office shifts from internal service fund billing to an hourly rate and retainer model, administers the new retainer fund, and oversees the Legal Services and Litigation Program.

Directly affected

State agencies

Agencies must negotiate annual retainers, execute service-level agreements, transfer funds annually, and cover any legal costs exceeding their retainer balances from existing budgets.

Directly affected

Governor's Office of Planning and Budget

The office receives agency retainer reports and monthly billing expenditure reports for agencies under the governor's authority.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

How will state agencies pay for legal services from the Attorney General?
Starting July 1, 2027, agencies will agree on an annual retainer with the Attorney General's Office, transfer that amount into the Legal Services Retainer Fund, and be billed monthly based on actual hours worked.
What happens if an agency's legal service costs exceed its retainer?
The agency must pay any remaining balance using the alternative funding source identified in its , drawing from its existing budget.
What is the purpose of the newly created Legal Services and Litigation Program?
It is established to pay the costs of defending the state in civil litigation involving matters of statewide importance, constitutional challenges to state enactments, or matters not covered by the Risk Management Fund.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

59 actions
  1. Mar 19, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolled
    Governor Signed
  2. Mar 17, 2026House
    House/ to Governor
  3. Mar 17, 2026House
    House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
  4. Mar 12, 2026House
    House/ enrolled bill to Printing
  5. Mar 12, 2026Clerk of the House
    Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
  6. Mar 11, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 53 earlier actions
  1. Mar 11, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Bill Received from House for Enrolling
  2. Mar 11, 2026House
    House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
  3. Mar 11, 2026House
    House/ received from Senate
  4. Mar 10, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to House
  5. Mar 10, 2026Senate
    Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
  6. Mar 10, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received from House
  7. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ to Senate
  8. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ concurs with Senate amendment
  9. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
  10. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ received from Senate
  11. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to House with amendments
  12. Mar 6, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  13. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ floor amendment
  14. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  15. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ motion to reconsider
  16. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to House
  17. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
  18. Mar 6, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  19. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  20. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
  21. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
  22. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
  23. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ committee report favorable
  24. Mar 3, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  25. Feb 27, 2026SenateCommittee
    Senate/ to standing committee
  26. Feb 27, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0513S01
  27. Feb 27, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0513S01
  28. Feb 27, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  29. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received from House
  30. Feb 26, 2026House
    House/ to Senate
  31. Feb 26, 2026HouseFloor
    House/ passed 3rd reading
  32. Feb 26, 2026House
    House/ substituted
  33. Feb 26, 2026House
    House/ uncircled
  34. Feb 26, 2026House
    House/ circled
  35. Feb 26, 2026House
    House/ uncircled
  36. Feb 26, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0513S01
  37. Feb 26, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0513S01
  38. Feb 24, 2026House
    House/ circled
  39. Feb 24, 2026House
    House/ 3rd reading
  40. Feb 18, 2026House
    House/ 2nd reading
  41. Feb 18, 2026House
    House/ comm rpt/ amended
  42. Feb 18, 2026House
    House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  43. Feb 18, 2026House
    House Comm - Amendment Recommendation
  44. Feb 13, 2026HouseCommittee
    House/ to standing committee
  45. Feb 12, 2026House
    House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
  46. Feb 12, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0513
  47. Feb 12, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0513
  48. Feb 9, 2026HouseIntroduced
    House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  49. Feb 9, 2026House
    House/ received bill from Legislative Research
  50. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0513
  51. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0513
  52. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
  53. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Bill Numbered but not Distributed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Voting Record

Motion succeededHouse3/6/2026Utah LegislatureOfficial roll call ↗

House/ concurs with Senate amendment

Total

75

Yes
60
No
1
Present
0
Not voting
14
Abstain
0
Show 1 earlier roll call
Motion succeededHouse2/26/2026Utah LegislatureOfficial roll call ↗

House/ passed 3rd reading

Total

75

Yes
64
No
2
Present
0
Not voting
9
Abstain
0
Full roll-call analysis →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Val PetersonHouse · District 56RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Mike McKellSenate · District 25RepublicanCosponsor

Connected Entities

Office of the Attorney General, Michael K. McKell, Governor's Office of Planning and Budget and 2 more
OrganizationOffice of the Attorney General“State office providing legal services to agencies”Map →
PersonMichael K. McKell“Senate Sponsor of HB 513”Map →
OrganizationGovernor's Office of Planning and Budget“Recipient of agency retainer reports and monthly billing reports”Map →
PersonVal L. Peterson“Chief Sponsor of HB 513 in the lower house”Map →
OrganizationLegislative Management Committee“Recipient of notices regarding high-cost civil litigation matters exceeding $500”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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