The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Utah allows city attorneys to appoint temporary deputies and lets courts reduce sentences for defendants who assist investigations
Last action · March 24, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Stephanie Pitcher and 2 others
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What This Bill Does
Utah city attorneys may now employ deputy attorneys or licensed lawyers in good standing with the Utah State Bar, and courts may enter a conviction for a lower offense degree if a defendant provides to law enforcement within one year of sentencing. The law takes effect on May 6, 2026.
Changes how municipal legal offices staff prosecutions and establishes a specific post-sentencing path for defendants to reduce their conviction severity by cooperating with criminal investigations.
- The Utah State Bar is the mandatory professional association for attorneys licensed to practice law in Utah. 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.
City attorneys
City attorneys gain explicit statutory authority to employ deputy attorneys and specially deputize licensed lawyers for limited prosecution or civil duties.
Criminal defendants
Defendants are provided a new statutory mechanism to seek a lower degree of conviction within one year of sentencing by providing substantial assistance to law enforcement.
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
Who can a city attorney specially deputize under this law?
What must a defendant do within one year of sentencing to qualify for a conviction reduction based on assistance?
Can lifetime sex or child abuse offenders have their convictions reduced?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
59 actions- Mar 24, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 13, 2026SenateSenate/ to Governor
- Mar 13, 2026SenateSenate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- Mar 12, 2026SenateSenate/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 12, 2026Senate SecretaryEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- Mar 11, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 53 earlier actions
- Mar 11, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingBill Received from Senate for Enrolling
- Mar 11, 2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
- Mar 11, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Mar 7, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Mar 7, 2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
- Mar 7, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ concurs with House amendment
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Mar 6, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ substituted
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Mar 6, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0184S02
- Mar 6, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0184S02
- Mar 6, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0184S02
- Mar 6, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0184S02
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd Reading Calendar to Rules
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ amended
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Amendment Recommendation
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Amendment Recommendation
- Mar 2, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Held
- Feb 24, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Feb 23, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 23, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Feb 23, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Feb 23, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 23, 2026SenateSenate/ 3rd reading
- Feb 20, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd reading
- Feb 20, 2026SenateSenate/ substituted
- Feb 20, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd reading
- Feb 5, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0184S01
- Feb 2, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 2, 2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
- Jan 31, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0184S01
- Jan 30, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Jan 30, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0184S01
- Jan 30, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0184S01
- Jan 29, 2026SenateSenate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 29, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0184
- Jan 29, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0184
- Jan 29, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0184
- Jan 27, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Jan 23, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 23, 2026SenateSenate/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 22, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0184
- Jan 22, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0184
- Jan 22, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 22, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselBill 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 →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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expanded Municipal Legal Staffing and Cooperation Incentives
The legislation connects municipal attorney deputization flexibility with post-sentencing cooperation incentives, broadening how local jurisdictions manage prosecutions and handle post-conviction sentence adjustments.
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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