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SB 23UTAHSession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

Utah makes aircraft-based solar geoengineering a third-degree felony and mandates reporting

Original title: Airborne Chemicals Amendments

Last action · March 6, 2026: Senate/ filedSponsor: Ron Winterton

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

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What This Bill Proposed

Utah enacts SB 23, making it a third-degree felony punishable by up to $100,000 in fines for aircraft owners or operators to release chemicals for , effective May 6, 2026. The law establishes reporting requirements for airport operators and the Department of Transportation, and provides a public tip submission system.

Why it matters

Aircraft operators face felony prosecution and significant monetary penalties for specific atmospheric modification activities, while the Department of Transportation and airport operators take on mandatory reporting duties.

Who It Would Have Affected

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

Directly affected

Aircraft owners and operators

Aircraft owners and operators face felony charges and fines up to $100,000 for using aircraft to cause solar geoengineering.

Directly affected

Airport operators

Airport operators must report any suspected or known solar geoengineering activity at their airports to the Department of Transportation.

Directly affected

Department of Transportation

The department must create an electronic tip submission system and forward credible reports to the Office of the Attorney General.

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

What is the penalty for conducting solar geoengineering via aircraft in Utah?
It is a third-degree felony punishable by imprisonment and a fine of up to $100,000.
How can residents report suspected solar geoengineering activities?
The Department of Transportation is required to provide an electronic means for individuals to submit information regarding suspected activity.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in Senate committee.

Procedural history

15 actions
  1. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ filed
  2. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ strike enacting clause
  3. Mar 5, 2026Senate
    Senate/ comm rpt/ sent to Rules/ amended
  4. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Recommends Returned to Rules
  5. Feb 5, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Motion to Recommend Failed
  6. Feb 5, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Amendment Recommendation
Show 9 earlier actions
  1. Feb 3, 2026SenateCommittee
    Senate/ to standing committee
  2. Jan 20, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  3. Jan 7, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received bill from Legislative Printing
  4. Dec 5, 2025Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0023
  5. Dec 5, 2025Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
  6. Dec 5, 2025Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Bill Numbered but not Distributed
  7. Nov 19, 2025Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0023
  8. Oct 16, 2025Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0023
  9. Oct 16, 2025Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0023

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

Ron WintertonSenate · District 20RepublicanPrimary sponsor

Connected Entities

Office of the Attorney General, Ronald M. Winterton, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee and 1 more
OrganizationOffice of the Attorney General“Receives reports of suspected solar geoengineering from the Department of Transp”Map →
PersonRonald M. Winterton“Chief Sponsor of SB 23 in the Utah Senate”Map →
OrganizationNatural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee“Recommended the bill”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Transportation“Required to provide a reporting mechanism and forward credible instances to the ”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
  • Controversy80
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment20
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz65
    Current news / social attention level

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