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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah modifies public safety and domestic violence laws, expanding bail restrictions and protective order rules
Last action · March 25, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Matt MacPherson and 2 others
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What This Bill Does
Utah enacts HB 539, updating statutes related to domestic violence definitions, pretrial bail restrictions, venue rules, and s effective May 6, 2026. The legislation expands the legal definition of domestic violence offenses, modifies rules for law enforcement responses, and clarifies circumstances under which arrested individuals may communicate with minor children.
Changes criminal procedure standards and bail eligibility for individuals arrested for domestic violence, affecting how law enforcement officers evaluate primary aggressors and handling protective orders for victims and minor children.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Law enforcement officers
Peace officers must follow updated guidelines for evaluating predominant aggressors, making arrests, and submitting detailed reports and charges within specified timeframes.
Domestic violence victims
Victims experience updated protective order rules, jail release conditions, notice provisions, and waiver procedures.
Defendants charged with domestic violence offenses
Individuals arrested or cited face revised bail conditions, mandatory initial appearances, and specific restrictions regarding jail release agreements and contact with minor children.
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 changes does HB 539 make regarding domestic violence offenses?
Can an arrested individual communicate with their child under a jail release agreement?
When does HB 539 take effect?
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
66 actions- Mar 25, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 17, 2026HouseHouse/ to Governor
- Mar 17, 2026HouseHouse/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- Mar 12, 2026HouseHouse/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 12, 2026Clerk of the HouseEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- Mar 11, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 60 earlier actions
- Mar 11, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingBill Received from House for Enrolling
- Mar 11, 2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
- Mar 11, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 10, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Mar 10, 2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ returned to House
- Mar 10, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ concurs with Senate amendment
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ to House with amendments
- Mar 6, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ uncircled
- Mar 6, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0539S04
- Mar 6, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0539S04
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ circled
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ substituted
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ uncircled
- Mar 6, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0539S04
- Mar 6, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0539S04
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ circled
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 26, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Feb 25, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 25, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0539S03
- Feb 25, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0539S03
- Feb 24, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Feb 24, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Feb 24, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 24, 2026HouseHouse/ substituted
- Feb 24, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Feb 24, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0539S03
- Feb 24, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0539S03
- Feb 20, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0539S02
- Feb 20, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0539S02
- Feb 19, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Feb 19, 2026HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ substituted
- Feb 19, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 19, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Substitute Recommendation
- Feb 19, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0539S02
- Feb 19, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0539S02
- Feb 18, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0539S01
- Feb 18, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0539S01
- Feb 17, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0539S01
- Feb 17, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0539S01
- Feb 17, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Feb 12, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Feb 12, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0539
- Feb 12, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0539
- Feb 10, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 10, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Feb 10, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0539
- Feb 10, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0539
- Feb 10, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Feb 10, 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.
Comprehensive Domestic Violence and Bail Overhaul
HB 539 systematically updates multiple titles of the Utah Code to tighten restrictions on domestic violence offenders while refining law enforcement duties and magistrate review timelines.
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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