The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Utah SB 163 authorizes city attorneys to employ deputy attorneys and specially deputize outside counsel
Last action · March 6, 2026: Senate/ filedSponsors: Stephanie Pitcher and 1 other
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What This Bill Proposed
Utah city attorneys are newly authorized to employ deputy attorneys and external licensed attorneys for limited times or purposes, effective May 6, 2026.
Expands municipal legal staffing capabilities by allowing local prosecutor offices to hire permanent deputies and bring in temporary licensed counsel for specific matters.
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.
City Attorneys
City attorneys gain the explicit statutory authority to hire deputy attorneys and appoint temporary special deputies.
Licensed Utah Attorneys
Attorneys in good standing with the Utah State Bar become eligible to be specially deputized by municipal city attorneys for limited times or purposes.
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 be specially deputized under this bill?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the Senate · on the House floor.
Procedural history
29 actions- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ filed
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ strike enacting clause
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd Reading Calendar to Rules
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
Show 23 earlier actions
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse/ committee report favorable
- Mar 2, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 27, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Feb 17, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 17, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Feb 17, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Feb 17, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 17, 2026SenateSenate/ 3rd reading
- Feb 13, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd reading
- Feb 13, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd reading
- Jan 29, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Jan 29, 2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
- Jan 28, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Jan 23, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Jan 21, 2026SenateSenate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 21, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0163
- Jan 21, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0163
- Jan 20, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 20, 2026SenateSenate/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 19, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0163
- Jan 19, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0163
- Jan 19, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 19, 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
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 40)
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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