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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah permits parents to petition for permanent custody modification when granted to another parent
Last action · March 17, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Christine Watkins and 1 other
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What This Bill Does
Utah enacts rules allowing a parent to file a petition to modify an order of if the order granted custody to the child's other parent and a substantial and material change of circumstance has occurred. The legislation takes effect on May 6, 2026.
Parents seeking to modify permanent custody arrangements gain specific statutory pathways to petition courts when circumstances change, shifting legal options for families navigating juvenile and district court custody orders.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Parents and Guardians
Parents gain the ability to petition for modification of permanent custody and guardianship under defined circumstances when custody was granted to the other parent.
Juvenile and District Courts
Courts must process new petitions for custody modification and determine whether preliminary investigations, hearings, or transfers to district court are required.
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
When can a parent petition to modify an order of permanent custody and guardianship?
Where must a parent file a petition to modify an order of permanent custody and guardianship?
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
43 actions- Mar 17, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse/ to Governor
- Mar 3, 2026HouseHouse/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- Mar 2, 2026HouseHouse/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 2, 2026Clerk of the HouseEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- Mar 2, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 37 earlier actions
- Mar 2, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingBill Received from House for Enrolling
- Feb 26, 2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
- Feb 26, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Feb 26, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Feb 26, 2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ returned to House
- Feb 26, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 26, 2026SenateSenate/ 3rd reading
- Feb 25, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd reading
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd reading
- Feb 18, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 18, 2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
- Feb 18, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 13, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Feb 12, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 11, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Feb 10, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Feb 10, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 10, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Feb 3, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Feb 3, 2026HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ substituted
- Feb 2, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 2, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Substitute Recommendation
- Jan 29, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0105S01
- Jan 29, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0105S01
- Jan 28, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Not Considered
- Jan 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0105S01
- Jan 27, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0105S01
- Jan 23, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Jan 21, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 20, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0105
- Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 18, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0105
- Jan 14, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Dec 29, 2025Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0105
- Dec 29, 2025Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0105
- Dec 29, 2025Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Dec 29, 2025Legislative 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 Petition Rights for Parents in Permanent Guardianships
The legislation establishes explicit conditions under which a parent may petition to modify permanent custody and guardianship orders previously restricted under Utah juvenile code.
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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