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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah requires search warrants for law enforcement access to electronic information and records
Last action · March 24, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Jason Kyle and 1 other
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What This Bill Does
Utah law now mandates that law enforcement agencies obtain a search warrant based on probable cause before accessing electronic device data, location information, or third-party s, taking effect on May 6, 2026.
Changes investigative protocols for state and local police by establishing statutory exclusion rules for digital data acquired outside of warrant requirements or statutory exceptions.
- The Electronic Information Privacy Act governs how Utah law enforcement agencies may access electronic device data, location records, and third-party customer information. 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.
Law Enforcement Agencies
Law enforcement agencies must secure search warrants for electronic data and subscriber records, adhere to specific notice requirements, and face evidence exclusion rules for non-compliant data collection.
Electronic Communication and Remote Computing Service Providers
Service providers are shielded from liability when complying with warrants in good faith, and are subject to clear statutory rules regarding voluntary data disclosures.
Electronic Device Owners and Subscribers
Subscribers and device owners gain statutory privacy protections requiring probable-cause warrants for accessing their location data, communication contents, and customer records.
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
Can police obtain my location information without a search warrant?
What happens if law enforcement obtains electronic records illegally under this act?
Are service providers liable for turning over records to police?
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
47 actions- Mar 24, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 12, 2026HouseHouse/ to Governor
- Mar 12, 2026HouseHouse/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- Mar 11, 2026HouseHouse/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11, 2026Clerk of the HouseEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- Mar 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 41 earlier actions
- Mar 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingBill Received from House for Enrolling
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ returned to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate/ committee report favorable
- Feb 25, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 23, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Feb 20, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 19, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Feb 19, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Feb 19, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 19, 2026HouseHouse/ floor amendment
- Feb 19, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Feb 12, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0261S02
- Feb 12, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0261S02
- Feb 12, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Feb 12, 2026HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ substituted
- Feb 11, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 11, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Substitute Recommendation
- Feb 11, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0261S02
- Feb 11, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0261S02
- Feb 6, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0261S01
- Feb 6, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0261S01
- Feb 4, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0261S01
- Feb 4, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0261S01
- Feb 4, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 18, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0261
- Jan 18, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0261
- Jan 14, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0261
- Jan 14, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0261
- Jan 14, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 14, 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 Electronic Privacy Standard
The legislation establishes the Electronic Information Privacy Act as the exclusive method for state law enforcement to access digital data, explicitly closing loopholes involving third-party contractors and out-of-state data transfers.
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance82How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy35Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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