SB 148 Utah Senate · 2025 General Session

Court Fees and Administration Amendments

SB 148 modifies Utah court fees and administrative procedures. It eliminates filing fees for civil documents submitted by state agencies, counties, and other government entities, and removes fees for protective order requests through Utah's online court system. The bill also increases a small surcharge for online filings (excluding protective orders) and updates outdated language about bail and court terminology. No new funding is required, and the changes apply immediately to Utah's justice courts and courts of record.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 3 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Last action Mar 8, 2025

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What changed between versions

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah court fee structures, modifies bail-related language, increases surcharges for online court filings, and removes unused provisions while clarifying how courts handle compensatory service and plea agreements.

Scope change

Expanded applicability to include free civil document fees for state agencies and political subdivisions, and added new code sections for fee allocations

FISCAL

Increased the filing fee surcharge for cases filed through the online court assistance program from $20 to $60

Adjusted security surcharge allocation percentages between county treasurers and the Court Security Account

ELIGIBILITY

Provided that civil document fees are waived for the state, state agencies, and political subdivisions

REQUIREMENT

Removed unused provisions regarding law clerk bailiffs and juvenile court fine schedules

Changed language about bail forfeiture to align with recent statutory changes

Clarified that protective order requests filed through the online court assistance program do not incur filing fee surcharges

DEFINITION

Updated terminology throughout the bill for consistency with current legal standards

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 5, 2025

Introduced

House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation

upper

Feb 21, 2025

Committee

Senate/ to standing committee

upper

Jan 22, 2025

Introduced

Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor