Labor & Employment

SB 316 modifies Utah law to clarify when public employees (like police officers or government workers) can recover attorney fees and court costs after being charged criminally for actions related to their job. It requires prosecutors' offices (municipal, county, district, or state) to pay 50% of these fees if the employee is acquitted or charges are dismissed, with one key change: the exception for dismissals by prosecutors now only applies if the dismissal happens more than 45 days after a preliminary hearing. The bill specifically limits this exception to charges filed as "information" (not indictments) and ensures employees aren’t barred from recovery if charges are dismissed within that 45-day window. This affects public employees facing criminal charges tied to their official duties, making it easier to recover legal costs in certain cases.

SB 248, the Child Care Expansion Act, requires licensed child care providers to maintain specific insurance coverage (general liability, property, and workers' compensation) at minimum levels set by the Division of Risk Management. It also mandates that employer-sponsored child care facilities reserve 50% of their capacity for the children of the employer's employees, with the remaining space available to the broader community. The bill directly affects licensed child care providers and employer sponsors operating such facilities. It failed in the House during third reading on March 4, 2026, and did not advance further. The bill focuses on regulatory standards for insurance and space allocation, not on expanding access or providing new funding.

This bill changes Utah's wage law by setting a one-year time limit for employees to sue employers over unpaid wages exceeding $10,000. For claims under $10,000, employees must first use administrative processes before filing a lawsuit, unless they combine claims (with other employees or additional claims against the same employer) totaling over $10,000. The law also adds daily penalties of 2.5% for unpaid wages after a court order. It directly affects employees seeking unpaid wages and employers who owe them. The bill takes effect May 6, 2026.