HB0087 • 2026

Animal Crime Victim Amendments

Crime

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Rep. Mauga, Verona
Last action: 2026-03-25
Official status: Governor Signed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Animal Crime Victim Amendments

This bill modifies provisions related to animals that are seized as a result of animal abuse.

What This Bill Does

This bill modifies provisions related to animals that are seized as a result of animal abuse.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-25 Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
Governor Signed
2026-03-11 Clerk of the House
House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
2026-03-11 Executive Branch - Governor
House/ to Governor
2026-03-03 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Bill Received from House for Enrolling
2026-03-03 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
2026-03-03 Clerk of the House
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
2026-03-03 Clerk of the House
House/ enrolled bill to Printing
2026-03-02 House Speaker
House/ received from Senate
2026-03-02 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
2026-02-27 Senate President
House/ concurs with Senate amendment
2026-02-27 Senate President
House/ to Senate
2026-02-27 Senate President
Senate/ received from House
2026-02-27 House Speaker
Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
2026-02-27 House Speaker
Senate/ to House
2026-02-26 House Concurrence Calendar
House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
2026-02-26 Clerk of the House
House/ received from Senate
2026-02-26 Senate 3rd Reading Calendar
Senate/ 3rd reading
2026-02-26 Clerk of the House
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
2026-02-26 Clerk of the House
Senate/ to House with amendments
2026-02-25 Senate 3rd Reading Calendar
Senate/ passed 2nd reading
2026-02-25 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ substituted
2026-02-25 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ uncircled
2026-02-23 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0087S02
2026-02-23 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0087S02
2026-02-23 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ circled
2026-02-20 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0087S02
2026-02-20 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0087S02
2026-02-20 Senate Secretary
Senate/ motion to reconsider
2026-02-20 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
2026-02-19 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ 2nd reading
2026-02-19 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ circled
2026-02-19 Senate Secretary
Senate/ failed
2026-02-19 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ floor amendment
2026-02-19 Clerk of the House
Senate/ to House
2026-02-19 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ uncircled
2026-02-17 Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2026-02-17 Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee
Senate/ committee report favorable
2026-02-17 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
2026-02-13 Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee
Senate/ to standing committee
2026-02-12 Senate Rules Committee
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2026-02-11 Waiting for Introduction in the Senate
Senate/ received from House
2026-02-10 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ 3rd reading
2026-02-10 Senate Secretary
House/ passed 3rd reading
2026-02-10 Senate Secretary
House/ to Senate
2026-02-03 House 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
House/ 2nd reading
2026-02-03 House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
House/ committee report favorable
2026-02-02 House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2026-01-27 House Rules Committee
Bill Substituted by Sponsor in House Rules Comm
2026-01-27 House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
House/ to standing committee
2026-01-27 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0087S01
2026-01-27 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0087S01
2026-01-26 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0087S01
2026-01-26 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0087S01
2026-01-20 House Rules Committee
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2026-01-20 Clerk of the House
House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
2026-01-15 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0087
2026-01-15 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0087
2026-01-14 Clerk of the House
House/ received bill from Legislative Research
2025-12-23 Legislative Research and General Counsel
Bill Numbered but not Distributed
2025-12-23 Legislative Research and General Counsel
Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
2025-10-03 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0087
2025-09-02 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0087
2025-09-02 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0087

Official Summary Text

This bill modifies provisions related to animals that are seized as a result of animal abuse.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

23
76-13-101
76-13-102
0
Animal Crime Victim Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Verona Mauga
Senate Sponsor: Jen Plumb
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill modifies provisions related to animals that are seized as a result of animal abuse.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
amends provisions related to the placement of an animal that is seized as a result of an
animal abuse offense; and
makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
76-13-101
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 173
76-13-102
, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 173
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section
76-13-101
is amended to read:
76-13-101
. Definitions.
Reserved.
As used in this chapter:
(1)
"Animal control officer" means the same as that term is defined in Section
11-46-102
.
(2)
"Peace officer" means any officer certified in accordance with Title 53, Chapter 13,
Peace Officer Classifications.
Section 2. Section
76-13-102
is amended to read:
76-13-102
. Officer's authority to take possession of an abused animal -- Lien for
care -- Humane destruction.
(1)
(a)
As used in this section:
(i)
"Animal abuse offense" means an offense described in Section
76-13-202
,
76-13-203
,
76-13-204
,
76-13-207
,
76-13-212
, or
76-13-213
.
(ii)
"Animal control officer" means the same as that term is defined in Section
11-46-102
.
(iii)
"Minimum care" means the following, taking into account the species, age, and
physical condition of the animal:
(A)
appropriate and essential food and water; and
(B)
adequate protection, including appropriate shelter, against extreme weather
conditions.
(iv)
"Peace officer" means any officer certified in accordance with Title 53, Chapter
13, Peace Officer Classifications.
(b)
Terms defined in Sections
76-1-101.5
and
76-13-101
apply to this section.
(2)
(a)
A
law enforcement
peace
officer
or animal control officer
may take possession of
an animal
being treated cruelly
that is involved in an animal abuse offense
and, after
reasonable efforts to notify the owner, may provide shelter and care for the animal
at
any appropriate private or public facility
or, upon permission from the owner, may
:
(i)

destroy the animal
.
; or
(ii)
subject to Subsection
(2)(b)
, place the animal:
(A)
with any appropriate individual that does not reside with the owner;
(B)
with a public or private entity or agency that demonstrates a willingness to
accept and care for the animal; or
(C)
with any other appropriate animal care agency for further disposition in
accordance with accepted practices for humane treatment of animals.
(b)
An individual, entity, or agency who receives an animal under Subsection
(2)(a)(ii)
:
(i)
obtains the ownership rights to the animal and shall execute an agreement to:
(A)
provide minimum care to the animal; and
(B)
not allow the former owner to possess, care for, or interact with the animal;
and
(ii)
retains the right to resell or otherwise make disposition of the animal in
accordance with accepted practices for humane treatment of animals.
(3)
(a)
An officer
A peace officer or animal control officer
caring for an animal under
this section has a lien for the reasonable value of the care provided to the animal and,
if applicable, the reasonable value for the destruction of the animal.
(b)
A court, upon proof that the owner has been notified at least five days earlier of the
lien and amount due,
and the owner has not voluntarily given up ownership rights
under
Subsecti
on
(2)(a)(ii)
,

shall order
:
(i)

the animal sold at public auction or destroyed
.
; or
(ii)
the ownership rights to the animal be
transferred
to:
(A)
any appropriate individual that does not reside with the owner;
(B)
a public or private entity or agency that demonstrates a willingness to accept
and care for the animal; or
(C)
an appropriate animal care agency for further disposition in accordance with
accepted practices for humane treatment of animals.
(c)
An individual, entity, or agency who receives the rights to an animal under
Subsection
(3)(b)
:
(i)
shall execute an agreement to:
(A)
provide minimum care to the animal; and
(B)
not allow the former owner to possess, care for, or interact with the animal;
and
(ii)
retains the right to resell or otherwise make disposition of the animal in
accordance with accepted practices for humane treatment of animals.
(4)
(a)
A
law enforcement
peace
officer
or animal control officer
may humanely destroy
an animal found suffering past recovery for any useful purpose.
(b)
Before destroying the animal under Subsection
(4)(a)
, the
peace
officer
or animal
control officer
shall obtain:
(i)
the judgment of a veterinarian or of two reputable citizens called by the officer to
view the animal in the officer's presence, of the animal's nonrecoverable
condition; or
(ii)
consent to the destruction from the owner of the animal.
Section 3.
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on
May 6, 2026
.
3-3-26 4:14 PM