SB0227 • 2026

Punitive Damages Amendments

Labor

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Sen. Winterton, Ronald M.
Last action: 2026-03-18
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.

Punitive Damages Amendments

This bill enacts provisions relating to punitive damages.

What This Bill Does

This bill enacts provisions relating to punitive damages.

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

2026-03-18 Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
Governor Signed
2026-03-13 Senate Secretary
Senate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
2026-03-13 Executive Branch - Governor
Senate/ to Governor
2026-03-12 Senate Secretary
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
2026-03-12 Senate Secretary
Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing
2026-03-10 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling
2026-03-10 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
2026-03-06 House Speaker
House/ received from Senate
2026-03-06 Senate President
House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
2026-03-06 Senate President
House/ to Senate
2026-03-06 House Speaker
Senate/ concurs with House amendment
2026-03-06 Senate Concurrence Calendar
Senate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
2026-03-06 Senate Secretary
Senate/ received from House
2026-03-06 Senate President
Senate/ received from House
2026-03-06 Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
2026-03-06 House Speaker
Senate/ to House
2026-03-05 House 3rd Reading Calendar for Senate bills
House/ 3rd reading
2026-03-05 Senate Secretary
House/ passed 3rd reading
2026-03-05 House 3rd Reading Calendar for Senate bills
House/ substituted
2026-03-05 Senate Secretary
House/ to Senate
2026-03-04 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0227S04
2026-03-04 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0227S04
2026-03-03 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0227S03
2026-03-03 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0227S04
2026-03-03 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0227S03
2026-03-03 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0227S04
2026-03-03 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0227S03
2026-03-03 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0227S03
2026-03-02 House 3rd Reading Calendar for Senate bills
House/ 2nd reading
2026-03-02 House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee
House/ committee report favorable
2026-02-27 House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2026-02-25 House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee
House/ to standing committee
2026-02-24 House Rules Committee
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2026-02-24 Clerk of the House
House/ received from Senate
2026-02-24 Senate 3rd Reading Calendar
Senate/ 3rd reading
2026-02-24 Clerk of the House
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
2026-02-24 Clerk of the House
Senate/ to House
2026-02-23 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ floor amendment
2026-02-23 Senate 3rd Reading Calendar
Senate/ passed 2nd reading
2026-02-23 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ substituted
2026-02-23 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ uncircled
2026-02-20 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0227S01
2026-02-20 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0227S02
2026-02-20 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0227S01
2026-02-20 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0227S02
2026-02-20 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ 2nd reading
2026-02-20 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ circled
2026-02-19 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0227S02
2026-02-19 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0227S02
2026-02-18 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0227S01
2026-02-18 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0227S01
2026-02-06 Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee
Senate/ committee report favorable
2026-02-06 Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
2026-02-04 Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2026-02-03 Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0227
2026-02-03 Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0227
2026-02-03 Senate Rules Committee
Senate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
2026-02-03 Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee
Senate/ to standing committee
2026-02-02 Senate Rules Committee
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
2026-01-30 Legislative Research and General Counsel
Bill Numbered but not Distributed
2026-01-30 Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0227
2026-01-30 Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0227
2026-01-30 Legislative Research and General Counsel
Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
2026-01-30 Waiting for Introduction in the Senate
Senate/ received bill from Legislative Research

Official Summary Text

This bill enacts provisions relating to punitive damages.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

17
31A-20-101
78B-8-204
0
Punitive Damages Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Ronald M. Winterton
House Sponsor: Colin W. Jack
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill enacts provisions relating to punitive damages.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
provides that an insurer may not rely on the existence, likelihood, possibility, or exposure
to punitive damages when taking actions under Title 31A, Insurance Code;
provides the circumstances in which a court may award punitive damages against an
employer, managing agent, or principal for the conduct of the employer's, managing
agent's, or principal's employee or agent;
provides that the provisions this bill enacts apply only to a claim arising after the effective
date of the bill; and
makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
31A-20-101
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1986, Chapter 204
ENACTS:
78B-8-204
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section
31A-20-101
is amended to read:
31A-20-101
. Underwriting limitations.
(1)
No insurer may insure or attempt to insure against:
(1)
(a)
a wager or gaming risk;
(2)
(b)
loss of an election;
(3)
(c)
the penal consequences of a crime; or
(4)
(d)
punitive damages.
(2)
An insurer may not consider, use, or rely upon the existence, likelihood, possibility, or
exposure to punitive damages when engaging in any of the following under this title:
(a)
underwriting;
(b)
rating;
(c)
risk classification; or
(d)
determining premiums or other charges for a policy.
Section 2. Section
78B-8-204
is enacted to read:
78B-8-204
. Punitive damages in an employment or agency relationship.
(1)
As used in this section, "managing agent" means an employee or agent who:
(a)
exercises supervisory or managerial authority over a specific facility, operation,
project, or group of employees; or
(b)
acts in a managerial capacity.
(2)
Except as provided in Subsection
(3)
, in an action where a plaintiff seeks punitive
damages against an employer, principal, or managing agent based solely on the tortious
conduct of an employee or agent, the employer, principal, or managerial agent may not
be held vicariously liable for punitive damages based solely on the agency or
employment relationship.
(3)
To obtain an award of punitive damages against an employer, a principal, or a managing
agent based solely on the conduct of an employee or agent, a plaintiff shall demonstrate
by clear and convincing evidence that:
(a)
the employer's, principal's, or managing agent's conduct was willful, malicious, or in
reckless disregard to the rights or safety of others;
(b)
the employer, principal, or managing agent authorized, ratified, or approved of the
alleged conduct that gave rise to the claim; or
(c)
the employer, principal, or managing agent was reckless in employing or retaining
the employee or agent.
(4)
Subsections
(2)
and
(3)
apply to any claim for an award of punitive damages, including
a claim for punitive damages arising out of the tortfeasor's operation of a motor vehicle
or motorboat while voluntarily intoxicated or under the influence of any drug or
combination of alcohol and drugs as prohibited by Section
41-6a-502
.
(5)
The provisions of this section:
(a)
are subject to Section
63G-7-603
; and
(b)
apply only to a claim arising on or after May 6, 2026.
Section 3.
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on
May 6, 2026
.
3-10-26 12:00 PM