Utah 2025 Regular Session

Utah House Bill HB0050 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	~~Enrolled Copy~~ H.B. 50
	1	+	12-19 17:52 H.B. 50
2	2		1
3	3		Occupational Safety and Health Amendments
4	4		2025 GENERAL SESSION
5	5		STATE OF UTAH
6	6		Chief Sponsor: James A. Dunnigan
7		-	Senate Sponsor: Don L. Ipson
8	7		2
9	8
10	9		3
11	10		LONG TITLE
12	11		4
	12	+	Committee Note:
	13	+	5
	14	+	The Political Subdivisions Interim Committee recommended this bill.
	15	+	6 Legislative Vote:9 voting for 0 voting against7 absent
	16	+	7
13	17		General Description:
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	18	+	8
15	19		This bill amends civil penalties related to occupational health and safety.
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	20	+	9
17	21		Highlighted Provisions:
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	22	+	10
19	23		This bill:
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	24	+	11
21	25		▸ increases certain Utah Occupational Health and Safety civil penalties.
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	26	+	12
23	27		Money Appropriated in this Bill:
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	28	+	13
25	29		None
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	30	+	14
27	31		Other Special Clauses:
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	32	+	15
29	33		None
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	34	+	16
31	35		Utah Code Sections Affected:
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	36	+	17
33	37		AMENDS:
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	38	+	18
35	39		34A-6-307, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2022, Chapter 333
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	40	+	19
37	41
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	42	+	20
39	43		Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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	44	+	21
41	45		Section 1. Section 34A-6-307 is amended to read:
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	46	+	22
43	47		34A-6-307 . Civil and criminal penalties.
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	48	+	23
45	49		(1)(a) The commission may assess civil penalties against an employer who has received
46		-	21
	50	+	24
47	51		a citation under Section 34A-6-302 as follows:
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	52	+	25
49	53		(i) except as provided in Subsections (1)(a)(ii) through (1)(a)(iv), the commission
50		-	23
	54	+	26
51	55		may assess up to [$13,653 ] $16,131 for each cited violation;
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	56	+	27
53	57		(ii) the commission may not assess more than [$13,653 ] $16,131 for each cited
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	58	+	28
55	59		serious violation;
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	60	+	29
57	61		(iii) the commission may not assess less than [$9,753 ] $11,518 nor more than [
58		-	27
	62	+	30
59	63		$136,532 ] $161,323 for each cited willful violation;
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61		-	(iv) the commission may assess up to [$136,532 ] $161,323 for each cited violation if H.B. 50 ~~Enrolled Copy~~
62		-	29
	64	+	31
	65	+	(iv) the commission may assess up to [$136,532 ] $161,323 for each cited violation if H.B. 50 12-19 17:52
	66	+	32
63	67		the employer has previously been found to have violated the same standards, code,
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	68	+	33
65	69		rule, or order; and
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	70	+	34
67	71		(v) after the expiration of the time permitted to an employer to correct a cited
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	72	+	35
69	73		violation, the commission may assess up to [$13,653 ] $16,131 for each day the
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	74	+	36
71	75		violation continues uncorrected.
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	76	+	37
73	77		(b) For purposes of Subsection (1)(a)(ii), a violation is serious only if:
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	78	+	38
75	79		(i) [it ] the violation arises from a condition, practice, method, operation, or process in
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	80	+	39
77	81		the workplace of which the employer knows or should know through the exercise
78		-	37
	82	+	40
79	83		of reasonable diligence; and
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	84	+	41
81	85		(ii) there is a substantial possibility that the condition, practice, method, operation, or
82		-	39
	86	+	42
83	87		process could result in death or serious physical harm.
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	88	+	43
85	89		(2) The commission may assess a civil penalty of up to [$13,653 ] $16,131 for each
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	90	+	44
87	91		violation of a posting requirement under this chapter.
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	92	+	45
89	93		(3) In deciding the amount to assess for a civil penalty, the commission shall consider all
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	94	+	46
91	95		relevant factors, including:
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	96	+	47
93	97		(a) the size of the employer's business;
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	98	+	48
95	99		(b) the nature of the violation;
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	100	+	49
97	101		(c) the employer's good faith or lack of good faith; and
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	102	+	50
99	103		(d) the employer's previous record of compliance or noncompliance with this chapter.
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	104	+	51
101	105		(4) A civil penalty collected under this chapter shall be paid into the General Fund.
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	106	+	52
103	107		(5)(a) Criminal penalties under this chapter are as follows:
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	108	+	53
105	109		(i) an employer who willfully violates a standard, code, rule, or order issued under
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	110	+	54
107	111		Section 34A-6-202, or a rule made under this chapter, is guilty of a class A
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	112	+	55
109	113		misdemeanor if the violation caused the death of an employee;
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	114	+	56
111	115		(ii) a person who gives advance notice of any inspection conducted under this chapter
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	116	+	57
113	117		without authority from the administrator or the administrator's representatives is
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	118	+	58
115	119		guilty of a class A misdemeanor; and
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	120	+	59
117	121		(iii) a person who knowingly makes a false statement, representation, or certification
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	122	+	60
119	123		in an application, a record, a report, a plan, or another document filed or required
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	124	+	61
121	125		to be maintained under this chapter is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
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	126	+	62
123	127		(b) For purposes of Subsection (5)(a)(i), if the violation causes the death of more than
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	128	+	63
125	129		one employee, each death is considered a separate offense.
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	130	+	64
127	131		(6)(a) After a citation issued under this chapter and an opportunity for a hearing under
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	132	+	65
129	133		Title 63G, Chapter 4, Administrative Procedures Act, the division may file an
130		-	- 2 - ~~Enrolled Copy~~ H.B. 50
131		-	63
	134	+	- 2 - 12-19 17:52 H.B. 50
	135	+	66
132	136		abstract for any uncollected citation penalty in the district court.
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	137	+	67
134	138		(b) The filed abstract described in Subsection (6)(a) [shall have] has the effect of a
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	139	+	68
136	140		judgment issued by that court.
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	141	+	69
138	142		(c) The abstract described in Subsection (6)(a) shall state the amount of:
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	143	+	70
140	144		(i) the uncollected citation penalty;
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	145	+	71
142	146		(ii) reasonable attorney fees as set by commission rule; and
143		-	69
	147	+	72
144	148		(iii) court costs.
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	149	+	73
146	150		Section 2. Effective Date.
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	151	+	74
148	152		This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025.
149	153		- 3 -