UT
Utah House Bill HB0092

Utah 2025 Regular Session

Utah House Bill HB0092 Compare Versions

OldNewDifferences
1-Enrolled Copy H.B. 92
1+02-06 09:17 2nd Sub. (Gray) H.B. 92
2+Walt Brooks proposes the following substitute bill:
23 1
34 Private Individual Force and Detention Amendments
45 2025 GENERAL SESSION
56 STATE OF UTAH
67 Chief Sponsor: Walt Brooks
7-Senate Sponsor: Chris H. Wilson
8+Senate Sponsor:
89 2
910
1011 3
1112 LONG TITLE
1213 4
1314 General Description:
1415 5
1516 This bill concerns the ability of a private individual to use force or detain another individual.
1617 6
1718 Highlighted Provisions:
1819 7
1920 This bill:
2021 8
2122 ▸ amends the circumstances under which a private individual may use force in defense of
2223 9
2324 personal property;
2425 10
2526 ▸ amends the circumstances under which a private individual may lawfully detain another
2627 11
2728 individual, including removing the use of the term "arrest";
2829 12
2930 ▸ provides a limitation on civil and criminal liability for a private individual who
3031 13
3132 temporarily detains another individual under certain circumstances;
3233 14
3334 ▸ amends the force in arrest statute to provide that the statute applies to law enforcement
3435 15
3536 officers and creates a new statute for when force can be used by a private individual
3637 16
3738 when making a temporary detention;
3839 17
3940 ▸ amends procedures that govern the subsequent arrest and transportation of an individual
4041 18
4142 who has been temporarily detained by another private individual;
4243 19
4344 ▸ adds a coordination clause between this bill and S.B. 79, Technical Code Amendments, to
4445 20
4546 provide that the changes to Section 77-7-3 will supersede the changes to that section in
4647 21
4748 S.B. 79; and
4849 22
4950 ▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
5051 23
5152 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
5253 24
5354 None
5455 25
5556 Other Special Clauses:
5657 26
5758 This bill provides a coordination clause.
5859 27
59-Utah Code Sections Affected: H.B. 92 Enrolled Copy
60+Utah Code Sections Affected:
6061 28
6162 AMENDS:
63+2nd Sub. H.B. 92 2nd Sub. (Gray) H.B. 92 02-06 09:17
6264 29
6365 76-2-403, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1973, Chapter 196
6466 30
6567 76-2-406, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 189
6668 31
6769 77-7-3, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1980, Chapter 15
6870 32
6971 77-7-7, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1980, Chapter 15
7072 33
7173 77-7-23, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 140
7274 34
7375 78B-6-1605, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 187
7476 35
7577 80-6-201, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 301
7678 36
7779 ENACTS:
7880 37
7981 77-7-7.1, Utah Code Annotated 1953
8082 38
8183 Utah Code Sections affected by Coordination Clause:
8284 39
8385 77-7-3, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1980, Chapter 15
8486 40
8587
8688 41
8789 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
8890 42
8991 Section 1. Section 76-2-403 is amended to read:
9092 43
9193 76-2-403 . Force in arrest or temporary detention.
9294 44
9395 [Any person] A person is justified in using any force, except deadly force, which [he] the
9496 45
9597 person reasonably believes to be necessary to effect an arrest or temporary detention or to
9698 46
9799 defend [himself] the person's self or another from bodily harm while making an arrest or
98100 47
99101 temporary detention.
100102 48
101103 Section 2. Section 76-2-406 is amended to read:
102104 49
103105 76-2-406 . Force in defense of property -- Affirmative defense.
104106 50
105107 (1) Except as provided in Section 76-2-405, an actor is justified in using force, other than
106108 51
107109 deadly force, against another individual when and to the extent that the actor reasonably
108110 52
109111 believes that force is necessary to prevent or terminate the individual's criminal
110112 53
111113 interference with[ real property or personal property]:
112114 54
113115 (a) real or personal property lawfully in the actor's possession;
114116 55
115117 (b) real or personal property lawfully in the possession of a member of the actor's
116118 56
117119 immediate family; [or]
118120 57
119121 (c) real or personal property belonging to an individual whose property the actor has a
120122 58
121123 legal duty to protect[.] ; or
122124 59
123125 (d) personal property that the actor reasonably believes belongs to another person and
124126 60
125127 that individual's criminal interference is meant to deprive the other person of the
126128 61
127129 person's personal property.
128-- 2 - Enrolled Copy H.B. 92
129130 62
130131 (2) In determining reasonableness under Subsection (1), the trier of fact shall, in addition to
132+- 2 - 02-06 09:17 2nd Sub. (Gray) H.B. 92
131133 63
132134 any other factors, consider the following factors:
133135 64
134136 (a) the apparent or perceived extent of the damage to the property;
135137 65
136138 (b) property damage previously caused by the other individual;
137139 66
138140 (c) threats of personal injury or damage to property that have been made previously by
139141 67
140142 the other individual; and
141143 68
142144 (d) any patterns of abuse or violence between the actor and the individual.
143145 69
144146 The following section is affected by a coordination clause at the end of this bill.
145147 70
146148 Section 3. Section 77-7-3 is amended to read:
147149 71
148150 77-7-3 . Temporary detention made by a private individual.
149151 72
150152 (1) A private [person] individual may [arrest] temporarily detain another individual:
151153 73
152154 [(1)] (a) [For ] for a public offense committed or attempted in [his] the private individual's
153155 74
154156 presence; or
155157 75
156158 [(2)] (b) [When ] when a felony has been committed and [he] the private individual has
157159 76
158160 reasonable cause to believe the [person arrested] individual who the private individual
159161 77
160162 seeks to temporarily detain has committed [it] the felony.
161163 78
162164 (2)(a) A temporary detention under Subsection (1) is lawful only if:
163165 79
164166 (i) the private individual immediately contacts law enforcement to notify law
165167 80
166168 enforcement of the situation and the temporary detention; and
167169 81
168170 (ii) the temporary detention lasts only until a law enforcement officer arrives.
169171 82
170172 (b) A private individual is not required to immediately contact law enforcement as
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172174 described in Subsection (2)(a)(i) if the private individual knows that another
173175 84
174176 individual has already contacted law enforcement to notify law enforcement of the
175177 85
176178 situation and the temporary detention.
177179 86
178180 (3) A private individual who in good faith conducts a lawful temporary detention under this
179181 87
180182 section is:
181183 88
182184 (a) not liable for civil damages or penalties as a result of an act or omission by the
183185 89
184186 private individual in performing the temporary detention unless the private individual
185187 90
186188 was grossly negligent; and
187189 91
188190 (b) not subject to criminal prosecution for an act or omission by the private individual in
189191 92
190192 performing the temporary detention unless the private individual was criminally
191193 93
192194 negligent.
193195 94
194196 (4) A private individual may use force while temporarily detaining another individual under
195197 95
196198 this section as described in Section 77-7-7.1.
197-- 3 - H.B. 92 Enrolled Copy
198199 96
199200 Section 4. Section 77-7-7 is amended to read:
201+- 3 - 2nd Sub. (Gray) H.B. 92 02-06 09:17
200202 97
201203 77-7-7 . Use of force in making an arrest by a law enforcement officer.
202204 98
203205 (1) If a person is being arrested and flees or forcibly resists after being informed of the
204206 99
205207 intention to make the arrest, the [person arresting] law enforcement officer making the
206208 100
207209 arrest may use reasonable force to effect the arrest.
208210 101
209211 (2) Deadly force in making an arrest may be used only as provided in Section 76-2-404.
210212 102
211213 Section 5. Section 77-7-7.1 is enacted to read:
212214 103
213215 77-7-7.1 . Use of force in making a temporary detention by a private individual.
214216 104
215217 (1) If a private individual temporarily detains another individual under Section 77-7-3, the
216218 105
217219 private individual may use reasonable force to effect the temporary detention of the
218220 106
219221 other individual if:
220222 107
221223 (a) the other individual who is being temporarily detained flees or forcibly resists after
222224 108
223225 being informed of the private individual's intention to make the temporary detention;
224226 109
225227 and
226228 110
227229 (b) the private individual's temporary detention of the other individual is lawful.
228230 111
229231 (2) Deadly force in making a temporary detention may only be used if the situation justifies
230232 112
231233 the use of deadly force under Section 76-2-402, 76-2-405, or 76-2-407.
232234 113
233235 Section 6. Section 77-7-23 is amended to read:
234236 114
235237 77-7-23 . Delivery of an individual arrested without a warrant to a magistrate --
236238 115
237239 Transfer to a court with jurisdiction -- Transfer of duties -- Violation as misdemeanor.
238240 116
239-(1)(a)(i)(A) [When ] If an arrest is made without a warrant by a peace officer[ or
241+(1)(a) [When ]
240242 117
241-private person], the [person arrested] individual who has been arrested shall be
243+(i)(A) If an arrest is made without a warrant by a peace officer[ or private person],
242244 118
243-taken by a peace officer without unnecessary delay to the magistrate in the
245+the [person arrested] individual who has been arrested shall be taken by a peace
244246 119
245-district court, the precinct of the county, or the municipality in which the
247+officer without unnecessary delay to the magistrate in the district court, the
246248 120
247-offense occurred, except under Subsection (2).
249+precinct of the county, or the municipality in which the offense occurred,
248250 121
251+except under Subsection (2).
252+122
249253 (B) An information stating the charge against the [person] arrested individual shall
250-122
254+123
251255 be made before the magistrate.
252-123
256+124
253257 (ii) If a private individual temporarily detains another individual under Section 77-7-3,
254-124
258+125
255259 a peace officer shall determine whether to release or arrest the individual who has
256-125
260+126
257261 been detained, and if the peace officer arrests the individual who has been
258-126
262+127
259263 detained, the peace officer shall follow the procedures described in Subsection
260-127
264+128
261265 (1)(a)(i).
262-128
266+129
263267 (b) If the justice court judge of the precinct or municipality or the district court judge is
264-129
268+130
265269 not available, the arrested [person] individual shall be taken before the magistrate
266-- 4 - Enrolled Copy H.B. 92
267-130
270+- 4 - 02-06 09:17 2nd Sub. (Gray) H.B. 92
271+131
268272 within the same county who is nearest to the scene of the alleged offense or nearest to
269-131
273+132
270274 the jail under Subsection (2), who may act as committing magistrate for arraigning
271-132
275+133
272276 the accused individual, setting bail, or issuing warrants.
273-133
277+134
274278 (2)(a) If the arrested [person] individual under Subsection (1) must be transported from
275-134
279+135
276280 jail to a magistrate, the [person] individual may be taken before the magistrate nearest
277-135
281+136
278282 to the jail rather than the magistrate specified in Subsection (1) for arraignment,
279-136
283+137
280284 setting bail, or issuing warrants.
281-137
285+138
282286 (b) The case shall then be transferred to the court having jurisdiction.
283-138
287+139
284288 (3) If a jail accepts custody of [a person] an individual arrested under Subsection (1), the
285-139
289+140
286290 duties under this section of the peace officer [or private person ]who makes the arrest are
287-140
291+141
288292 transferred to the jail and the jail's personnel.
289-141
293+142
290294 (4) This section does not confer jurisdiction upon a court unless otherwise provided by law.
291-142
295+143
292296 (5) [Any officer or person violating this section is guilty of ] A violation of this section is a
293-143
297+144
294298 class B misdemeanor.
295-144
299+145
296300 Section 7. Section 78B-6-1605 is amended to read:
297-145
301+146
298302 78B-6-1605 . Reservation of legal options -- Ordinances.
299-146
303+147
300304 (1)(a) This part may not be construed as a waiver by a local entity of a right to seek
301-147
305+148
302306 reimbursement for actual costs of response services through another legal remedy or
303-148
307+149
304308 procedure.
305-149
309+150
306310 (b) The procedure provided for in this part is in addition to any other civil or criminal
307-150
311+151
308312 statute.
309-151
313+152
310314 (c) This part does not limit the authority of a law enforcement officer to make an arrest,
311-152
315+153
312316 or a private [citizen to make an arrest] individual to make a lawful temporary
313-153
317+154
314318 detention under Section 77-7-3, for a criminal offense arising out of conduct
315-154
319+155
316320 regulated by this part.
317-155
321+156
318322 (2) A local entity may impose by ordinance a stricter provision related to the conduct of an
319-156
323+157
320324 underage drinking gathering, including the imposition of a different civil penalty
321-157
325+158
322326 amount, except that the ordinance shall provide that a civil penalty for an underage
323-158
327+159
324328 drinking gathering may only be imposed by a local entity for which an emergency
325-159
329+160
326330 response provider provides services at the underage drinking gathering.
327-160
331+161
328332 Section 8. Section 80-6-201 is amended to read:
329-161
333+162
330334 80-6-201 . Minor taken into temporary custody by peace officer, private
331-162
335+163
332336 individual, or probation officer -- Grounds -- Protective custody.
333-163
337+164
334338 (1) A minor may be taken into temporary [ ]custody by a peace officer without a court
335-- 5 - H.B. 92 Enrolled Copy
336-164
339+- 5 - 2nd Sub. (Gray) H.B. 92 02-06 09:17
340+165
337341 order, or a warrant under Section 80-6-202, [ ]if the peace officer has probable cause to
338-165
342+166
339343 believe that:
340-166
344+167
341345 (a) the minor has committed an offense under municipal, state, or federal law;
342-167
346+168
343347 (b) the minor seriously endangers the minor's own welfare or the welfare of others and
344-168
348+169
345349 taking the minor into temporary custody appears to be necessary for the protection of
346-169
350+170
347351 the minor or others;
348-170
352+171
349353 (c) the minor has run away or escaped from the minor's parents, guardian, or custodian;
350-171
354+172
351355 or
352-172
356+173
353357 (d) the minor is:
354-173
358+174
355359 (i) subject to the state's compulsory education law; and
356-174
360+175
357361 (ii) subject to Sections 53G-6-208 and 53G-8-211, absent from school without
358-175
362+176
359363 legitimate or valid excuse.
360-176
364+177
361365 (2) A private [citizen] individual may take a minor into temporary [ ]custody if under the
362-177
366+178
363367 circumstances the private [citizen could make a citizen's arrest] individual would be
364-178
368+179
365369 lawfully able to effect a temporary detention under Section 77-7-3 [ ]if the minor was an
366-179
370+180
367371 adult.
368-180
372+181
369373 (3) A juvenile probation officer may take a minor into temporary custody:
370-181
374+182
371375 (a) under the same circumstances as a peace officer in Subsection (1); or
372-182
376+183
373377 (b) if the juvenile probation officer has a reasonable suspicion that [ ]the minor has
374-183
378+184
375379 violated the conditions of the minor's probation.
376-184
380+185
377381 (4)(a) Nothing in this part shall be construed to prevent a peace officer or the Division of
378-185
382+186
379383 Child and Family Services from taking a minor into protective custody under Section
380-186
384+187
381385 80-2a-202 or 80-3-204.
382-187
386+188
383387 (b) If a peace officer or the Division of Child and Family Services takes a minor into
384-188
388+189
385389 protective custody, the provisions of Chapter 2, Child Welfare Services, Chapter 2a,
386-189
390+190
387391 Removal and Protective Custody of a Child, and Chapter 3, Abuse, Neglect, and
388-190
392+191
389393 Dependency Proceedings shall govern.
390-191
394+192
391395 Section 9. Effective Date.
392-192
396+193
393397 This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025.
394-193
398+194
395399 Section 10. Coordinating H.B. 92 with S.B. 79.
396-194
400+195
397401 If H.B. 92, Private Individual Force and Detention Amendments, and S.B. 79, Technical
398-195
402+196
399403 Code Amendments, both pass and become law, the Legislature intends that, on May 7, 2025,
400-196
404+197
401405 the amendments to Section 77-7-3 in H.B. 92 supersede the amendments to Section 77-7-3 in
402-197
406+198
403407 S.B. 79.
404408 - 6 -