Bill > SB0160

This bill amends Utah's product liability law by modifying Section 78B-6-703, which governs how defective products are evaluated in legal claims. Under the revised law, a product can only be considered defective if it was unreasonably dangerous at the time of sale by the manufacturer. The bill maintains a rebuttable presumption that a product is defect-free if its design, manufacturing, inspection, and testing methods conformed to government industry standards existing at the time of production. Importantly, the bill adds new provisions related to alternative design claims, specifically allowing claimants to introduce evidence of a safer, feasible alternative design in product defect lawsuits, while also clarifying that plaintiffs are not required to prove such an alternative design existed in order to successfully pursue a defective design claim. The amendments provide more flexibility for plaintiffs in product liability cases by expanding the ways they can demonstrate a product was defective. The bill is set to take effect on May 7, 2025.

https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/SB0160.html