Bill > HB0320

This bill amends Utah municipal ordinance laws related to civil and criminal penalties, introducing new provisions for imposing fines on property violations. The bill defines new terms like "rental dwelling" and "short-term rental" and modifies how municipalities can penalize ordinance violations. Under the new provisions, municipalities can impose criminal penalties for ordinance violations with fines up to the maximum class B misdemeanor level and potential imprisonment, but with some important restrictions. Specifically, for individual pet or residence violations, criminal penalties are limited unless the violation is a significant nuisance threatening health or safety, or has occurred multiple times. The bill also allows municipalities to impose civil penalties with increased fine structures for repeated violations related to occupancy, off-street parking, rental dwellings, or short-term rentals. Notably, the bill caps these escalating fines at $2,500 or $5,000 depending on the number of previous violations, and requires that these previous violations be separated by at least 14 days of compliance. The bill also clarifies who can issue criminal citations and limits the frequency of infractions. The changes aim to provide municipalities with more flexible enforcement tools while preventing excessive or overly punitive penalties. The bill is set to take effect on May 7, 2025.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/HB0320.html