Bill > SB0325

This bill amends the Utah Transportation Code to establish more detailed requirements for the Department of Transportation when exercising eminent domain powers. The bill first defines several key terms related to property acquisition, including "acquired property," "acquisition price," "claimant," "condemnee," "condemnor," and "under threat of condemnation" by referencing existing legal definitions. The bill then specifies new procedural requirements for property condemnation, including mandating that any instrument conveying property must clearly identify the specific estates, rights, and interests being acquired, and prohibiting the waiver of rights not explicitly identified and valued. The legislation also introduces a 10-year restriction preventing the department from erecting improvements that materially interfere with the visibility of remaining property without acquiring additional rights, and requires that property owners receive full compensation for all estates and interests being taken. Additionally, the bill stipulates that any conveyance document that does not include a written certification of separate valuation for each property interest is potentially voidable by the property owner. The bill will take effect on May 7, 2025, and aims to provide more transparency and protection for property owners during transportation-related land acquisitions.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/SB0325.html