Bill > HB0254

This bill amends existing Utah law to expand the use of "compensatory service," which is unpaid work performed for a government agency or approved non-profit organization, as an alternative to paying fines or fees. Specifically, it allows compensatory service to be used in lieu of fees associated with a "plea in abeyance," a legal agreement where a defendant's plea of guilty or no contest is temporarily set aside by the court, with the potential for the charges to be dismissed if the defendant meets certain conditions. The bill also introduces a new provision requiring prosecutors to offer a plea in abeyance to individuals who have never been convicted of a crime, are between 18 and 19 years old at the time of the offense, and are charged with specific offenses like retail theft, minor alcohol possession, or misdemeanor drug possession. Furthermore, it clarifies that compensatory service cannot be used to avoid paying victim restitution and sets limits on the fees and incarceration that can be part of a plea in abeyance agreement for these specific offenses, while also mandating that such agreements allow for compensatory service to cover any fee up to $200.

https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/HB0254.html