HB 461 Utah House · 2025 General Session

Animal Crime Victim Amendments

HB 461 modifies Utah laws regarding animals held due to abuse or criminal activity. It allows temporary release or transfer of animals during ongoing legal cases, requires law enforcement to notify owners before taking animals, and creates court procedures for deciding if animals should be forfeited, transferred to shelters, or returned to owners. The bill also permits courts to order owners to pay shelter costs or complete animal cruelty prevention programs if convicted. These changes directly affect animal shelters, law enforcement officers, and individuals involved in animal abuse or crime cases.

Bill status passed 3 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

Governor

Introduced Feb 11, 2025 Last action Mar 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill substitutes a new version of HB 461 that modernizes Utah's animal cruelty laws by adding new sections for forfeiture proceedings, clarifying definitions for animal shelters, and updating enforcement procedures. The changes expand protections for animals involved in criminal cases by establishing clearer processes for transferring ownership, requiring owner education programs, and preventing animals from being returned to abusive owners.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded by adding new sections (78B-6-2701 through 78B-6-2703) that create a formal petition and hearing process for forfeiting animals before criminal cases conclude, and by clarifying that private humane societies are excluded from the definition of 'animal shelter' for forfeiture purposes.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'animal shelter' that exclude private humane societies and welfare organizations from certain forfeiture procedures.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement that courts must order convicted animal owners to complete animal cruelty prevention education programs and mental health assessments when applicable.

ENFORCEMENT

Added new crime of 'encouraging animal abuse' for knowingly allowing a previously forfeited animal to be returned to its former owner.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from May 7, 2025 to February 28, 2025 in the substitute version.

TECHNICAL

Updated Senate Sponsor name from 'LONG TITLE' to 'Jen Plumb' and corrected formatting inconsistencies in the bill text.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate/ committee report favorable

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation

upper

Mar 3, 2025

Committee

Senate/ to standing committee

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Introduced

Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

upper

Feb 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

House/ passed 3rd reading

upper

Feb 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Comm - Favorable Recommendation

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

House/ to standing committee

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Introduced

House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor