Indigent Defense Amendments
SB 171 creates a Youth Defense Fund to provide free legal help for minors in Utah juvenile court cases. It requires counties to apply for participation and pay annual assessments to access the fund, which covers court-appointed attorneys and necessary defense resources for indigent youth. Counties that fail to pay their assessments lose eligibility for the fund’s services. The fund is administered by the Utah Indigent Defense Commission, with the state covering deficits if the fund runs short. This bill directly affects minors in juvenile court and participating counties, establishing a new funding mechanism for their legal representation.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
Feb 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 28, 2025
Signed Mar 26, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
Substitute #3
→
Enrolled
·
1 edit
·
Mar 26, 2025
MINOR
The bill text was updated to reflect a change in the effective date from May 7, 2025, to March 6, 2025. No substantive policy changes, funding adjustments, or eligibility criteria were altered; the modification is purely technical and ensures the bill's timeline aligns with the current legislative session.
TIMELINE
The effective date of the bill was moved forward from May 7, 2025, to March 6, 2025.
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
48
Key actions
8
Committee
4
Amendments
1
Mar 26, 2025
Signed into law
Governor Signed
executive
Mar 6, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
legislature
Mar 5, 2025
Upper · Passed
House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
upper
Mar 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate/ concurs with House amendment
lower
Mar 5, 2025
Upper · Passed
House/ passed 3rd reading
upper
Mar 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
lower
Feb 21, 2025
Committee
House/ to standing committee
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
lower
Feb 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
lower
Feb 5, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
upper
Jan 29, 2025
Committee
Senate/ to standing committee
upper
Jan 28, 2025
Introduced
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
upper
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor
Sponsors
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