SB 237 Utah Senate · 2025 General Session

Utah Communications Authority Amendments

SB 237 modifies Utah's emergency communications rules to improve 911 service coordination and efficiency. It requires the Department of Public Safety to implement a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system by July 1, 2029, and revises how counties without meeting transfer rate standards must be audited. The bill also changes the formula for distributing 911 service charge revenue to counties and removes outdated funding references. These changes directly affect county emergency services and public safety answering points that handle 911 calls. The bill contains no new funding but updates operational requirements for statewide emergency communications.

Issues: ✓ Technology

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Mar 2025

Introduced Feb 6, 2025 Signed Mar 26, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute #1 → Enrolled · 5 edits · Mar 26, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's 911 emergency communication laws to modernize dispatch standards, specifically requiring the Department of Public Safety to implement a computer-aided dispatch system by July 1, 2029. It revises funding distribution formulas to ensure fairer revenue sharing among public safety answering points and adjusts audit requirements for counties that fail to meet strict call transfer rate standards. Additionally, the repeal of an outdated funding section is delayed until January 1, 2026, allowing for a smoother transition to new financial rules.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of enforcement by introducing stricter audit triggers for counties with high call transfer rates and extends the timeline for repealing specific funding provisions to allow for a phased implementation of new financial standards.

TIMELINE

The deadline for the Department of Public Safety to implement a computer-aided dispatch (CAD-to-CAD) system was set to July 1, 2029, replacing previous or absent specific mandates.

The repeal of Section 63H-7a-304.5 was delayed from an earlier date to January 1, 2026, to align with the new funding distribution rules.

FISCAL

The formula for distributing 911 emergency service charge revenue was updated to calculate distributions based on the average call volume over the three years preceding the current year, rather than using fixed historical baselines.

ENFORCEMENT

Audit requirements were adjusted for counties that failed to achieve a 2% or less call transfer rate by June 30, 2024, mandating third-party audits and specific compliance reporting starting in 2025.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'transfer rate' was refined to explicitly exclude transfers to 988 services, poison control, and transfers to the Department of Public Safety until July 1, 2029.

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 26, 2025

Signed into law

Governor Signed

executive

Mar 5, 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

House/ passed 3rd reading

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

House/ committee report favorable

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Comm - Favorable Recommendation

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Committee

House/ to standing committee

lower

Feb 24, 2025

Introduced

House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

lower

Feb 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Senate/ passed 3rd reading

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Committee

Senate/ to standing committee

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Introduced

Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors