SB 70 Utah Senate · 2026 General Session

Natural Disaster Amendments

SB 70 requires counties, cities, and towns to include at least one emergency shelter in their operations plans that can accommodate both people and their household pets during natural disasters. It defines "household pet" to include common pets like dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and turtles, but excludes livestock, reptiles (other than turtles), amphibians, fish, insects, and racing animals. The bill also clarifies that local governments have immunity from lawsuits related to their emergency operations plans and makes technical changes to existing law. No new funding is provided, and the bill repeals an outdated section of the code.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 20, 2026 Last action Mar 7, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Substitute #1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill substitute adds a new immunity provision for government entities and employees when implementing emergency shelter measures during disasters, while also adding a new subsection requiring counties, cities, or towns to designate at least one emergency shelter for individuals and their household pets. The bill clarifies that government entities are not required to build new facilities to comply with shelter designation requirements. Additionally, the bill adds a new Utah Code section (63G-7-201) specifically addressing immunity from lawsuits related to emergency response activities.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include immunity protections for government entities and their employees when implementing emergency shelter measures during disasters, and added a new requirement for emergency shelter designation in emergency operations plans.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement that emergency operations plans must designate at least one shelter to accommodate individuals and their household pets during emergencies.

Added clarification that counties, cities, or towns are not required to build new facilities to designate shelters under the emergency operations plan requirements.

ENFORCEMENT

Added new immunity provision protecting government entities and employees from lawsuits when implementing or failing to implement emergency shelter measures during disasters.

DEFINITION

Added new Utah Code section 63G-7-201 specifically addressing immunity of governmental entities and employees from suit during emergency response activities.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate/ comm rpt/ sent to Rules [Senate Rules Committee]

upper

Mar 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate Comm - Recommends Returned to Rules [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate Comm - Held [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]

upper

Jan 20, 2026

Committee

Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]

upper

Jan 20, 2026

Introduced

Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors