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<leg xml:space="preserve" billnum="SB0156" sponsor="Todd Weiler" designation="SB" otherSponsor="Andrew Stoddard" otherHouse="House" subNumber="01" subSponsor="Todd Weiler" sess="2026GS" fileno="2026FL0226" date="03-11-26" printDate="03-12 10:43" subVer="-2" minVer="1" office="LEGISLATIVE GENERAL COUNSEL" actionDate="" impact="code"><info><nextbuid>3</nextbuid><aminfo anum="0" effdate="05/06/2026"><seclist><sect action="A" src="code" buid="1" uid="C17-78-S603_2026050620260506" fromuid="C17-78-S603_2025110620251206" sort="17 78 06030020260506" mtype="section" effdate="05/06/2026">17-78-603</sect><sect src="uncod" untype="effdate" buid="2" uid="EF0000" sort="UZEFF" mtype="uncod" effdate="05/06/2026"/></seclist></aminfo></info><tbox><sinfo><nextpairid>0</nextpairid></sinfo><st numlevel="1" lineno="1" slineno="0-1">Constable Amendments</st><sessionhead>2026 GENERAL SESSION</sessionhead><statehead>STATE OF UTAH</statehead><sponsorhead>Chief Sponsor: Todd Weiler</sponsorhead><otherSponsorhead>House Sponsor: Andrew Stoddard</otherSponsorhead></tbox><lt numlevel="1" lineno="2" slineno="0-2"><lthead lineno="3">LONG TITLE</lthead><gdhead lineno="4">General Description:</gdhead><gd numlevel="1" lineno="5" slineno="0-5">This bill allows a constable to establish a payment schedule with an individual instead of <ln numlevel="1" lineno="6" slineno="0-6"/>seizing the individual's property, under certain circumstances. </gd><hphead lineno="7">Highlighted Provisions:</hphead><hp numlevel="1" lineno="8" slineno="0-8">This bill:<hl numlevel="1" lineno="9" slineno="0-9" level="1">allows a constable to establish a payment schedule with an individual instead of seizing <ln numlevel="1" lineno="10" slineno="0-10"/>the individual's property, under certain circumstances; and</hl><hl numlevel="1" lineno="11" slineno="0-11" level="1">makes technical and conforming changes.</hl></hp><moni numlevel="1" lineno="12" slineno="0-12" display="none">Money Appropriated in this Bill:</moni><moniNone lineno="13">None</moniNone><oc numlevel="1" lineno="14" slineno="0-14">Other Special Clauses:</oc><ocNone lineno="15">None</ocNone><sa numlevel="1" lineno="16" slineno="0-16">Utah Code Sections Affected:<saamd numlevel="1" lineno="17" slineno="0-17"><snhead>AMENDS:</snhead><sn num="17-78-603" src="code" uid="C17-78-S603_2026050620260506" buid="1" sort="17 78 06030020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="18" slineno="0-18"><bold>17-78-603</bold>, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2025, First Special Session, <ln numlevel="1" lineno="19" slineno="0-19"/>Chapter 14</sn></saamd></sa></lt><enacthead lineno="20"/><enact numlevel="1" lineno="21" slineno="0-21">Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:</enact><bdy><bsec buid="1" num="17-78-603" type="amend" src="code" uid="C17-78-S603_2026050620260506" sort="17 78 06030020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="22" slineno="1-1" sn="1"><section number="17-78-603" numlevel="1" lineno="23" slineno="1-2" type="amend"><secline lineno="22">Section 1. Section <bold>17-78-603</bold> is amended to read:</secline><catline lineno="23"><bold>17-78-603<parens/>. Term -- Authority -- Deputies.</bold></catline><subsection ssid="1-null-1" dnum="1-o" numlevel="1" lineno="24" slineno="1-3" level="1" placement="noreturn" space="false"><display>(1)</display><subsection ssid="1-null-2" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>Constables appointed by a county are appointed for terms of six years and may <ln numlevel="1" lineno="25" slineno="1-4"/>serve more than one term if reappointed by the appointing body.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-3" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="26" slineno="1-5" level="2"><display>(b)</display>Notwithstanding the law in place at the time a constable was appointed, the term of a <ln numlevel="1" lineno="27" slineno="1-6"/>constable appointed on or after July 1, 2018, expires six years after the day on which <ln numlevel="1" lineno="28" slineno="1-7"/>the term began.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-4" dnum="2-o" numlevel="1" lineno="29" slineno="1-8" level="1" space="false"><display>(2)</display><subsection ssid="1-null-5" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>Appointed constables serving process outside the county in which they are <ln numlevel="1" lineno="30" slineno="1-9"/>appointed shall contact the sheriff's office or police department of the jurisdiction <ln numlevel="1" lineno="31" slineno="1-10"/>before serving executions or seizing any property.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-6" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="32" slineno="1-11" level="2"><display>(b)</display>An appointed constable or a deputy of an appointed constable shall notify the agency <ln numlevel="1" lineno="33" slineno="1-12"/>of jurisdiction by contacting the sheriff's office or police department of jurisdiction <ln numlevel="1" lineno="34" slineno="1-13"/>before serving a warrant of arrest.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-7" dnum="3-o" numlevel="1" lineno="35" slineno="1-14" level="1"><display>(3)</display>The appointed constable may, upon approval of the appointing county, employ and <ln numlevel="1" lineno="36" slineno="1-15"/>deputize persons who are certified as special function peace officers to function as <ln numlevel="1" lineno="37" slineno="1-16"/>deputy constables.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-8" dnum="4-o" numlevel="1" lineno="38" slineno="1-17" level="1"><display>(4)</display>If the county legislative body withdraws the authority of an appointed constable, the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="39" slineno="1-18"/>authority of all deputy constables employed or deputized by the appointed constable is <ln numlevel="1" lineno="40" slineno="1-19"/>also withdrawn.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-9" dnum="5-o" numlevel="1" lineno="41" slineno="1-20" level="1"><display>(5)</display>If the authority of a constable or deputy constable is withdrawn under Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="17-25a-3(4)">(4)</xref>, <ln numlevel="1" lineno="42" slineno="1-21"/>the county shall notify the Peace Officer Standards and Training Division of the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="43" slineno="1-22"/>Department of Public Safety in accordance with Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="53-6-209" start="0">53-6-209</xref>.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-10" dnum="6-o" numlevel="1" lineno="44" slineno="1-23" level="1"><display>(6)</display>A constable, contracted or appointed, shall:<subsection ssid="1-null-11" dnum="a-o" numlevel="1" lineno="45" slineno="1-24" level="2"><display>(a)</display>attend the justice courts within the constable's county when required by contract or <ln numlevel="1" lineno="46" slineno="1-25"/>court order; and</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-12" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="47" slineno="1-26" level="2"><display>(b)</display>execute, serve, and return all process directed or delivered to the constable by a judge <ln numlevel="1" lineno="48" slineno="1-27"/>of the justice court serving the county, or by any competent authority within the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="49" slineno="1-28"/>limits of this section.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-13" dnum="7-o" numlevel="1" lineno="50" slineno="1-29" level="1"><display>(7)</display>A constable, contracted or appointed, may:<subsection ssid="1-null-14" dnum="a-o" numlevel="1" lineno="51" slineno="1-30" level="2"><display>(a)</display>serve any process throughout the state;<amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="9" groupid="8" style="2" owner="admin" level="1" deltag="both"> and</amend><amendoutend style="2"/></subsection><subsection ssid="1-24" dnum="_-o:b-e" numlevel="1" lineno="52" slineno="1-31" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="admin" style="1" level="2"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1014" style="1" owner="e" level="1" amendtag="start">(b)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="15" groupid="13" style="1" owner="admin" level="1" amendtag="end">with the approval of a party directing the constable to seize an individual's property, <ln numlevel="1" lineno="53" slineno="1-32"/>establish a payment schedule with the individual in lieu of seizing the individual's <ln numlevel="1" lineno="54" slineno="1-33"/>property; and</amend></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-15" dnum="b-o:c-e" numlevel="1" lineno="55" slineno="1-34" level="2"><display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="1015" style="2" owner="o" level="1" deltag="both">(b)</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1016" style="1" owner="e" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">(c)</amend></display>carry out all other functions associated with a constable.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-16" dnum="8-o" numlevel="1" lineno="56" slineno="1-35" level="1"><display>(8)</display>A constable shall serve exclusively as an agent for:<subsection ssid="1-null-17" dnum="a-o" numlevel="1" lineno="57" slineno="1-36" level="2"><display>(a)</display>the government entity that has a contract with the constable;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-18" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="58" slineno="1-37" level="2"><display>(b)</display>the county that appointed the constable; or</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-19" dnum="c-o" numlevel="1" lineno="59" slineno="1-38" level="2"><display>(c)</display>the court authorizing or directing the constable.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-20" dnum="9-o" numlevel="1" lineno="60" slineno="1-39" level="1"><display>(9)</display>Except as otherwise provided in this part, a constable may not serve as an agent, or be <ln numlevel="1" lineno="61" slineno="1-40"/>considered to be serving as an agent, for a person that is not described in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="17-25a-3(8)">(8)</xref>.</subsection></section></bsec><bsec buid="2" type="uncod" untype="effdate" src="uncod" uid="EF0000" sort="UZEFF" langlock="true" numlevel="1" lineno="62" slineno="2-1" sn="2"><section type="uncod" untype="effdate" display="false" src="uncod"><secline lineno="62">Section 2.  <bold>Effective Date.</bold></secline><sectionText lineno="63"><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1" groupid="1" style="1" owner="admin" level="1" amendtag="both">This bill takes effect on <effdate uid="code" date="5/6/2026">May 6, 2026</effdate>.</amend></sectionText></section></bsec></bdy><foot><rev><tm>3-11-26 11:56 AM</tm></rev></foot></leg>