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S.B. 49

             1     

SMALL BUSINESS ACCESS TO JUSTICE

             2     
ACT

             3     
2009 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Ross I. Romero

             6     
House Sponsor: Brian S. King

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill increases the amount of litigation expenses a small business can collect when a
             11      court finds that a state action was undertaken without substantial justification.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    increases the maximum amount of litigation expenses that a small business can
             15      collect from the state when the state undertakes legal action against a small business
             16      without substantial justification; and
             17          .    makes technical corrections.
             18      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             19          None
             20      Other Special Clauses:
             21          None
             22      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             23      AMENDS:
             24          78B-8-503, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 3
             25     
             26      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             27          Section 1. Section 78B-8-503 is amended to read:


             28           78B-8-503. Definitions.
             29          As used in this part:
             30          (1) "Prevail" means to obtain favorable final judgment, the right to all appeals having
             31      been exhausted, on the merits, on substantially all counts or charges in the action and with
             32      respect to the most significant issue or set of issues presented, but does not include the
             33      settlement of any action, either by stipulation, consent decree or otherwise, whether or not
             34      settlement occurs before or after any hearing or trial.
             35          (2) "Reasonable litigation expenses" means court costs, administrative hearing costs,
             36      attorney fees, and witness fees of all necessary witnesses, not in excess of [$10,000,] $25,000
             37      which a court finds were reasonably incurred in opposing action covered under this [act] part.
             38          (3) "Small business" means a commercial or business entity, including a sole
             39      proprietorship, which does not have more than 250 employees, but does not include an entity
             40      which is a subsidiary or affiliate of another entity which is not a small business.
             41          (4) "State" means any department, board, institution, hospital, college, or university of
             42      the state [of Utah] or any political subdivision thereof, except with respect to [antitrust] actions
             43      brought under [Title 76, Chapter 10, Part 9] the Utah Antitrust Act, Section 76-10-911 , et. seq.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 12-18-08 9:42 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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