S.B. 149

1

GOVERNMENTAL IMMUNITY AMENDMENTS
2 2013 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: J. Stuart Adams
5 House Sponsor: ____________
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill enacts language creating an exemption from waiver of governmental immunity
10 for certain injuries arising from the operation of a law enforcement vehicle in pursuit.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 . enacts language creating an exemption from waiver of governmental immunity for
14 certain injuries arising from the operation of a law enforcement vehicle in pursuit;
15 and
16 . makes technical corrections.
17 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18 None
19 Other Special Clauses:
20 None
21 Utah Code Sections Affected:
22 AMENDS:
23 63G-7-301, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 382
24
25 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26 Section 1. Section 63G-7-301 is amended to read:
27 63G-7-301. Waivers of immunity -- Exceptions.

28 (1) (a) Immunity from suit of each governmental entity is waived as to any contractual
29 obligation.
30 (b) Actions arising out of contractual rights or obligations are not subject to the
31 requirements of Sections 63G-7-401 , 63G-7-402 , 63G-7-403 , or 63G-7-601 .
32 (c) The Division of Water Resources is not liable for failure to deliver water from a
33 reservoir or associated facility authorized by Title 73, Chapter 26, Bear River Development
34 Act, if the failure to deliver the contractual amount of water is due to drought, other natural
35 condition, or safety condition that causes a deficiency in the amount of available water.
36 (2) Immunity from suit of each governmental entity is waived:
37 (a) as to any action brought to recover, obtain possession of, or quiet title to real or
38 personal property;
39 (b) as to any action brought to foreclose mortgages or other liens on real or personal
40 property, to determine any adverse claim on real or personal property, or to obtain an
41 adjudication about any mortgage or other lien that the governmental entity may have or claim
42 on real or personal property;
43 (c) as to any action based on the negligent destruction, damage, or loss of goods,
44 merchandise, or other property while it is in the possession of any governmental entity or
45 employee, if the property was seized for the purpose of forfeiture under any provision of state
46 law;
47 (d) subject to Subsection 63G-7-302 (1), as to any action brought under the authority of
48 Article I, Section 22, of the Utah Constitution, for the recovery of compensation from the
49 governmental entity when the governmental entity has taken or damaged private property for
50 public uses without just compensation;
51 (e) subject to Subsection 63G-7-302 (2), as to any action brought to recover attorney
52 fees under Sections 63G-2-405 and 63G-2-802 ;
53 (f) for actual damages under Title 67, Chapter 21, Utah Protection of Public Employees
54 Act; or
55 (g) as to any action brought to obtain relief from a land use regulation that imposes a
56 substantial burden on the free exercise of religion under Title 63L, Chapter 5, Utah Religious
57 Land Use Act.
58 (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), immunity from suit of each

59 governmental entity is waived as to any injury caused by:
60 (i) a defective, unsafe, or dangerous condition of any highway, road, street, alley,
61 crosswalk, sidewalk, culvert, tunnel, bridge, viaduct, or other structure located on them; or
62 (ii) any defective or dangerous condition of a public building, structure, dam, reservoir,
63 or other public improvement.
64 (b) Immunity from suit of each governmental entity is not waived if the injury arises
65 out of, in connection with, or results from:
66 (i) a latent dangerous or latent defective condition of any highway, road, street, alley,
67 crosswalk, sidewalk, culvert, tunnel, bridge, viaduct, or other structure located on them; or
68 (ii) a latent dangerous or latent defective condition of any public building, structure,
69 dam, reservoir, or other public improvement.
70 (4) Immunity from suit of each governmental entity is waived as to any injury
71 proximately caused by a negligent act or omission of an employee committed within the scope
72 of employment.
73 (5) Immunity from suit of each governmental entity is not waived under Subsections
74 (3) and (4) if the injury arises out of, in connection with, or results from:
75 (a) the exercise or performance, or the failure to exercise or perform, a discretionary
76 function, whether or not the discretion is abused;
77 (b) assault, battery, false imprisonment, false arrest, malicious prosecution, intentional
78 trespass, abuse of process, libel, slander, deceit, interference with contract rights, infliction of
79 mental anguish, or violation of civil rights;
80 (c) the issuance, denial, suspension, or revocation of, or by the failure or refusal to
81 issue, deny, suspend, or revoke, any permit, license, certificate, approval, order, or similar
82 authorization;
83 (d) a failure to make an inspection or by making an inadequate or negligent inspection;
84 (e) the institution or prosecution of any judicial or administrative proceeding, even if
85 malicious or without probable cause;
86 (f) a misrepresentation by an employee whether or not it is negligent or intentional;
87 (g) riots, unlawful assemblies, public demonstrations, mob violence, and civil
88 disturbances;
89 (h) the collection of and assessment of taxes;

90 (i) the activities of the Utah National Guard;
91 (j) the incarceration of any person in any state prison, county or city jail, or other place
92 of legal confinement;
93 (k) any natural condition on publicly owned or controlled lands;
94 (l) any condition existing in connection with an abandoned mine or mining operation;
95 (m) any activity authorized by the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration
96 or the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands;
97 (n) the operation or existence of a pedestrian or equestrian trail that is along a ditch,
98 canal, stream, or river, regardless of ownership or operation of the ditch, canal, stream, or river,
99 if:
100 (i) the trail is designated under a general plan adopted by a municipality under Section
101 10-9a-401 or by a county under Section 17-27a-401 ;
102 (ii) the trail right-of-way or the right-of-way where the trail is located is open to public
103 use as evidenced by a written agreement between the owner or operator of the trail
104 right-of-way, or of the right-of-way where the trail is located, and the municipality or county
105 where the trail is located; and
106 (iii) the written agreement:
107 (A) contains a plan for operation and maintenance of the trail; and
108 (B) provides that an owner or operator of the trail right-of-way or of the right-of-way
109 where the trail is located has, at minimum, the same level of immunity from suit as the
110 governmental entity in connection with or resulting from the use of the trail.
111 (o) research or implementation of cloud management or seeding for the clearing of fog;
112 (p) the management of flood waters, earthquakes, or natural disasters;
113 (q) the construction, repair, or operation of flood or storm systems;
114 (r) the operation of an emergency vehicle, while being driven in accordance with the
115 requirements of Section 41-6a-212 ;
116 (s) the activities of:
117 (i) providing emergency medical assistance;
118 (ii) fighting fire;
119 (iii) regulating, mitigating, or handling hazardous materials or hazardous wastes;
120 (iv) emergency evacuations;

121 (v) transporting or removing injured persons to a place where emergency medical
122 assistance can be rendered or where the person can be transported by a licensed ambulance
123 service; or
124 (vi) intervening during dam emergencies;
125 (t) the exercise or performance, or the failure to exercise or perform, any function
126 pursuant to Title 73, Chapter 10, Board of Water Resources - Division of Water Resources;
127 [or]
128 (u) unauthorized access to government records, data, or electronic information systems
129 by any person or entity[.];
130 (v) in the case of an injured suspect, a suspect fleeing a motor vehicle after a law
131 enforcement officer has activated the emergency lights on the officer's vehicle to effect a stop;
132 or
133 (w) in the case of an injury of a person other than a suspect, a suspect fleeing a motor
134 vehicle:
135 (i) after a law enforcement officer has activated the emergency lights on the officer's
136 vehicle to effect a stop; and
137 (ii) the officer has operated the officer's vehicle reasonably in the pursuit.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-15-13 9:40 AM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

[Bill Documents]