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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill addresses the ability to have a dog in a motor vehicle within a watershed area.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ defines terms;
13 ▸ prohibits restricting a dog in watershed areas that under certain circumstances never
14 leaves a motor vehicle;
15 ▸ establishes the scope of the provision; and
16 ▸ addresses signs
17 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18 None
19 Other Special Clauses:
20 None
21 Utah Code Sections Affected:
22 ENACTS:
23 73-1-20, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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25 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26 Section 1. Section 73-1-20 is enacted to read:
27 73-1-20. Dogs in watershed areas.
28 (1) As used in this section:
29 (a) "Motor vehicle" means a self-propelled vehicle, except a motorcycle, intended
30 primarily for use and operation on the highways.
31 (b) "Passenger compartment" means an enclosed area of a motor vehicle normally
32 occupied by the operator and passengers.
33 (c) "Permitted watershed dog" means a dog whose owner complies with a political
34 subdivision's requirements that authorize the dog to be in a watershed area.
35 (d) "Political subdivision" means:
36 (i) a county;
37 (ii) a municipality, as defined in Section 10-1-104;
38 (iii) a local district operating under Title 17B, Limited Purpose Local Government
39 Entities - Local Districts;
40 (iv) special service district, as defined in Section 17D-1-102;
41 (v) conservation district, as defined in Section 17D-3-102; or
42 (vi) a department, agency, office, division, or other unit of a political subdivision.
43 (e) "Service dog" means a guide dog, signal dog, or other dog trained to provide
44 assistance to an individual with a disability.
45 (f) "Watershed area" means an area of land that is designated as watershed.
46 (2) A political subdivision or state agency may not prohibit an individual from
47 transporting a dog in a watershed area if:
48 (a) while in the watershed area the dog remains at all times in the passenger
49 compartment of a motor vehicle used to travel in the watershed area; and
50 (b) an individual who holds a valid driver license remains in the passenger
51 compartment of the motor vehicle with the dog at all times the motor vehicle is in the
52 watershed area.
53 (3) This section does not apply to a permitted watershed dog or the following while
54 acting in the dog's official capacity:
55 (a) a service dog;
56 (b) a search and rescue dog; or
57 (c) a dog used in law enforcement work.
58 (4) This section does not prohibit a political subdivision from allowing a dog within a
59 watershed area under conditions imposed by the political subdivision.
60 (5) On and after July 1, 2020, signs posted by a political subdivision related to
61 prohibiting of dogs in a watershed area shall state the exception of dogs in enclosed motor
62 vehicles.