1     
IDENTITY THEFT AMENDMENTS

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2020 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Brady Brammer

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Senate Sponsor: ____________

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7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill creates new causes of action for identity theft.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     allows a petitioner injured by certain financial transaction card offenses to bring a
13     civil action against the perpetrator to recover damages, attorney fees, and court
14     costs; and
15          ▸     makes technical changes.
16     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17          None
18     Other Special Clauses:
19          None
20     Utah Code Sections Affected:
21     AMENDS:
22          78B-6-1701, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 143
23     

24     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25          Section 1. Section 78B-6-1701 is amended to read:
26          78B-6-1701. Cause of action for identity theft.
27          (1) As used in this section, "financial transaction card offense section" means:
28          (a) Section 76-6-506.2;
29          (b) Section 76-6-506.3;
30          (c) Section 76-6-506.5;
31          (d) Section 76-6-506.6; or
32          (e) Section 76-6-506.7.
33          [(1)] (2) A petitioner who has been injured by a violation of a financial transaction card
34     offense section, Section 76-6-1102, Identity Fraud, or Section 76-10-1801, Communications
35     Fraud, may recover from the perpetrator:
36          (a) compensatory damages in the amount of $1,000 or up to three times the amount of
37     actual damages, whichever is greater;
38          (b) attorney fees; and
39          (c) court costs.
40          [(2)] (3) Actual damages may include:
41          (a) replacement or reissuance costs for checks and any personal identification
42     documents;
43          (b) the value of the petitioner's time spent:
44          (i) repairing [their] the petitioner's credit history or rating; and
45          (ii) attending civil or administrative hearings necessary to resolve any debt, lien, or
46     other obligation arising from the offense;
47          (c) lost wages; and
48          (d) any other verifiable costs the court may choose to include.
49          [(3)] (4) The court may award punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages.
50          [(4)] (5) A perpetrator who is not tried or found not guilty of a violation of a financial
51     transaction card offense section, Section 76-6-1102, Identity Fraud, or Section 76-10-1801,
52     Communications Fraud, may be found liable under this section if the court finds by a
53     preponderance of the evidence that the perpetrator participated in a violation and the petitioner
54     was injured as a result.
55          [(5)] (6) (a) A perpetrator who is found guilty of a violation of a financial transaction
56     card offense section, Section 76-6-1102, Identity Fraud, or Section 76-10-1801,
57     Communications Fraud, shall be found liable under this section.
58          (b) If restitution was ordered in the criminal action, the amount ordered shall be
59     deducted from any damages awarded under this section.