1     
NONPROFIT ENTITY AMENDMENTS

2     
2024 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: A. Cory Maloy

5     
Senate Sponsor: Daniel McCay

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill modifies provisions related to disclosure of nonprofit entity related personal
10     information by public agencies.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     modifies definitions;
14          ▸     clarifies the individuals about whom personal information may not be disclosed;
15          ▸     amends the exemptions from the prohibition of disclosing personal information;
16          ▸     addresses damages; and
17          ▸     makes technical and conforming amendments.
18     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19          None
20     Other Special Clauses:
21          None
22     Utah Code Sections Affected:
23     AMENDS:
24          63G-26-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 16
25          63G-26-103, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 33
26          63G-26-104, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 393
27     

28     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
29          Section 1. Section 63G-26-102 is amended to read:
30          63G-26-102. Definitions.
31          As used in this chapter:
32          (1) "Nonprofit entity" means an entity exempt from federal income tax under Section
33     501(c), Internal Revenue Code, or that has submitted an application with the Internal Revenue
34     Service for recognition of an exemption under Section 501(c), Internal Revenue Code.
35          (2) "Personal information" means a record or other compilation of data that identifies a
36     person as a donor to [an entity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c) of the
37     Internal Revenue Code], member of, or volunteer of a nonprofit entity.
38          [(2)] (3) "Public agency" means a state or local government entity, including:
39          (a) a department, division, agency, office, commission, board, or other government
40     organization;
41          (b) a political subdivision, including a county, city, town, metro township, special
42     district, or special service district;
43          (c) a public school, school district, charter school, or public higher education
44     institution; or
45          (d) a judicial or quasi-judicial body.
46          Section 2. Section 63G-26-103 is amended to read:
47          63G-26-103. Protection of personal information.
48          (1) Except as provided in Subsections (2), (3), and [(5)] (4), a public agency may not:
49          (a) require an individual who is a donor to, member of, or volunteer of a nonprofit
50     entity to provide the public agency with personal information or otherwise compel the release
51     of personal information;
52          (b) require [an entity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c) of the
53     Internal Revenue Code] a nonprofit entity to provide the public agency with personal
54     information or compel the nonprofit entity to release personal information;
55          (c) release, publicize, or otherwise publicly disclose personal information in possession
56     of a public agency; or
57          (d) request or require a current or prospective contractor or grantee of the public
58     agency to provide the public agency with a list of [entities exempt from federal income tax
59     under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code] nonprofit entities to which the current or
60     prospective contractor or grantee has provided financial or nonfinancial support.
61          (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to:
62          (a) a disclosure of personal information required under Title 20A, Election Code, or
63     Title 36, Chapter 11, Lobbyist Disclosure and Regulation Act[, or any other legal requirement
64     relating to reporting campaign contributions, campaign expenditures, lobbying disclosures, or
65     lobbying expenditures];
66          [(b) a disclosure of personal information expressly required by law;]
67          [(c)] (b) [a disclosure of personal information voluntarily made] the release of personal
68     information by a public agency if the information is voluntarily released to the public by the
69     individual or nonprofit entity to which the personal information relates, including:
70          (i) as part of public comment or in a public meeting; or
71          (ii) in another manner that is publicly accessible;
72          [(d)] (c) a disclosure of personal information pursuant to a lawful warrant or court
73     order issued by a court [of competent] with jurisdiction;
74          [(e)] (d) a lawful request for discovery of personal information in litigation or a
75     criminal proceeding if the court with jurisdiction:
76          (i) finds that the requestor demonstrates a compelling need for the personal information
77     by clear and convincing evidence; and
78          (ii) issues a protective order barring disclosure of personal information to a person not
79     named in the litigation;
80          (e) admission of personal information as relevant evidence before a court with
81     jurisdiction, except that a court may not publicly reveal personal information absent a specific
82     finding of good cause; or
83          [(f) the use of personal information in a legal proceeding;]
84          [(g) a public agency sharing personal information with another public agency in
85     accordance with the requirements of law; or]
86          [(h)] (f) a nonprofit created under Title 11, Chapter 13a, Governmental Nonprofit
87     Corporations Act.
88          (3) Subsections (1)(a), (b), and (d) do not apply to:
89          (a) administration or enforcement of Title 13, Chapter 11, Utah Consumer Sales
90     Practices Act, or Title 13, Chapter 22, Charitable Solicitations Act, except that the public
91     agency may only use personal information in connection with a specific administration or
92     enforcement provision to which the request relates and for a related proceeding;
93          (b) the request or use of personal information necessary to the State Tax Commission's
94     administration of tax or motor vehicle laws, except that the State Tax Commission may only
95     use personal information in connection with the administration of tax or motor vehicle laws or
96     for a related proceeding; or
97          (c) access to personal information by the Office of the Legislative Auditor General to
98     conduct an audit authorized under Utah Constitution, Article VI, Section 33, and Section
99     36-12-15, or the state auditor's office to conduct an audit authorized under Title 67, Chapter 3,
100     Auditor, except the legislative auditor general or state auditor may only use the personal
101     information in connection with the specific audit to which the request relates.
102          [(4) A court shall consider whether to:]
103          [(a) limit a request for discovery of personal information; or]
104          [(b) issue a protective order in relation to the disclosure of personal information
105     obtained or used in relation to a legal proceeding.]
106          [(5)] (4) Subsection (1) does not apply to disclosure of a contributor to a sponsoring
107     organization, as those terms are defined in Section 41-1a-1601.
108          Section 3. Section 63G-26-104 is amended to read:
109          63G-26-104. Enforcement -- Penalty.
110          (1) (a) A person whose personal information is provided or disclosed in violation of
111     this chapter may bring a civil action for appropriate injunctive relief, damages, or both.
112          (b) When a court awards damages under this section, the court shall order:
113          (i) an amount of not less than $2,500 to compensate for injury or loss caused by each
114     violation of this chapter; or
115          (ii) for an intentional violation of this chapter, an amount not to exceed three times the
116     amount described in Subsection (1)(b)(i).
117          (2) A court may award court costs and attorney fees to a person that brings an action
118     described in Subsection (1) if the person prevails in that action.
119          (3) A person that knowingly violates a provision of Section 63G-26-103 is guilty of a
120     class C misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not
121     more than $1,000, or both.
122          Section 4. Effective date.
123          This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.