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Committee advances measure to recognize Canadian protection orders in Utah courts
Summary
HB 159, a Uniform Law Commission model to recognize Canadian protection orders, received a unanimous favorable recommendation and was placed on the consent calendar after testimony from legal aid and victim‑services advocates.
The House Judiciary Committee favorably recommended HB 159, a bill to provide reciprocity between Utah protection orders and similar orders issued in Canada.
Representative Tuscher (presenting for Representative McPherson) told the committee the legislation implements a Uniform Law Commission model and mirrors existing reciprocity Canada enacted. "If a Canada court puts a protection order in place, that a Utah court will recognize that protection order," the sponsor said.
Stuart Ralphs, lead director of the Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake, and Katie Fox of the Victim Services Commission both told the committee they support the bill. Ralphs called the reciprocity appropriate given the legal alignment between the two countries; Fox said the bill helps protect victims who cross international borders.
The committee voted to favorably recommend HB 159 and subsequently placed the bill on the consent calendar.
The measure does not alter Utah's underlying protection‑order standards; rather, it makes out‑of‑country protection orders easier for Utah courts to recognize and enforce.
Committee members said they supported the bill because it follows a thorough multiyear Uniform Law Commission process and creates predictable bilateral enforcement for victims seeking cross‑border protection.
