Utah House passes spyware regulation, EMS and child‑welfare changes and advances multiple bills

Third‑substitute House Bill 3 23, a measure defining and restricting commercial "spyware," passed the Utah House unanimously after floor debate and technical amendments. Sponsor Representative Steven Urquhart told the chamber that spyware can monitor users, log keystrokes and “steal your account and your password,” presenting the bill as a consumer‑protection measure that captures adware, keyloggers and Trojan horses while exempting ordinary cookies and employer‑authorized monitoring.

The bill drew bipartisan support in lengthy floor discussion. Lawmakers amended numbering and cross‑reference provisions on the floor and clarified exemptions for legitimate uses (for example, employer monitoring of company computers and benign cookies). After those technical changes, the House approved the third substitute 72‑0; the bill…