House approves off‑duty employment bill to standardize contracts and liability for officers

The Utah House passed second substitute House Bill 268 on March 1, 2018, a bill that standardizes rules and contract requirements for law‑enforcement officers performing secondary off‑duty employment. The measure passed the House 65‑3 and will be transmitted to the Senate.

Sponsor Representative Perry described the bill as a three‑year effort developed with law enforcement groups and the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office. He said the legislation replaces ambiguous procurement language with provisions better suited to contracting secondary employment and requires clear contracts that specify liability and workers’‑compensation arrangements so officers are not left uninsured when working off duty.

Perry said the goal is risk management: to transfer, mitigate or allocate liability so that officers, departments and taxpayers are protected. He said officers can still work secondary jobs but that employers should either contract through the department (so coverage and fees flow through official channels) or otherwise sign clear agreements stating which party accepts liability.

Representatives asked whether the bill would reduce secondary employment opportunities for officers. The sponsor acknowledged a possible reduction for particularly high‑risk jobs but said standardized contracting has in other implementations led to more opportunities and higher pay for officers. After debate the House voted to pass the bill 65‑3.