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Utah Senate advances amended pursuit‑liability bill after lengthy floor fight
Summary
The Senate moved the second substitute to House Bill 20 through a procedural third‑reading step after hours of debate over immunity for officers during vehicle pursuits. Sponsors said the change narrows liability to suspects who choose to flee; opponents warned it could bar injured third parties from court.
Senators spent a prolonged period debating the second substitute to House Bill 20, a measure that narrows when a person may bring civil claims arising from police vehicle pursuits.
Sponsor Senator Kevin Valentine (Senator Valentine) told colleagues the substitute limits the statutory duty of care in pursuit situations to the individual who voluntarily flees, while maintaining agency pursuit policies and preserving some avenues for federal civil‑rights claims: "If the person was involuntarily in the vehicle… it wouldn’t apply to the baby," the sponsor said when describing involuntary passengers as an exception. Valentine emphasized the intent was to protect officers who comply with agency…
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