UtahUtah law defines crimes for suicide aid and sexual extortion
Utah law defines crimes for knowingly helping or repeatedly encouraging suicide and for using intimate images to pressure someone, with felony penalties and mandatory fines.
What it does
A person who knowingly helps someone die by suicide faces a second-degree felony and a fine of at least $10,000. Repeated encouragement is also a crime when the required conditions are met.
Sexual extortion includes certain threats and refusals involving intimate images used to pressure someone into sexual conduct or other acts. More serious circumstances can bring aggravated charges and mandatory fines.
When one cohabitant commits sexual extortion or aggravated sexual extortion against another, the offense may qualify as domestic violence under the law.
Argument forPeople pressured through threats or intimate images may have clearer grounds for criminal charges when someone refuses to delete or remove those images.
Argument againstMandatory fines of at least $5,000 to $20,000 could create a heavy financial burden for people convicted of these offenses.
More detail
The law defines aiding or encouraging suicide as a felony and sets a minimum fine. The offense applies to a person who knowingly helps someone die by suicide or meets the repeated-encouragement conditions. A person commits the offense by intentionally helping someone die by suicide while knowing of that intent, or by repeatedly encouraging suicide under the additional conditions stated in the law. Repeated encouragement must occur on at least four separate occasions; the person must act recklessly about imminent harm after a fourth or later encouragement, and the other person must die by suicide or attempt suicide. Providing medication or a procedure to treat illness or relieve pain is not a violation of the aiding rule unless the practitioner knowingly provides it to help someone die by suicide. The law took effect May 6, 2026.
The law defines sexual extortion and aggravated sexual extortion and sets penalties for them. These offenses cover specified threats or conduct involving intimate images used to pressure someone into sexual conduct, image creation or sharing, or other acts described in the law. Sexual extortion includes specified threats or refusals to delete or remove intimate or counterfeit intimate images when paired with the intent or conduct described in the law. Aggravated charges require an added circumstance, such as a child victim, violence, serious injury, or a prior sexual offense, to be charged and admitted or found true. For adults, convictions carry mandatory minimum fines: at least $5,000 for sexual extortion and at least $10,000 or $20,000 for aggravated sexual extortion, depending on the victim and circumstances. Courts may not waive or suspend these fines. The law took effect May 6, 2026.
The law lists sexual extortion and aggravated sexual extortion among offenses that may qualify as domestic violence offenses. This classification covers sexual extortion offenses between cohabitants. The offense must be committed by one cohabitant against another; a cohabitant is someone who meets the definition in Utah law. The law took effect May 6, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 24Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 12House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 12House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 11House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 6Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 6Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 4House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 4House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 4Senate/ to House
- Mar 4Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 4Senate/ passed 3rd readingPassed Senate
- Mar 4Senate/ 3rd readingMinor
- Mar 3Senate/ passed 2nd readingMinor
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3Senate/ uncircled
- Mar 2Senate/ circled
- Mar 2Senate/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 25Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 25Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 25Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 23Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 20Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Feb 19Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 19House/ to Senate
- Feb 19House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Feb 19House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 12House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 12House/ comm rpt/ amended [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Major
- Feb 11House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 11House Comm - Amendment Recommendation [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 11LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0221S02
- Feb 9House/ to standing committee [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 9Bill Substituted by Sponsor in House Rules Comm [House Rules Committee]Major
- Feb 5LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0221S02
- Feb 3LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0221S02
- Feb 3LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0221S02
- Jan 30LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0221S01
- Jan 28LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0221S01
- Jan 23LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0221S01
- Jan 23LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0221S01
- Jan 20House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 17LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0221
- Jan 14House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 9LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0221
- Jan 9LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0221
- Jan 9Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 9Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
Criminal JusticePublic Safety