GeoLawWatch Bill Summary

Prohibitions:

The law prohibits aircraft owners and operators in Utah from using their aircraft—or allowing others to use them—for solar geoengineering.
Solar geoengineering involves altering Earth's atmosphere by managing solar radiation, specifically by releasing, injecting, or spreading chemicals to reduce the sunlight reaching the ground.

Exclusions:

Activities covered by Title 73, Chapter 15 (Modification of Weather) are not included in this law, so Utah's current weather modification program is still legal.

Enforcement Mechanisms:

The Department of Transportation must establish an online system for people to report suspected solar geoengineering activities.
If the Department of Transportation finds credible reports, it must send them to the Office of the Attorney General.
Airport operators are required to report any suspected solar geoengineering at their airports to the Department of Transportation.

Penalties:

Violating this law is a third-degree felony.
A person convicted under this law can be imprisoned for up to 5 years, as stated in Section 76-3-203 of Utah law.
The fine for breaking this law can be up to $100,000.

Technical Changes:

Section 72-10-120 is updated to include the phrase "Except as otherwise provided in this part" to make room for the new felony rule, since current violations are only class B misdemeanours.

History

Utah's SB 23 was numbered and distributed by Legislative Research and General Counsel in early December 2025, well before the 2026 legislative session began. The bill was formally introduced in the Senate on January 20, 2026, receiving its first reading and being assigned to the Senate Rules Committee before quickly moving to the substantive policy committee.

On February 3, 2026, the bill was referred to the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee for consideration. Two days later, on February 5th, the committee took action on the bill, recommending an amendment (the one proposed by Senator Winterton that changed "suspected" to "known" solar geoengineering activity). However, despite the amendment recommendation, the committee's motion to advance the bill failed that same day, effectively killing the legislation in committee. This suggests the bill lacked sufficient support even in its amended form, with committee members unwilling to send it forward to the full Senate for consideration.

Thu 16 Oct 2025 LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0023 in Legislative Fiscal Analyst
Thu 16 Oct 2025 LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0023 in Legislative Fiscal Agency
Wed 19 Nov 2025 LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0023 in Version Sponsor
Fri 05 Dec 2025 Bill Numbered but not Distributed in Legislative Research and General Counsel
Fri 05 Dec 2025 Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed in Legislative Research and General Counsel
Fri 05 Dec 2025 LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0023 in Released
Wed 07 Jan 2026 Senate/ received bill from Legislative Printing in Waiting for Introduction in the Senate
Tue 20 Jan 2026 Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced) in Senate Rules Committee
Tue 03 Feb 2026 Senate/ to standing committee in Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee
Thu 05 Feb 2026 Senate Comm - Amendment Recommendation in Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee
Thu 05 Feb 2026 Senate Comm - Motion to Recommend Failed in Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee
Thu 05 Feb 2026 MEETING Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee
Wed 04 Mar 2026 Senate Comm - Recommends Returned to Rules in Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee
Thu 05 Mar 2026 Senate/ comm rpt/ sent to Rules/ amended in Senate Rules Committee
Fri 06 Mar 2026 Senate/ strike enacting clause in Senate Secretary
Fri 06 Mar 2026 Senate/ filed in Senate file for bills not passed

Consolidated Bill Text

Airborne Chemicals Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Ronald M. Winterton
House Sponsor:

The Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee recommended this bill.
Legislative Vote: 10 voting for 5 voting against 4 absent

General Description:
This bill addresses the release of chemicals from aircraft.
Highlighted Provisions:

This bill:

defines terms;
establishes that the release of a chemical or substance from an aircraft for the purpose of solar geoengineering is a third-degree felony;
provides a means for a person to submit information regarding suspected solar geoengineering;
requires the Department of Transportation to report credible instances of suspected solar geoengineering to the Office of the Attorney General;
requires an airport operator to report suspected solar geoengineering activity to the Department of Transportation; and
makes technical and conforming changes.

Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
72-10-120, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 140
ENACTS:
72-10-134, Utah Code Annotated 1953

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 72-10-120 is amended to read:
72-10-120. Violations -- Penalty.
Except as otherwise provided in this part, a person who fails to comply with the requirements of or violates any provision of this part is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

Section 2. Section 72-10-134 is enacted to read:
72-10-134. Restrictions on release of chemicals for solar geoengineering -- Criminal penalty -- Required reporting by airport operators.

(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Solar radiation management" means the release, injection, or dispersing of a chemical to artificially reduce the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth's lower atmosphere or surface.
(b)(i) "Solar geoengineering" means the modification of the composition, behavior, or dynamics of the Earth's atmosphere by solar radiation management.
(ii) "Solar geoengineering" does not include activities described in Title 73, Chapter 15, Modification of Weather.

(2)(a) It is unlawful for an owner or operator of an aircraft to use or authorize the use of the aircraft in the state with the intent to cause solar geoengineering.
(b) A violation of Subsection (2)(a) is a third degree felony punishable by:
(i) imprisonment as provided in Section 76-3-203; and
(ii) a fine not exceeding $100,000.

(3) The department shall:
(a) provide a means for a person to electronically submit information regarding suspected solar geoengineering activity; and
(b) report a credible instance of suspected solar geoengineering activity to the Office of the Attorney General.

(4) An airport operator shall report to the department any suspected solar geoengineering activity at an airport owned or operated by the airport operator.

Section 3. Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.

Supplementary documents

AMENDMENT S.B. 23

Airborne Chemicals Amendments

Senate Amendments Amendment 1 February 02, 2026 02:29 PM

Senator Ronald M. Winterton proposes the following amendments:

1. Line 3 through 10:

LONG TITLE

~~{Committee Note:}~~
~~{ The Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee recommended this bill.}~~
~~{ Legislative Vote: 10 voting for 5 voting against 4 absent}~~

General Description:

This bill addresses the release of chemicals from aircraft.

Highlighted Provisions:

2. Line 16 through 22:

geoengineering;

→requires the Department of Transportation to report credible instances of suspected solar geoengineering to the Office of the Attorney General;

→requires an airport operator to report {suspected} known solar geoengineering activity to the Department of Transportation; and

→makes technical and conforming changes.

Money Appropriated in this Bill:

3. Line 55 through 59:

suspected solar geoengineering activity; and

(b) report a credible instance of suspected solar geoengineering activity to the Office of the Attorney General.

(4) An airport operator shall report to the department any {suspected} known solar geoengineering activity at an airport owned or operated by the airport operator.