53-2a-204.  Authority of governor — Federal assistance — Fraud or willful misstatement in application for financial assistance — Penalty.

(1)  In addition to any other authorities conferred upon the governor, if the governor issues an executive order declaring a state of emergency, subject to limitation by the Legislature as described in Subsection 53-2a-206(5), the governor may:

Terms Used In Utah Code 53-2a-204

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Department: means the Department of Public Safety created in Section 53-1-103. See Utah Code 53-1-102
  • Disaster: means an event that:
(a) causes, or threatens to cause, loss of life, human suffering, public or private property damage, or economic or social disruption resulting from attack, internal disturbance, natural phenomena, or technological hazard; and
(b) requires resources that are beyond the scope of local agencies in routine responses to emergencies and accidents and may be of a magnitude or involve unusual circumstances that require response by government, not-for-profit, or private entities. See Utah Code 53-2a-102
  • Expenses: means actual labor costs of government and volunteer personnel, and materials. See Utah Code 53-2a-102
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Land: includes :Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Person: means :Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Political subdivision: means a municipality, county, special service district, or special district. See Utah Code 53-2a-203
  • Property: includes both real and personal property. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • State of emergency: means a condition in any part of this state that requires state government emergency assistance to supplement the local efforts of the affected political subdivision to save lives and to protect property, public health, welfare, or safety in the event of a disaster, or to avoid or reduce the threat of a disaster. See Utah Code 53-2a-102
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • United States: includes each state, district, and territory of the United States of America. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • (a)  utilize all available resources of state government as reasonably necessary to cope with a state of emergency;

    (b)  employ measures and give direction to state and local officers and agencies that are reasonable and necessary for the purpose of securing compliance with the provisions of this part and with orders, rules, and regulations made pursuant to this part;

    (c)  recommend and advise the evacuation of all or part of the population from any stricken or threatened area within the state if necessary for the preservation of life;

    (d)  recommend routes, modes of transportation, and destination in connection with evacuation;

    (e)  in connection with evacuation, suspend or limit the sale, dispensing, or transportation of alcoholic beverages, explosives, and combustibles, not to include the lawful bearing of arms;

    (f)  control ingress and egress to and from a disaster area, the movement of persons within the area, and recommend the occupancy or evacuation of premises in a disaster area;

    (g)  clear or remove from publicly or privately owned land or water debris or wreckage that is an immediate threat to public health, public safety, or private property, including allowing an employee of a state department or agency designated by the governor to enter upon private land or waters and perform any tasks necessary for the removal or clearance operation if the political subdivision, corporation, organization, or individual that is affected by the removal of the debris or wreckage:

    (i)  presents an unconditional authorization for removal of the debris or wreckage from private property; and

    (ii)  agrees to indemnify the state against any claim arising from the removal of the debris or wreckage;

    (h)  enter into agreement with any agency of the United States:

    (i)  for temporary housing units to be occupied by victims of a state of emergency or persons who assist victims of a state of emergency; and

    (ii)  to make the housing units described in Subsection (1)(h)(i) available to a political subdivision of this state;

    (i)  assist any political subdivision of this state to acquire sites and utilities necessary for temporary housing units described in Subsection (1)(h)(i) by passing through any funds made available to the governor by an agency of the United States for this purpose;

    (j)  subject to Sections 53-2a-209 and 53-2a-214, temporarily suspend or modify by executive order, during the state of emergency, any public health, safety, zoning, transportation, or other requirement of a statute or administrative rule within this state if such action is essential to provide temporary housing described in Subsection (1)(h)(i);

    (k)  upon determination that a political subdivision of the state will suffer a substantial loss of tax and other revenues because of a state of emergency and the political subdivision so affected has demonstrated a need for financial assistance to perform its governmental functions, in accordance with Utah Constitution, Article XIV, Sections 3 and 4, and Section 10-8-6:

    (i)  apply to the federal government for a loan on behalf of the political subdivision if the amount of the loan that the governor applies for does not exceed 25% of the annual operating budget of the political subdivision for the fiscal year in which the state of emergency occurs; and

    (ii)  receive and disburse the amount of the loan to the political subdivision;

    (l)  accept funds from the federal government and make grants to any political subdivision for the purpose of removing debris or wreckage from publicly owned land or water;

    (m)  upon determination that financial assistance is essential to meet expenses related to a state of emergency of individuals or families adversely affected by the state of emergency that cannot be sufficiently met from other means of assistance, apply for, accept, and expend a grant by the federal government to fund the financial assistance, subject to the terms and conditions imposed upon the grant;

    (n)  recommend to the Legislature other actions the governor considers to be necessary to address a state of emergency; or

    (o)  authorize the use of all water sources as necessary for fire suppression.

    (2)  A person who fraudulently or willfully makes a misstatement of fact in connection with an application for financial assistance under this section shall, upon conviction of each offense, be subject to a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.

    Amended by Chapter 437, 2021 General Session