- Sen. Nate Blouin proposes SB125 to limit Utah eviction penalties.
- Blouin criticizes treble damages, facing opposition from the landlordfriendly legislature.
- Paul Smith argues current laws reduce evictions and protect both tenants and landlords.
SALT LAKE CITY — A state lawmaker wants to loosen Utah’s eviction laws by limiting the penalties a renter can be required to pay.
State law currently allows for treble damages in evictions, meaning a renter being evicted has to pay three times what they owe a landlord for rent or other costs.
Sen. Nate Blouin, D-Millcreek, told KSL-TV those penalties are “ridiculous,” and he’s proposing to change the law by sponsoring SB125…