Senate passes SB74 to fix alimony time calculations, 27–0

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate unanimously approved second substitute Senate Bill 74 on Friday, a bill adjusting how courts determine the duration of alimony in divorce cases.

Senator Weiler, who sponsored the measure on the floor, said the bill addresses cases where court delays can extend the effective length of a marriage for purposes of alimony. “It sets the length of the marriage as of the date of filing the petition for divorce,” Weiler said, and the bill also allows judges to count temporary alimony awarded during a proceeding toward the total years of post-divorce support.

Weiler told the Senate the changes respond to delays that sometimes arise when trials are postponed for months or years: “Some… have recognized that if they drag their divorce out for an extra 2 or 3 years… then they may get rewarded on the back end with an extra 2 or 3 years of alimony.” The bill is intended to prevent that result.

After the sponsor’s brief explanation, the Senate moved to passage. A roll call produced 27 yes votes, 0 no votes and 2 senators absent. The bill will be transmitted to the House for consideration.

The measure clarifies judicial calculations and treats temporary alimony as credit toward total support but does not change standards for awarding alimony itself.