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H.B. 310

             1     

SEXUAL OFFENSE AMENDMENTS

             2     
1999 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Sponsor: Brent H. Goodfellow

             5      AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL LAW; AMENDING ELEMENTS AND DESCRIPTIONS
             6      OF CERTAIN CRIMES INVOLVING SEXUAL OFFENSES; AND MAKING
             7      CORRESPONDING TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.
             8      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             9      AMENDS:
             10          31A-21-501, as enacted by Chapter 132, Laws of Utah 1997
             11          53-10-403, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 263, Laws of Utah 1998
             12          76-2-304.5, as last amended by Chapter 137, Laws of Utah 1996
             13          76-5-407, as last amended by Chapter 137, Laws of Utah 1996
             14          76-9-301.8, as last amended by Chapter 12, Laws of Utah 1994
             15          76-9-702, as last amended by Chapter 137, Laws of Utah 1996
             16          76-9-702.5, as last amended by Chapter 107, Laws of Utah 1996
             17      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             18          Section 1. Section 31A-21-501 is amended to read:
             19           31A-21-501. Definitions.
             20          For purposes of this part:
             21          (1) "Applicant" means:
             22          (a) in the case of an individual life or disability policy, the person who seeks to contract
             23      for insurance benefits; or
             24          (b) in the case of a group life or disability policy, the proposed certificate holder.
             25          (2) "Cohabitant" means an emancipated individual pursuant to Section 15-2-1 or an
             26      individual who is 16 years of age or older who:
             27          (a) is or was a spouse of the other party;


             28          (b) is or was living as if a spouse of the other party;
             29          (c) is related by blood or marriage to the other party;
             30          (d) has one or more children in common with the other party; or
             31          (e) resides or has resided in the same residence as the other party.
             32          (3) "Child abuse" means the commission or attempt to commit against a child a criminal
             33      offense described in:
             34          (a) Title 76, Chapter 5, Part 1, Assault and Related Offenses;
             35          (b) Title 76, Chapter 5, Part 4, Sexual Offenses;
             36          (c) [Section] Subsections 76-9-702 (1) through (4), Lewdness-[Gross Lewdness] Sexual
             37      battery; or
             38          (d) Section 76-9-702.5 , Lewdness Involving a Child.
             39          (4) "Domestic violence" means any criminal offense involving violence or physical harm
             40      or threat of violence or physical harm, or any attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit a
             41      criminal offense involving violence or physical harm, when committed by one cohabitant against
             42      another and includes commission or attempt to commit, any of the following offenses by one
             43      cohabitant against another:
             44          (a) aggravated assault, as described in Section 76-5-103 ;
             45          (b) assault, as described in Section 76-5-102 ;
             46          (c) criminal homicide, as described in Section 76-5-201 ;
             47          (d) harassment, as described in Section 76-5-106 ;
             48          (e) telephone harassment, as described in Section 76-9-201 ;
             49          (f) kidnaping, child kidnaping, or aggravated kidnaping, as described in Sections 76-5-301 ,
             50      76-5-301.1 , and 76-5-302 ;
             51          (g) mayhem, as described in Section 76-5-105 ;
             52          (h) sexual offenses, as described in Title 76, Chapter 5, Part 4, and Title 76, Chapter 5a;
             53          (i) stalking, as described in Section 76-5-106.5 ;
             54          (j) unlawful detention, as described in Section 76-5-304 ;
             55          (k) violation of a protective order or ex parte protective order, as described in Section
             56      76-5-108 ;
             57          (l) any offense against property described in Title 76, Chapter 6, Part 1, 2, or 3;
             58          (m) possession of a deadly weapon with intent to assault, as described in Section


             59      76-10-507 ; or
             60          (n) discharge of a firearm from a vehicle, near a highway, or in the direction of any person,
             61      building, or vehicle, as described in Section 76-10-508 .
             62          (5) "Subject of domestic abuse" means an individual who is, has been, may currently be,
             63      or may have been subject to domestic violence or child abuse.
             64          Section 2. Section 53-10-403 is amended to read:
             65           53-10-403. Blood analysis -- Application to offenders.
             66          Sections 53-10-404 , 53-10-405 , and 53-10-406 apply to any person convicted of any of the
             67      following offenses:
             68          (1) unlawful sexual [intercourse] activity with minor, sexual abuse of a minor, unlawful
             69      sexual conduct with a 16 or 17 year old, rape, rape of a child, object rape, object rape of a child,
             70      forcible sodomy, sodomy of a child, forcible sexual abuse, sexual abuse of a child or aggravated
             71      sexual abuse of a child, aggravated sexual assault, sexual abuse without consent of the victim,
             72      incest, sexual exploitation of a minor; or
             73          (2) murder or aggravated murder.
             74          Section 3. Section 76-2-304.5 is amended to read:
             75           76-2-304.5. Mistake as to victim's age not a defense.
             76          (1) It is not a defense to the crime of child kidnaping, a violation of Section 76-5-301.1 ;
             77      rape of a child, a violation of Section 76-5-402.1 ; object rape of a child, a violation of Section
             78      76-5-402.3 ; sodomy upon a child, a violation of Section 76-5-403.1 ; or sexual abuse of a child, a
             79      violation of Section 76-5-404.1 ; or aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a violation of Subsection
             80      76-5-404.1 (3); or an attempt to commit any of those offenses, that the actor mistakenly believed
             81      the victim to be 14 years of age or older at the time of the alleged offense or was unaware of the
             82      victim's true age.
             83          (2) It is not a defense to the crime of unlawful sexual [intercourse] activity with a minor,
             84      a violation of Section 76-5-401 , sexual abuse of a minor, a violation of Section 76-5-401.1 or an
             85      attempt to commit [that crime] either of these offenses, that the actor mistakenly believed the
             86      victim to be 16 years of age or older at the time of the alleged offense or was unaware of the
             87      victim's true age.
             88          (3) It is not a defense to the crime of unlawful sexual conduct with a 16 or 17 year old, a
             89      violation of Section 76-5-401.2 , or an attempt to commit that offense, that the actor mistakenly


             90      believed the victim to be 18 years of age or older at the time of the alleged offense or was unaware
             91      of the victim's true age.
             92          Section 4. Section 76-5-407 is amended to read:
             93           76-5-407. Applicability of part -- "Penetration" or "touching" sufficient to constitute
             94      offense.
             95          (1) The provisions of this part do not apply to consensual conduct between persons
             96      married to each other.
             97          (2) In any prosecution for:
             98          (a) the following offenses, any sexual penetration, however slight, is sufficient to
             99      constitute the relevant element of the offense:
             100          (i) unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a violation of Section 76-5-401 , involving sexual
             101      intercourse;
             102          (ii) unlawful sexual conduct with a 16 or 17 year old, a violation of Subsection 76-5-401.2 ,
             103      involving sexual intercourse[,]; or
             104          (iii) rape, [rape of a child, object rape of a child, sodomy, or forcible sodomy, any sexual
             105      penetration or, in the case of] a violation of Section 76-5-402 ; or
             106          (b) the following offenses, any touching, however slight, is sufficient to constitute the
             107      relevant element of the offense:
             108          (i) unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a violation of Section 76-5-401 , involving acts
             109      of sodomy or object penetration;
             110          (ii) unlawful sexual conduct with a 16 or 17 year old, a violation of Section 76-5-401.2 ,
             111      involving acts of sodomy or object penetration;
             112          (iii) sodomy, a violation of Subsection 76-5-403 (1);
             113          (iv) forcible sodomy, a violation of Subsection 76-5-403 (2);
             114          (v) rape of a child, a violation of Section 76-5-402.1 ; or
             115          (vi) object rape of a child [any touching, however slight, is sufficient to constitute the
             116      relevant element of the offense], a violation of Section 76-5-402.3 .
             117          (3) In any prosecution for the following offenses, any touching, even if accomplished
             118      through clothing, is sufficient to constitute the relevant element of the offense:
             119          (a) sodomy on a child, a violation of Section 76-5-403.1 ; or
             120          (b) sexual abuse of a child[,] or aggravated sexual abuse of a child [any touching, even if


             121      accomplished through clothing, is sufficient to constitute the relevant element of the offense], a
             122      violation of Section 76-5-404.1 .
             123          Section 5. Section 76-9-301.8 is amended to read:
             124           76-9-301.8. Bestiality -- Definitions -- Penalty.
             125          (1) A person commits the crime of bestiality if the actor engages in any sexual activity with
             126      an animal with the intent of sexual gratification of the actor.
             127          (2) For purposes of this section only:
             128          (a) ["animal"] "Animal" means any live, nonhuman vertebrate creature, including fowl[;
             129      and].
             130          (b) ["sexual] "Sexual activity" means physical sexual contact:
             131          (i) between the actor and the animal involving the genitals of the actor [or] and the genitals
             132      of the animal;
             133          (ii) the genitals of the actor or the animal and the mouth or anus of the actor or the animal;
             134      or
             135          [(ii)] (iii) through the actor's use of an object in contact with the genitals or anus of the
             136      animal.
             137          (3) A crime of bestiality is a class B misdemeanor.
             138          Section 6. Section 76-9-702 is amended to read:
             139           76-9-702. Lewdness -- Sexual battery -- Public urination.
             140          (1) A person is guilty of lewdness if the person under circumstances not amounting to rape,
             141      object rape, forcible sodomy, forcible sexual abuse, aggravated sexual assault, or an attempt to
             142      commit any of these offenses, performs any of the following acts under circumstances which the
             143      person should know will likely cause affront or alarm to, on, or in the presence of another who is
             144      14 years of age or older:
             145          (a) an act of sexual intercourse or sodomy[,];
             146          (b) exposes his or her genitals [or private parts], the female breast below the top of the
             147      areola, the buttocks, the anus, or the pubic area;
             148          (c) masturbates[,];
             149          (d) engages in trespassory voyeurism[,]; or [performs]
             150          (e) any other act of lewdness [in a public place or under circumstances which the person
             151      should know will likely cause affront or alarm to, on, or in the presence of another who is 14 years


             152      of age or older].
             153          (2) Lewdness is a class B misdemeanor.
             154          (3) A person is guilty of [gross lewdness] sexual battery if the person under circumstances
             155      not amounting to rape, rape of a child, object rape, object rape of a child, forcible sodomy, sodomy
             156      upon a child, forcible sexual abuse, sexual abuse of a child, aggravated sexual abuse of a child,
             157      aggravated sexual assault, or an attempt to commit any of these offenses intentionally touches,
             158      whether or not through clothing, the anus, buttocks, or any part of the genitals of another person,
             159      or the breast of a female, and the actor's conduct is under circumstances the [person] actor knows
             160      or should know will likely cause affront or alarm to the person touched.
             161          (4) [Gross lewdness] Sexual battery is a class A misdemeanor.
             162          (5) A person is guilty of public urination if the person urinates or defecates:
             163          (a) in a public place, other than a public rest room; and
             164          (b) under circumstances which the person should know will likely cause affront or alarm
             165      to another.
             166          (6) Public urination is a class C misdemeanor.
             167          [(5)] (7) A woman's breast feeding, including breast feeding in any location where the
             168      woman otherwise may rightfully be, does not under any circumstance constitute a lewd or grossly
             169      lewd act, irrespective of whether or not the breast is covered during or incidental to feeding.
             170          Section 7. Section 76-9-702.5 is amended to read:
             171           76-9-702.5. Lewdness involving child.
             172          (1) A person is guilty of lewdness involving a child if the person under circumstances not
             173      amounting to rape of a child, object rape of a child, sodomy upon a child, sexual abuse of a child,
             174      aggravated sexual abuse of a child, or an attempt to commit any of those offenses, intentionally
             175      or knowingly does any of the following to, or in the presence of a child who is under 14 years of
             176      age:
             177          (a) performs an act of sexual intercourse or sodomy;
             178          (b) exposes his or her genitals [or private parts], the female breast below the top of the
             179      areola, the buttocks, the anus, or the pubic area:
             180          (i) in a public place; or
             181          (ii) in a private place:
             182          (A) under circumstances likely to cause affront or alarm; or


             183          (B) with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of the actor or the child;
             184          (c) masturbates;
             185          (d) engages in trespassory voyeurism;
             186          (e) under circumstances not amounting to sexual exploitation of a child under Section
             187      76-5a-3 , causes a child under the age of 14 years to expose his or her genitals, anus, or breast, if
             188      female, to the actor, with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of the actor or the child;
             189      or
             190          (f) performs any other act of lewdness.
             191          (2) Lewdness involving a child is a class A misdemeanor.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-5-99 3:46 PM


A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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