S.B. 116

1

APPROPRIATION FOR CHILDREN'S
2 JUSTICE CENTERS
3 1999 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Beverly Ann Evans
6 AN ACT RELATING TO STATE OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES; ADDING GRAND AND
7 UINTAH COUNTIES TO THE LIST OF COUNTIES IN WHICH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
8 SHALL ESTABLISH CHILDREN'S JUSTICE CENTERS; APPROPRIATING $150,000; AND
9 PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
10 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
11 AMENDS:
12 67-5b-102, as last amended by Chapter 185, Laws of Utah 1998
13 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
14 Section 1. Section 67-5b-102 is amended to read:
15 67-5b-102. Children's Justice Center -- Requirements of center -- Purposes of center.
16 (1) (a) There is established a program that provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary,
17 nonprofit, intergovernmental response to sexual abuse of children and serious physical abuse of
18 children in a facility known as a Children's Justice Center.
19 (b) The attorney general shall administer the program.
20 (c) The attorney general shall:
21 (i) allocate the funds appropriated by a line item pursuant to Section 67-5b-103 ;
22 (ii) administer applications for state and federal grants;
23 (iii) staff the Advisory Board on Children's Justice;
24 (iv) assist in the development of new centers; and
25 (v) coordinate services between centers.
26 (2) (a) The attorney general shall establish Children's Justice Centers in Cache County,
27 Carbon County, Davis County, Duchesne County, Grand County, Salt Lake County, Tooele

28 County, Uintah County, Utah County, Washington County, and Weber County.
29 (b) The attorney general may establish other centers within a county and in other counties
30 of the state.
31 (3) The attorney general and each center shall fulfill the statewide purpose of each center
32 by:
33 (a) minimizing the time and duplication of effort required to investigate, prosecute, and
34 initiate treatment for the abused child in the state;
35 (b) facilitating the investigation of the alleged offense against the abused child;
36 (c) conducting interviews of abused children and their families in a professional manner;
37 (d) obtaining reliable and admissible information which can be used effectively in criminal
38 and child protection proceedings in the state;
39 (e) coordinating and tracking:
40 (i) the use of limited medical and psychiatric services;
41 (ii) investigation of the alleged offense;
42 (iii) preparation of prosecution;
43 (iv) treatment of the abused child and family; and
44 (v) education and training of persons who provide services to the abused child and its
45 family in the state;
46 (f) expediting the processing of the case through the courts in the state;
47 (g) protecting the interest of the abused child and the community in the state;
48 (h) reducing trauma to the abused child in the state;
49 (i) enhancing the community understanding of sexual abuse of children and serious
50 physical abuse of children in the state; and
51 (j) providing as many services as possible that are required for the thorough and effective
52 investigation of child abuse cases.
53 (4) To assist a center in fulfilling the requirements and statewide purposes as provided in
54 Subsection (3), each center may obtain access to any relevant juvenile court legal records and adult
55 court legal records, unless sealed by the court.
56 (5) The statewide purpose of this chapter is to establish a program that provides a
57 comprehensive, multidisciplinary, nonprofit, intergovernmental response to sexual abuse of
58 children and serious physical abuse of children in a facility known as a Children's Justice Center.

59 Section 2. Appropriation.
60 (1) Except as provided in H.B. 4, Appropriations Coordination Act, there is appropriated
61 from the General Fund for fiscal year 1999-2000, $150,000 to the Attorney General's Office for
62 the establishment and staffing of Children's Justice Centers in Grand and Uintah Counties.
63 (2) This appropriation shall be nonlapsing.
64 Section 3. Effective date.
65 This act takes effect on July 1, 1999.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-25-99 11:08 AM

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

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel