S.B. 8

1

INVESTIGATION OF POLYGAMIST
2 ACTIVITIES
3 2000 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Ron Allen
6 AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL LAW AND HUMAN SERVICES; APPROPRIATING
7 $500,000 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2000-2001 TO THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO BE
8 USED TO PROSECUTE SPECIFIED TYPES OF CRIMES, PROVIDE TEMPORARY
9 SHELTER FOR FAMILIES LEAVING ISOLATED OR POLYGAMOUS SOCIETIES,
10 ESTABLISH A HOTLINE, AND TO TRAIN LOCAL PROSECUTORS AND LAW
11 ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS REGARDING CRIMES OCCURRING WITHIN ISOLATED OR
12 POLYGAMOUS SOCIETIES; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
13 This act enacts uncodified material.
14 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
15 Section 1. Appropriation to the state attorney general for program addressing
16 offenses and victims within isolated or polygamous societies.
17 (1) There is appropriated for fiscal year 2000-2001 only from the General Fund to the
18 Office of the Attorney General $500,000 to be used to establish a comprehensive program
19 addressing:
20 (a) offenses listed in Subsection (2)(b) that are committed within isolated or polygamous
21 communities; and
22 (b) the victims of these offenses.
23 (2) The program shall fund:
24 (a) a statewide toll-free telephone hotline for victims or witnesses of abuse within these
25 communities;
26 (b) legal, procedural, and cultural awareness training for local prosecutors and law
27 enforcement officers regarding the investigation and prosecution of offenses committed within

28 these communities, including:
29 (i) incest;
30 (ii) sexual offenses, including sexual abuse, sexual assault, and offenses involving
31 unlawful sexual conduct with a person younger than 18 years of age;
32 (iii) welfare fraud;
33 (iv) tax fraud; and
34 (v) failure to pay child support; and
35 (c) temporary emergency housing for large families that are without shelter due to leaving
36 an isolated or polygamous society to escape abuse or criminal conduct.
37 (3) The money appropriated under Subsection (1) is nonlapsing.
38 Section 2. Effective date.
39 This act takes effect on July 1, 2000.




Legislative Review Note
as of 11-22-99 7:51 AM

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

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel