H.B. 11

This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Wed, Jan 29, 2014 at 12:11 PM by lerror. --> This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 1:18 PM by lerror. -->              1     

OVERDOSE REPORTING AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Carol Spackman Moss

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      Committee Note:
             9          The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee recommended this bill.
             10      General Description:
             11          This bill modifies Title 58, Chapter 37, Utah Controlled Substances Act, and Title 76,
             12      Utah Criminal Code, regarding penalties for controlled substance violations related to
             13      the reporting of an overdose incident.
             14      Highlighted Provisions:
             15          This bill:
             16          .    provides that a person who reports a person's overdose from a controlled substance
             17      or other substance may claim an affirmative defense to specified charges of
             18      violating the Utah Controlled Substances Act if the person remains with the person
             19      who is subject to the overdose and cooperates with responding medical providers
             20      and law enforcement officers; and
             21          .    provides that remaining with a person subject to an overdose and cooperating with
             22      medical providers and law enforcement is a mitigating factor when determining the
             23      penalty for a related violation of the Utah Controlled Substances Act.
             24      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             25          None
             26      Other Special Clauses:
             27          This bill provides an immediate effective date.


             28      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             29      AMENDS:
             30           58-37-8 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 12
             31      ENACTS:
             32           76-3-203.11 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             33     
             34      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             35          Section 1. Section 58-37-8 is amended to read:
             36           58-37-8. Prohibited acts -- Penalties.
             37          (1) Prohibited acts A -- Penalties:
             38          (a) Except as authorized by this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to knowingly and
             39      intentionally:
             40          (i) produce, manufacture, or dispense, or to possess with intent to produce,
             41      manufacture, or dispense, a controlled or counterfeit substance;
             42          (ii) distribute a controlled or counterfeit substance, or to agree, consent, offer, or
             43      arrange to distribute a controlled or counterfeit substance;
             44          (iii) possess a controlled or counterfeit substance with intent to distribute; or
             45          (iv) engage in a continuing criminal enterprise where:
             46          (A) the person participates, directs, or engages in conduct which results in any
             47      violation of any provision of Title 58, Chapters 37, 37a, 37b, 37c, or 37d that is a felony; and
             48          (B) the violation is a part of a continuing series of two or more violations of Title 58,
             49      Chapters 37, 37a, 37b, 37c, or 37d on separate occasions that are undertaken in concert with
             50      five or more persons with respect to whom the person occupies a position of organizer,
             51      supervisor, or any other position of management.
             52          (b) Any person convicted of violating Subsection (1)(a) with respect to:
             53          (i) a substance or a counterfeit of a substance classified in Schedule I or II, a controlled
             54      substance analog, or gammahydroxybutyric acid as listed in Schedule III is guilty of a second
             55      degree felony and upon a second or subsequent conviction is guilty of a first degree felony;
             56          (ii) a substance or a counterfeit of a substance classified in Schedule III or IV, or
             57      marijuana, or a substance listed in Section 58-37-4.2 is guilty of a third degree felony, and
             58      upon a second or subsequent conviction is guilty of a second degree felony; or


             59          (iii) a substance or a counterfeit of a substance classified in Schedule V is guilty of a
             60      class A misdemeanor and upon a second or subsequent conviction is guilty of a third degree
             61      felony.
             62          (c) Any person who has been convicted of a violation of Subsection (1)(a)(ii) or (iii)
             63      may be sentenced to imprisonment for an indeterminate term as provided by law, but if the trier
             64      of fact finds a firearm as defined in Section 76-10-501 was used, carried, or possessed on his
             65      person or in his immediate possession during the commission or in furtherance of the offense,
             66      the court shall additionally sentence the person convicted for a term of one year to run
             67      consecutively and not concurrently; and the court may additionally sentence the person
             68      convicted for an indeterminate term not to exceed five years to run consecutively and not
             69      concurrently.
             70          (d) Any person convicted of violating Subsection (1)(a)(iv) is guilty of a first degree
             71      felony punishable by imprisonment for an indeterminate term of not less than seven years and
             72      which may be for life. Imposition or execution of the sentence may not be suspended, and the
             73      person is not eligible for probation.
             74          (2) Prohibited acts B -- Penalties:
             75          (a) It is unlawful:
             76          (i) for any person knowingly and intentionally to possess or use a controlled substance
             77      analog or a controlled substance, unless it was obtained under a valid prescription or order,
             78      directly from a practitioner while acting in the course of the person's professional practice, or as
             79      otherwise authorized by this chapter;
             80          (ii) for any owner, tenant, licensee, or person in control of any building, room,
             81      tenement, vehicle, boat, aircraft, or other place knowingly and intentionally to permit them to
             82      be occupied by persons unlawfully possessing, using, or distributing controlled substances in
             83      any of those locations; or
             84          (iii) for any person knowingly and intentionally to possess an altered or forged
             85      prescription or written order for a controlled substance.
             86          (b) Any person convicted of violating Subsection (2)(a)(i) with respect to:
             87          (i) marijuana, if the amount is 100 pounds or more, is guilty of a second degree felony;
             88          (ii) a substance classified in Schedule I or II, marijuana, if the amount is more than 16
             89      ounces, but less than 100 pounds, or a controlled substance analog, is guilty of a third degree


             90      felony; or
             91          (iii) marijuana, if the marijuana is not in the form of an extracted resin from any part of
             92      the plant, and the amount is more than one ounce but less than 16 ounces, is guilty of a class A
             93      misdemeanor.
             94          (c) Upon a person's conviction of a violation of this Subsection (2) subsequent to a
             95      conviction under Subsection (1)(a), that person shall be sentenced to a one degree greater
             96      penalty than provided in this Subsection (2).
             97          (d) Any person who violates Subsection (2)(a)(i) with respect to all other controlled
             98      substances not included in Subsection (2)(b)(i), (ii), or (iii), including a substance listed in
             99      Section 58-37-4.2 , or less than one ounce of marijuana, is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
             100      Upon a second conviction the person is guilty of a class A misdemeanor, and upon a third or
             101      subsequent conviction the person is guilty of a third degree felony.
             102          (e) Any person convicted of violating Subsection (2)(a)(i) while inside the exterior
             103      boundaries of property occupied by any correctional facility as defined in Section 64-13-1 or
             104      any public jail or other place of confinement shall be sentenced to a penalty one degree greater
             105      than provided in Subsection (2)(b), and if the conviction is with respect to controlled
             106      substances as listed in:
             107          (i) Subsection (2)(b), the person may be sentenced to imprisonment for an
             108      indeterminate term as provided by law, and:
             109          (A) the court shall additionally sentence the person convicted to a term of one year to
             110      run consecutively and not concurrently; and
             111          (B) the court may additionally sentence the person convicted for an indeterminate term
             112      not to exceed five years to run consecutively and not concurrently; and
             113          (ii) Subsection (2)(d), the person may be sentenced to imprisonment for an
             114      indeterminate term as provided by law, and the court shall additionally sentence the person
             115      convicted to a term of six months to run consecutively and not concurrently.
             116          (f) Any person convicted of violating Subsection (2)(a)(ii) or(iii) is:
             117          (i) on a first conviction, guilty of a class B misdemeanor;
             118          (ii) on a second conviction, guilty of a class A misdemeanor; and
             119          (iii) on a third or subsequent conviction, guilty of a third degree felony.
             120          (g) A person is subject to the penalties under Subsection (2)(h) who, in an offense not


             121      amounting to a violation of Section 76-5-207 :
             122          (i) violates Subsection (2)(a)(i) by knowingly and intentionally having in the person's
             123      body any measurable amount of a controlled substance; and
             124          (ii) operates a motor vehicle as defined in Section 76-5-207 in a negligent manner,
             125      causing serious bodily injury as defined in Section 76-1-601 or the death of another.
             126          (h) A person who violates Subsection (2)(g) by having in the person's body:
             127          (i) a controlled substance classified under Schedule I, other than those described in
             128      Subsection (2)(h)(ii), or a controlled substance classified under Schedule II is guilty of a second
             129      degree felony;
             130          (ii) marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinols, or equivalents described in Subsection
             131      58-37-4 (2)(a)(iii)(S) or (AA), or a substance listed in Section 58-37-4.2 is guilty of a third
             132      degree felony; or
             133          (iii) any controlled substance classified under Schedules III, IV, or V is guilty of a class
             134      A misdemeanor.
             135          (i) A person is guilty of a separate offense for each victim suffering serious bodily
             136      injury or death as a result of the person's negligent driving in violation of Subsection
             137      58-37-8 (2)(g) whether or not the injuries arise from the same episode of driving.
             138          (3) Prohibited acts C -- Penalties:
             139          (a) It is unlawful for any person knowingly and intentionally:
             140          (i) to use in the course of the manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance a
             141      license number which is fictitious, revoked, suspended, or issued to another person or, for the
             142      purpose of obtaining a controlled substance, to assume the title of, or represent oneself to be, a
             143      manufacturer, wholesaler, apothecary, physician, dentist, veterinarian, or other authorized
             144      person;
             145          (ii) to acquire or obtain possession of, to procure or attempt to procure the
             146      administration of, to obtain a prescription for, to prescribe or dispense to any person known to
             147      be attempting to acquire or obtain possession of, or to procure the administration of any
             148      controlled substance by misrepresentation or failure by the person to disclose receiving any
             149      controlled substance from another source, fraud, forgery, deception, subterfuge, alteration of a
             150      prescription or written order for a controlled substance, or the use of a false name or address;
             151          (iii) to make any false or forged prescription or written order for a controlled substance,


             152      or to utter the same, or to alter any prescription or written order issued or written under the
             153      terms of this chapter; or
             154          (iv) to make, distribute, or possess any punch, die, plate, stone, or other thing designed
             155      to print, imprint, or reproduce the trademark, trade name, or other identifying mark, imprint, or
             156      device of another or any likeness of any of the foregoing upon any drug or container or labeling
             157      so as to render any drug a counterfeit controlled substance.
             158          (b) Any person convicted of violating Subsection (3)(a) is guilty of a third degree
             159      felony.
             160          (4) Prohibited acts D -- Penalties:
             161          (a) Notwithstanding other provisions of this section, a person not authorized under this
             162      chapter who commits any act declared to be unlawful under this section, Title 58, Chapter 37a,
             163      Utah Drug Paraphernalia Act, or under Title 58, Chapter 37b, Imitation Controlled Substances
             164      Act, is upon conviction subject to the penalties and classifications under this Subsection (4) if
             165      the trier of fact finds the act is committed:
             166          (i) in a public or private elementary or secondary school or on the grounds of any of
             167      those schools;
             168          (ii) in a public or private vocational school or postsecondary institution or on the
             169      grounds of any of those schools or institutions;
             170          (iii) in those portions of any building, park, stadium, or other structure or grounds
             171      which are, at the time of the act, being used for an activity sponsored by or through a school or
             172      institution under Subsections (4)(a)(i) and (ii);
             173          (iv) in or on the grounds of a preschool or child-care facility;
             174          (v) in a public park, amusement park, arcade, or recreation center;
             175          (vi) in or on the grounds of a house of worship as defined in Section 76-10-501 ;
             176          (vii) in a shopping mall, sports facility, stadium, arena, theater, movie house,
             177      playhouse, or parking lot or structure adjacent thereto;
             178          (viii) in or on the grounds of a library;
             179          (ix) within any area that is within 1,000 feet of any structure, facility, or grounds
             180      included in Subsections (4)(a)(i), (ii), (iv), (vi), and (vii);
             181          (x) in the presence of a person younger than 18 years of age, regardless of where the act
             182      occurs; or


             183          (xi) for the purpose of facilitating, arranging, or causing the transport, delivery, or
             184      distribution of a substance in violation of this section to an inmate or on the grounds of any
             185      correctional facility as defined in Section 76-8-311.3 .
             186          (b) (i) A person convicted under this Subsection (4) is guilty of a first degree felony
             187      and shall be imprisoned for a term of not less than five years if the penalty that would
             188      otherwise have been established but for this Subsection (4) would have been a first degree
             189      felony.
             190          (ii) Imposition or execution of the sentence may not be suspended, and the person is
             191      not eligible for probation.
             192          (c) If the classification that would otherwise have been established would have been
             193      less than a first degree felony but for this Subsection (4), a person convicted under this
             194      Subsection (4) is guilty of one degree more than the maximum penalty prescribed for that
             195      offense. This Subsection (4)(c) does not apply to a violation of Subsection (2)(g).
             196          (d) (i) If the violation is of Subsection (4)(a)(xi):
             197          (A) the person may be sentenced to imprisonment for an indeterminate term as
             198      provided by law, and the court shall additionally sentence the person convicted for a term of
             199      one year to run consecutively and not concurrently; and
             200          (B) the court may additionally sentence the person convicted for an indeterminate term
             201      not to exceed five years to run consecutively and not concurrently; and
             202          (ii) the penalties under this Subsection (4)(d) apply also to any person who, acting with
             203      the mental state required for the commission of an offense, directly or indirectly solicits,
             204      requests, commands, coerces, encourages, or intentionally aids another person to commit a
             205      violation of Subsection (4)(a)(xi).
             206          (e) It is not a defense to a prosecution under this Subsection (4) that the actor
             207      mistakenly believed the individual to be 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense or
             208      was unaware of the individual's true age; nor that the actor mistakenly believed that the
             209      location where the act occurred was not as described in Subsection (4)(a) or was unaware that
             210      the location where the act occurred was as described in Subsection (4)(a).
             211          (5) Any violation of this chapter for which no penalty is specified is a class B
             212      misdemeanor.
             213          (6) For purposes of penalty enhancement under Subsections (1)(b) and (2)(c), a plea of


             214      guilty or no contest to a violation of this section which is held in abeyance under Title 77,
             215      Chapter 2a, Pleas in Abeyance, is the equivalent of a conviction, even if the charge has been
             216      subsequently reduced or dismissed in accordance with the plea in abeyance agreement.
             217          (7) A person may be charged and sentenced for a violation of this section,
             218      notwithstanding a charge and sentence for a violation of any other section of this chapter.
             219          (8) (a) Any penalty imposed for violation of this section is in addition to, and not in
             220      lieu of, any civil or administrative penalty or sanction authorized by law.
             221          (b) Where violation of this chapter violates a federal law or the law of another state,
             222      conviction or acquittal under federal law or the law of another state for the same act is a bar to
             223      prosecution in this state.
             224          (9) In any prosecution for a violation of this chapter, evidence or proof which shows a
             225      person or persons produced, manufactured, possessed, distributed, or dispensed a controlled
             226      substance or substances, is prima facie evidence that the person or persons did so with
             227      knowledge of the character of the substance or substances.
             228          (10) This section does not prohibit a veterinarian, in good faith and in the course of the
             229      veterinarian's professional practice only and not for humans, from prescribing, dispensing, or
             230      administering controlled substances or from causing the substances to be administered by an
             231      assistant or orderly under the veterinarian's direction and supervision.
             232          (11) Civil or criminal liability may not be imposed under this section on:
             233          (a) any person registered under this chapter who manufactures, distributes, or possesses
             234      an imitation controlled substance for use as a placebo or investigational new drug by a
             235      registered practitioner in the ordinary course of professional practice or research; or
             236          (b) any law enforcement officer acting in the course and legitimate scope of the
             237      officer's employment.
             238          (12) (a) Civil or criminal liability may not be imposed under this section on any Indian,
             239      as defined in Subsection 58-37-2 (1)(v), who uses, possesses, or transports peyote for bona fide
             240      traditional ceremonial purposes in connection with the practice of a traditional Indian religion
             241      as defined in Subsection 58-37-2 (1)(w).
             242          (b) In a prosecution alleging violation of this section regarding peyote as defined in
             243      Subsection 58-37-4 (2)(a)(iii)(V), it is an affirmative defense that the peyote was used,
             244      possessed, or transported by an Indian for bona fide traditional ceremonial purposes in


             245      connection with the practice of a traditional Indian religion.
             246          (c) (i) The defendant shall provide written notice of intent to claim an affirmative
             247      defense under this Subsection (12) as soon as practicable, but not later than 10 days prior to
             248      trial.
             249          (ii) The notice shall include the specific claims of the affirmative defense.
             250          (iii) The court may waive the notice requirement in the interest of justice for good
             251      cause shown, if the prosecutor is not unfairly prejudiced by the lack of timely notice.
             252          (d) The defendant shall establish the affirmative defense under this Subsection (12) by
             253      a preponderance of the evidence. If the defense is established, it is a complete defense to the
             254      charges.
             255          (13) (a) It is an affirmative defense that the person produced, possessed, or
             256      administered a controlled substance listed in Section 58-37-4.2 if the person:
             257          (i) was engaged in medical research; and
             258          (ii) was a holder of a valid license to possess controlled substances under Section
             259      58-37-6 .
             260          (b) It is not a defense under Subsection (13)(a) that the person prescribed or dispensed
             261      a controlled substance listed in Section 58-37-4.2 .
             262          (14) It is an affirmative defense that the person possessed, in the person's body, a
             263      controlled substance listed in Section 58-37-4.2 if:
             264          (a) the person was the subject of medical research conducted by a holder of a valid
             265      license to possess controlled substances under Section 58-37-6 ; and
             266          (b) the substance was administered to the person by the medical researcher.
             267          (15) (a) It is an affirmative defense to an allegation of the commission of an offense
             268      listed in Subsection (15)(b) that the person:
             269          (i) reasonably believes that the person or another person is experiencing an overdose
             270      event due to the ingestion H. , injection, inhalation, or other introduction into the
             270a      human body .H of a controlled substance or other substance;
             271          (ii) reports in good faith the overdose event to a medical provider, an emergency
             272      medical service provider as defined in Section 26-8a-102 , a law enforcement officer, a 911
             273      emergency call system, or an emergency dispatch system, or the person is the subject of a
             274      report made under this Subsection (15);
             275          (iii) provides in the report under Subsection (15)(a)(ii) a functional description of the


             276      actual location of the overdose event that facilitates responding to the person experiencing the
             277      overdose event;
             278          (iv) remains at the location of the person experiencing the overdose event until a
             279      responding law enforcement officer or emergency medical service provider arrives, or remains
             280      at the medical care facility where the person experiencing an overdose event is located until a
             281      responding law enforcement officer arrives;
             282          (v) H. [ provides personal identification to and ] .H cooperates with the
             282a      responding medical
             283      provider, emergency medical service provider, and law enforcement officer, including
             284      providing information regarding the person experiencing the overdose event and any
             285      substances the person may have H. [ ingested ] injected, inhaled, or otherwise introduced into
             285a      the person's body .H ; and
             286          (vi) is alleged to have committed the offense in the same course of events from which
             287      the reported overdose arose.
             288          (b) The offenses referred to in Subsection (15)(a) are:
             289          (i) the possession or use of less than 16 ounces of marijuana;
             290          (ii) the possession or use of a scheduled or listed controlled substance other than
             291      marijuana; and
             292          (iii) any violation of Chapter 37a, Utah Drug Paraphernalia Act, or Chapter 37b,
             293      Imitation Controlled Substances Act.
             294          (c) As used in this Subsection (15) and in Section 76-3-203.11 , "good faith" does not
             295      include seeking medical assistance under this section during the course of a law enforcement
             296      agency's execution of a search warrant, execution of an arrest warrant, or other lawful search.
             297          [(15)] (16) If any provision of this chapter, or the application of any provision to any
             298      person or circumstances, is held invalid, the remainder of this chapter shall be given effect
             299      without the invalid provision or application.
             300          [(16)] (17) A legislative body of a political subdivision may not enact an ordinance that
             301      is less restrictive than any provision of this chapter.
             302          Section 2. Section 76-3-203.11 is enacted to read:
             303          76-3-203.11. Reporting an overdose -- Mitigating factor.
             304          It is a mitigating factor in sentencing for an offense under Title 58, Chapter 37, Utah
             305      Controlled Substances Act, that the person:
             306          (1) reasonably believes that the person or another person is experiencing an overdose


             307      event due to the ingestion H. , injection, inhalation, or other introduction into the

             307a      human body .H of a controlled substance or other substance;
             308          (2) reports in good faith the overdose event to a medical provider, an emergency
             309      medical service provider as defined in Section 26-8a-102 , a law enforcement officer, a 911
             310      emergency call system, or an emergency dispatch system, or the person is the subject of a
             311      report made under this section;

             312          (3) provides in the report under Subsection (2) a functional description of the location
             313      of the actual overdose event that facilitates responding to the person experiencing the overdose
             314      event;
             315          (4) remains at the location of the person experiencing the overdose event until a
             316      responding law enforcement officer or emergency medical service provider arrives, or remains
             317      at the medical care facility where the person experiencing an overdose event is located until a
             318      responding law enforcement officer arrives;

             319          (5) H. [ provides personal identification to and ] .H cooperates with the
             319a      responding medical
             320      provider, emergency medical service provider, and law enforcement officer, including
             321      providing information regarding the person experiencing the overdose event and any
             322      substances the person may have H. [ ingested
] injected, inhaled, or otherwise introduced into
             322a      the person's body .H ; and
             323          (6) committed the offense in the same course of events from which the reported
             324      overdose arose.
             325          Section 3. Effective date.
             326          If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this bill takes effect
             327      upon approval by the governor, or the day following the constitutional time limit of Utah
             328      Constitution Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's signature, or in the case of a veto,
             329      the date of veto override.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 11-21-13 6:42 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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