H.B. 134

             1     

FIREARM SAFETY AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Steve Eliason

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill enacts provisions relating to a voluntary firearm safety program.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    requires the Department of Health prevention coordinator, in consultation with the
             13      state suicide prevention coordinator, to implement a firearm safety program,
             14      including:
             15              .    producing a firearm safety brochure and firearm safety packet;
             16              .    procuring cable-style gun locks;
             17              .    distributing firearm safety packets; and
             18              .    administering a redeemable coupon program in which a Utah resident who has
             19      filed an application for a concealed firearm permit receives a redeemable
             20      coupon toward the purchase of a gun safe and receives a firearm safety
             21      brochure; and
             22          .    provides appropriations for the operation of the firearm safety program.
             23      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             24          This bill appropriates:
             25          .    to Department of Health Bureau of Health Promotion, Firearm Safety Program:
             26              .    from the Dedicated Credits Revenue, $900,000, subject to the intent language
             27      that the appropriation shall be used for the purposes described in Section 26-7-7 .


             28      Other Special Clauses:
             29          None
             30      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             31      AMENDS:
             32           53-5-707 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 280
             33           53-10-202 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 396
             34           62A-15-1101 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 194
             35           76-10-526 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 278
             36      ENACTS:
             37           26-7-7 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             38     
             39      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             40          Section 1. Section 26-7-7 is enacted to read:
             41          26-7-7. Firearm safety program.
             42          (1) As used in the section:
             43          (a) "Bureau" means the Bureau of Criminal Identification created in Section 53-10-201
             44      within the Department of Public Safety.
             45          (b) "Dealer" means a federally licensed firearms dealer, as defined in Section
             46      76-10-501 .
             47          (c) "Department of Health prevention coordinator" means an individual designated by
             48      the Bureau of Health Promotion to coordinate violence and injury prevention.
             49          (d) "State suicide prevention coordinator" means an individual designated by the
             50      division to coordinate the suicide prevention program described in Section 62A-15-1101 .
             51          (2) The Department of Health prevention coordinator, in consultation with the state
             52      suicide prevention coordinator, shall implement a firearm safety program as described in
             53      Subsections (3) through (7).
             54          (3) The Department of Health prevention coordinator, in consultation with the state
             55      suicide prevention coordinator, local mental health and substance abuse authorities, and the
             56      State Office of Education suicide prevention coordinator, shall:
             57          (a) produce a firearm safety brochure with information about the safe handling and use
             58      of firearms that includes:


             59          (i) rules for safe handling, storage, and use of firearms in a home environment;
             60          (ii) information about at-risk individuals and individuals who are legally prohibited
             61      from possessing firearms;
             62          (iii) information about suicide prevention and awareness; and
             63          (iv) information about the availability of firearm safety packets;
             64          (b) procure cable-style gun locks for distribution pursuant to this section; and
             65          (c) produce a firearm safety packet with both the firearm safety brochure described in
             66      Subsection (3)(a) and the cable-style gun lock described in Subsection (3)(b).
             67          (4) The Department of Health prevention coordinator, in consultation with the state
             68      suicide prevention coordinator, shall distribute, free of charge, the firearm safety packet to the
             69      following persons, who shall make the firearm safety packet available free of charge:
             70          (a) health care providers, including emergency rooms;
             71          (b) mental health practitioners;
             72          (c) other public health suicide prevention organizations;
             73          (d) entities that teach firearm safety courses; and
             74          (e) school districts for use in the seminar, described in Section 53A-15-1302 , for
             75      parents of students in the school district.
             76          (5) The Department of Health prevention coordinator, in consultation with the state
             77      suicide prevention coordinator, shall create and administer a redeemable coupon program
             78      described in this section and Section 76-10-526 , that includes:
             79          (a) distributing, free of charge, to any dealer participating in the redeemable coupon
             80      program, a redeemable coupon that offers between $10 and $200 off the purchase of a gun safe
             81      by a Utah resident who has filed an application for a concealed firearm permit;
             82          (b) advertising the redeemable coupon program to all dealers and maintaining a list of
             83      dealers who wish to participate in the program;
             84          (c) producing a form containing a blank line for the bureau to insert the concealed
             85      firearm permit applicant's identifying information in accordance with Section 53-10-202 and a
             86      place for the applicant to sign and acknowledge that the applicant is committed to firearm
             87      safety;
             88          (d) coordinating with the bureau in accordance with Section 53-10-202 to mail the
             89      form with the redeemable coupon and the firearm safety brochure to the bureau; and


             90          (e) collecting from participating dealers the redeemable coupons described in this
             91      Subsection (5) and reimbursing the dealers.
             92          (6) The Department of Health prevention coordinator, in consultation with the state
             93      suicide prevention coordinator, shall use fees described in Subsection 53-5-707 (5)(b) only for:
             94          (a) producing and distributing the firearm safety brochure and firearm safety packet;
             95          (b) procuring the cable-style gun locks;
             96          (c) creating and administering the redeemable coupon program; and
             97          (d) paying personnel and other costs incurred in administering the firearm safety
             98      program.
             99          (7) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             100      Department of Health prevention coordinator, in consultation with the state suicide prevention
             101      coordinator, shall make rules that establish procedures for:
             102          (a) producing and distributing the firearm safety brochures and packets;
             103          (b) procuring the cable-style gun locks for distribution; and
             104          (c) administering the redeemable coupon program.
             105          Section 2. Section 53-5-707 is amended to read:
             106           53-5-707. Concealed firearm permit -- Fees -- Disposition.
             107          (1) (a) Each applicant for a concealed firearm permit shall pay a fee of $29.75 at the
             108      time of filing an application, except that a nonresident applicant shall pay an additional $5 for
             109      the additional cost of processing a nonresident application.
             110          (b) The bureau shall waive the initial fee for an applicant who is a law enforcement
             111      officer under Section 53-13-103 .
             112          (c) Concealed firearm permit renewal fees for active duty service members and spouses
             113      of an active duty service member shall be waived.
             114          (2) The renewal fee for the permit is $15.
             115          (3) The replacement fee for the permit is $10.
             116          (4) (a) The late fee for the renewal permit is $7.50.
             117          (b) As used in this section, "late fee" means the fee charged by the bureau for a renewal
             118      submitted on a permit that has been expired for more than 30 days but less than one year.
             119          (5) (a) The bureau shall use the fees collected under Subsections (1), (2), (3), and (4) as
             120      a dedicated credit to cover the costs of issuing concealed firearm permits under this part.


             121          (b) The bureau shall use any amount in excess of the fees necessary to cover the costs
             122      of issuing concealed firearm permits under this part to cover the costs of administering the
             123      firearm safety program as described in Sections 26-7-7 and 53-10-202 .
             124          (6) (a) The bureau may collect any fees charged by an outside agency for additional
             125      services required by statute as a prerequisite for issuance of a permit.
             126          (b) The bureau may modify the fee under Subsection (1)(a) by adjusting that fee so that
             127      the total of the fee under Subsection (1)(a) and the fee under Subsection (6)(a) is the nearest
             128      even dollar amount to that total.
             129          (c) The bureau shall promptly forward any fees collected under Subsection (6)(a) to the
             130      appropriate agency.
             131          (7) The bureau shall make an annual report in writing to the Legislature's Law
             132      Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee on the amount and use of the fees
             133      collected under this section.
             134          Section 3. Section 53-10-202 is amended to read:
             135           53-10-202. Criminal identification -- Duties of bureau.
             136          The bureau shall:
             137          (1) procure and file information relating to identification and activities of persons who:
             138          (a) are fugitives from justice;
             139          (b) are wanted or missing;
             140          (c) have been arrested for or convicted of a crime under the laws of any state or nation;
             141      and
             142          (d) are believed to be involved in racketeering, organized crime, or a dangerous
             143      offense;
             144          (2) establish a statewide uniform crime reporting system that shall include:
             145          (a) statistics concerning general categories of criminal activities;
             146          (b) statistics concerning crimes that exhibit evidence of prejudice based on race,
             147      religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, or other categories that the division finds
             148      appropriate; and
             149          (c) other statistics as required by the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
             150          (3) make a complete and systematic record and index of the information obtained
             151      under this part;


             152          (4) subject to the restrictions in this part, establish policy concerning the use and
             153      dissemination of data obtained under this part;
             154          (5) publish an annual report concerning the extent, fluctuation, distribution, and nature
             155      of crime in Utah;
             156          (6) establish a statewide central register for the identification and location of missing
             157      persons, which may include:
             158          (a) identifying data including fingerprints of each missing person;
             159          (b) identifying data of any missing person who is reported as missing to a law
             160      enforcement agency having jurisdiction;
             161          (c) dates and circumstances of any persons requesting or receiving information from
             162      the register; and
             163          (d) any other information, including blood types and photographs found necessary in
             164      furthering the purposes of this part;
             165          (7) publish a quarterly directory of missing persons for distribution to persons or
             166      entities likely to be instrumental in the identification and location of missing persons;
             167          (8) list the name of every missing person with the appropriate nationally maintained
             168      missing persons lists;
             169          (9) establish and operate a 24-hour communication network for reports of missing
             170      persons and reports of sightings of missing persons;
             171          (10) coordinate with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and other
             172      agencies to facilitate the identification and location of missing persons and the identification of
             173      unidentified persons and bodies;
             174          (11) receive information regarding missing persons, as provided in Sections 26-2-27
             175      and 53A-11-502 , and stolen vehicles, vessels, and outboard motors, as provided in Section
             176      41-1a-1401 ;
             177          (12) adopt systems of identification, including the fingerprint system, to be used by the
             178      division to facilitate law enforcement;
             179          (13) assign a distinguishing number or mark of identification to any pistol or revolver,
             180      as provided in Section 76-10-520 ;
             181          (14) check certain criminal records databases for information regarding motor vehicle
             182      salesperson applicants, maintain a separate file of fingerprints for motor vehicle salespersons,


             183      and inform the Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division when new entries are made for certain
             184      criminal offenses for motor vehicle salespersons in accordance with the requirements of
             185      Section 41-3-205.5 ;
             186          (15) check certain criminal records databases for information regarding driving
             187      privilege card applicants or cardholders and maintain a separate file of fingerprints for driving
             188      privilege applicants and cardholders and inform the federal Immigration and Customs
             189      Enforcement Agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security or law
             190      enforcement agencies when new entries are made in accordance with the requirements of
             191      Section 53-3-205.5 .
             192          (16) review and approve or disapprove applications for license renewal that meet the
             193      requirements for renewal; [and]
             194          (17) forward to the board those applications for renewal under Subsection (16) that do
             195      not meet the requirements for renewal[.]; and
             196          (18) in accordance with Section 26-7-7 , use fees described in Subsection
             197      53-5-707 (5)(b) to:
             198          (a) coordinate with the Department of Health prevention coordinator to receive a form,
             199      redeemable coupon, and firearm safety brochure from the Department of Health prevention
             200      coordinator;
             201          (b) fill in the blank line on the redeemable coupon with the name of a Utah resident
             202      who has filed an application for a concealed firearm permit; and
             203          (c) mail the form, redeemable coupon, and firearm safety brochure to Utah residents
             204      who have filed an application for a concealed firearm permit.
             205          Section 4. Section 62A-15-1101 is amended to read:
             206           62A-15-1101. Suicide prevention and firearm safety programs -- Reporting
             207      requirements.
             208          (1) As used in the section:
             209          (a) "Department of Health prevention coordinator" means an individual designated by
             210      the Bureau of Health Promotion to coordinate violence and injury prevention.
             211          [(a)] (b) "Division" means the State Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
             212          [(b)] (c) "Intervention" means an effort to prevent a person from attempting suicide.
             213          [(c)] (d) "Postvention" means mental health intervention after a suicide attempt or


             214      death to prevent or contain contagion.
             215          [(d)] (e) "State suicide prevention coordinator" means [a person] an individual
             216      designated by the division as described in [Subsection (2)] Subsections (2) and (3).
             217          (2) The division shall appoint a state suicide prevention coordinator.
             218          (3) The state suicide prevention coordinator shall coordinate the suicide prevention
             219      program, including suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention programs, services, and
             220      efforts statewide, with at least the following:
             221          (a) local mental health and substance abuse authorities;
             222          (b) the State Board of Education, including the State Office of Education suicide
             223      prevention coordinator described in Section 53A-15-1301 ;
             224          (c) the Department of Health prevention coordinator;
             225          (d) health care providers, including emergency rooms; and
             226          (e) other public health suicide prevention efforts.
             227          (4) The state suicide prevention coordinator shall report to the Legislature's Education
             228      Interim Committee, by the November 2014 meeting, jointly with the State Board of Education,
             229      on the coordination of suicide prevention programs and efforts with the State Board of
             230      Education and the State Office of Education suicide prevention coordinator as described in
             231      Section 53A-15-1301 .
             232          (5) The state suicide prevention coordinator shall consult with the Department of
             233      Health prevention coordinator to implement the firearm safety program as described in Section
             234      26-7-7 .
             235          Section 5. Section 76-10-526 is amended to read:
             236           76-10-526. Criminal background check prior to purchase of a firearm -- Fee --
             237      Exemption for concealed firearm permit holders and law enforcement officers.
             238          (1) For purposes of this section, "valid permit to carry a concealed firearm" does not
             239      include a temporary permit issued under Section 53-5-705 .
             240          (2) (a) To establish personal identification and residence in this state for purposes of
             241      this part, a dealer shall require an individual receiving a firearm to present one photo
             242      identification on a form issued by a governmental agency of the state.
             243          (b) A dealer may not accept a driving privilege card issued under Section 53-3-207 as
             244      proof of identification for the purpose of establishing personal identification and residence in


             245      this state as required under this Subsection (2).
             246          (3) (a) A criminal history background check is required for the sale of a firearm by a
             247      licensed firearm dealer in the state.
             248          (b) Subsection (3)(a) does not apply to the sale of a firearm to a Federal Firearms
             249      Licensee.
             250          (4) (a) An individual purchasing a firearm from a dealer shall consent in writing to a
             251      criminal background check, on a form provided by the bureau.
             252          (b) The form shall contain the following information:
             253          (i) the dealer identification number;
             254          (ii) the name and address of the individual receiving the firearm;
             255          (iii) the date of birth, height, weight, eye color, and hair color of the individual
             256      receiving the firearm; and
             257          (iv) the Social Security number or any other identification number of the individual
             258      receiving the firearm.
             259          (5) (a) The dealer shall send the information required by Subsection (4) to the bureau
             260      immediately upon its receipt by the dealer.
             261          (b) A dealer may not sell or transfer a firearm to an individual until the dealer has
             262      provided the bureau with the information in Subsection (4) and has received approval from the
             263      bureau under Subsection (7).
             264          (6) The dealer shall make a request for criminal history background information by
             265      telephone or other electronic means to the bureau and shall receive approval or denial of the
             266      inquiry by telephone or other electronic means.
             267          (7) When the dealer calls for or requests a criminal history background check, the
             268      bureau shall:
             269          (a) review the criminal history files, including juvenile court records, to determine if
             270      the individual is prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transferring a firearm by state or
             271      federal law;
             272          (b) inform the dealer that:
             273          (i) the records indicate the individual is prohibited; or
             274          (ii) the individual is approved for purchasing, possessing, or transferring a firearm;
             275          (c) provide the dealer with a unique transaction number for that inquiry; and


             276          (d) provide a response to the requesting dealer during the call for a criminal
             277      background check, or by return call, or other electronic means, without delay, except in case of
             278      electronic failure or other circumstances beyond the control of the bureau, the bureau shall
             279      advise the dealer of the reason for the delay and give the dealer an estimate of the length of the
             280      delay.
             281          (8) (a) The bureau may not maintain any records of the criminal history background
             282      check longer than 20 days from the date of the dealer's request, if the bureau determines that
             283      the individual receiving the firearm is not prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or
             284      transferring the firearm under state or federal law.
             285          (b) However, the bureau shall maintain a log of requests containing the dealer's federal
             286      firearms number, the transaction number, and the transaction date for a period of 12 months.
             287          (9) If the criminal history background check discloses information indicating that the
             288      individual attempting to purchase the firearm is prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or
             289      transferring a firearm, the bureau shall inform the law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction
             290      where the individual resides.
             291          (10) If an individual is denied the right to purchase a firearm under this section, the
             292      individual may review the individual's criminal history information and may challenge or
             293      amend the information as provided in Section 53-10-108 .
             294          (11) The bureau shall make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
             295      Administrative Rulemaking Act, to ensure the identity, confidentiality, and security of all
             296      records provided by the bureau under this part are in conformance with the requirements of the
             297      Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, Pub. L. No. 103-159, 107 Stat. 1536 (1993).
             298          (12) (a) (i) A dealer shall collect a criminal history background check fee of $7.50 for
             299      the sale of a firearm under this section.
             300          (ii) This fee remains in effect until changed by the bureau through the process under
             301      Section 63J-1-504 .
             302          (b) (i) The dealer shall forward at one time all fees collected for criminal history
             303      background checks performed during the month to the bureau by the last day of the month
             304      following the sale of a firearm.
             305          (ii) The bureau shall deposit the fees in the General Fund as dedicated credits to cover
             306      the cost of administering and conducting the criminal history background check program.


             307          (13) An individual with a concealed firearm permit issued under Title 53, Chapter 5,
             308      Part 7, Concealed Firearm Act, is exempt from the background check and corresponding fee
             309      required in this section for the purchase of a firearm if:
             310          (a) the individual presents the individual's concealed firearm permit to the dealer prior
             311      to purchase of the firearm; and
             312          (b) the dealer verifies with the bureau that the individual's concealed firearm permit is
             313      valid.
             314          (14) A law enforcement officer, as defined in Section 53-13-103 , is exempt from the
             315      background check fee required in this section for the purchase of a personal firearm to be
             316      carried while off-duty if the law enforcement officer verifies current employment by providing
             317      a letter of good standing from the officer's commanding officer and current law enforcement
             318      photo identification. This section may only be used by a law enforcement officer to purchase a
             319      personal firearm once in a 24-month period.
             320          (15) (a) A dealer may participate in the redeemable coupon program described in
             321      Section 26-7-7 and this Subsection (15).
             322          (b) A participating dealer shall:
             323          (i) accept the redeemable coupon only from the individual whose name is on the
             324      coupon and apply it only toward the purchase of a gun safe;
             325          (ii) collect the redeemable coupons and send them to the state suicide prevention
             326      coordinator and the Department of Health prevention coordinator for redemption with the
             327      receipt of sale and the form signed by the purchaser; and
             328          (iii) make the firearm safety brochure described in Section 26-7-7 available to
             329      customers free of charge.
             330          Section 6. Appropriation.
             331          Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, for
             332      the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, the following sums of money
             333      are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or reduced from amounts
             334      previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated.
             335          To Department of Health Bureau of Health Promotion, Firearm Safety Program
             336              From Dedicated Credits Revenue
$900,000

             337              Schedule of Programs:


             338                  Firearm Safety Program                $900,000
             339          The Legislature intends that appropriations provided under this section be used by the
             340      office for the purposes described in Section 26-7-7 . Under Section 63J-1-603 , the Legislature
             341      intends that appropriations provided under this section not lapse at the close of fiscal year
             342      2015. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to the purposes described in Section 26-7-7 .




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    as of 2-13-14 4:07 PM


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