House of Representatives State of Utah


         UTAH STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX . 350 STATE CAPITOL
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         P.O. BOX 145030 . SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84114-5030 . (801) 538-1029

        March 7, 2014

Madam Speaker:

    The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee reports a favorable recommendation on H.B. 433, PEACE OFFICER MERIT AMENDMENTS, by Representative B. Dee, with the following amendments:

1.    Page 7, Lines 190 through 192 :    

             190          (1) The appointing authority of a county or police interlocal

{   agency   }        entity       subject to this

             191      chapter that regularly employs one or more peace officers shall:
             192          (a) appoint a peace officer with the advice and consent of the county legislative body
  or police interlocal entity governing body       ,


2.    Page 7, Line 201 :    

             201          (3) A peace officer appointed
{   on or after   }        before       May 13, 2014, is considered to have been


3.    Page 11, Lines 330 through 331 :    

             330          (1) In accordance with this section and rules adopted by the commission, an applicant
             331     
{   is   }        may be       disqualified if the applicant:


4.    Page 12, Lines 341 through 342 :    

             341          (4) An applicant may file a written appeal regarding the application process with the
             342      commission
  at any time before the date of the exam       .


5.    Page 13, Lines 385 through 386 :    

             385          (1) A peace officer appointed under Section
{   17-30a-402

  }        17-30a-306       shall serve a probationary


             386      period of 12 consecutive months, during which time the officer may be discharged at the sole

6.    Page 15, Lines 432 through 433 :    

             432          (2) A merit system officer may be
  voluntarily       reassigned, including to another class and grade, in

             433      accordance with rules adopted by the commission.

7.    Page 16, Lines 475 through 477 :    

             475          For merit system officers, provisions regarding vacation, sick, other leave, or any other
             476      employment condition or benefit not covered by this chapter shall be established by
  :

    (a)  
applicable

             477      law
{   or by   }        ;

    (b)  
county ordinance or regulation        ; or

    (c) police interlocal entity rule or regulation  
.


8.    Page 16, Line 479 through Page 17, Line 496 :    

             479          17-30a-314. Prohibitions against political activities -- Penalties.
             480     
{       (1) (a) As used in this Subsection (1), "person" means:

             481          (i) an employee of a department;
             482          (ii) a member of a department governing body;
             483          (iii) an appointing authority;
             484          (iv) a merit system officer; and
             485          (v) a peace officer.
             486          (b) A person is guilty of a misdemeanor if the person appoints, promotes, transfers,
             487      demotes, suspends, discharges, or changes the amount of compensation of a merit system
             488      officer.
             489          (c) A person is guilty of a misdemeanor if the person seeks, aids, abets,

promises or
             490      threatens the appointment, promotion, transfer, demotion, suspension, discharge, or change in
             491      the amount of compensation as a condition or result of a merit system officer giving,
             492      withholding, or neglecting to make a contribution to or provide service for a political purpose.
             493          (d) Except as provided in Subsection (2), a person is guilty of a misdemeanor if the
             494      person solicits, directly or indirectly, a contribution or service for a political purpose from a
             495      merit system officer.   }
    

  (1)(a) An officer, employee, or member of a governing body of a county or a police interlocal entity, whether elected or appointed, may not directly or indirectly coerce, command, or advise a merit system officer to pay, lend, or contribute part of the officer's salary or compensation or anything else of value to a party, committee, organization, agency, or person for political purpose.

    (b) A county or police interlocal entity officer, employee, or member of a governing body, whether elected or appointed, may not make or attempt to make a merit system officer's personnel status dependent upon the officer's support or lack of support for a political party, committee, organization, agency, or person engaged in a political activity.  

             496          (2) Subsection (1)
{   (d)   } does not apply to political speeches or use of mass


9.    Page 18, Lines 541 through 543 :    

             541          (5) The commission may hear appeals regarding demotion, reduction in pay,
             542      suspension, or discharge of a merit system officer for any cause provided in Section
             543     
{   17-30a-313   }        17-30a-402       .


10.    Page 19, Lines 564 through 565 :    

             564          (11) In resolving an appeal, the commission may sustain
{   or   }        , modify, or       vacate a decision of the

             565      appointing authority.

11.    Page 19, Lines 569 through 579 :    

             569          17-30a-404. Appeal to
{   district court   }        Court of Appeals       -- Scope of review.

             570          
{   (1) A party may appeal to the district court the commission's final decision regarding

             571      disciplinary charges under Section 17-30a-403 .
             572          (2) (a) The court:
             573          (i) shall conduct its review on the record of the hearing held by the commission; and
             574          (ii) may affirm or overturn the ruling.
             575          (b) The district court shall overturn the commission only if the commission's decision
             576      is arbitrary or capricious.
             577          (3) An appeal to the district court shall be made within 30 days after the commission's
             578      written decision.   }
    
  (1) A person may appeal a final action or order of the commission to the Court of Appeals for review.

    (2) A person shall file a notice of appeal within 30 days of the issuance of the final action or order of the commission.
    (3) The Court of Appeals shall base its review on the record of the commission and for the purpose of determining if the commission has abused its discretion or exceeded its authority.  

             579          Section 32. Section 17-30a-501 is enacted to read:

    Respectfully,

    Curtis Oda
    Committee Chair

Voting: 6-0-5
3 HB0433.HC1.wpd 3/7/14 10:05 am nbrady/NWB VA/JTW

Bill Number
Action Class
Action Code

*HB0433*
*H*
*HCRAMD*

 HB0433
H
HCRAMD