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MINUTES OF THE

HOUSE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING

20 House Building, Utah State Capitol Complex

February 13, 2014

Members Present:    Rep. Kay L. McIff, Chair
        Rep. Lee B. Perry,Vice Chair
        Rep. Patrice Arent                
        Rep. LaVar Christensen
        Rep. Brian M. Greene
        Rep. Craig Hall
        Rep. Eric K Hutchings
        Rep. Brian S. King
        Rep. V. Lowry Snow                
        
Staff Present:    Ms. Chelsea Lloyd, Policy Analyst
        Ms. Linda Black, Committee Secretary
    

NOTE:    A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

Vice Chair Perry called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m.

MOTION:    Rep. Snow moved to approve the minutes of February 10, 2014 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Arent, Rep. Hutchings, and Rep. McIff absent for the vote.

H.B. 56    Mechanics Lien Revisions (Rep. M. McKell)

Rep. McKell explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:    Rep. Hall moved to replace H.B. 56 with 2nd Substitute H.B. 56, "Mechanics Lien Revisions." The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Arent and Rep. Hutchings absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. King moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Arent, Rep. Hutchings, and Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

H.B. 279    Judiciary Interim Committee Sunset Provisions (Rep. K. McIff)

Chair McIff explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:    Chair McIff moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Arent, Rep. Christensen, Rep. Hutchings, and Rep. Perry absent for the vote.


S.B. 108    Judiciary Amendments (Sen. L. Hillyard) (Rep. V. L. Snow)


Sen. Hillyard explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:    Rep. Snow moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Arent, Rep. Hutchings, and Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

S.B. 115    Court Transcript Fees (Sen. P. Jones) (Rep. V. L. Snow)

Sen. Jones explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke for the bill:    Ms. Carolyn Erickson, Utah Court Reporters
            Ms. Debra A. Dibble, Utah Court Reporters Association
            Mr. Tyler Felt, representing himself

Spoke to the bill:    Mr. Rick Schwermer, Utah Administrative Office of the Courts

MOTION:    Rep. Snow moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Arent and Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

H.B. 325    Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission Amendments (Rep. E. Hutchings)

Rep. Hutchings explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke to the bill:    Ms. Joanne Slotnik, Executive Director, Utah Judicial Performance Commission
            Mr. Rick Schwermer, Utah Administrative Office of the Courts

MOTION:    Rep. Hall moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Arent and Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

H.B. 323    Divorce Orientation Course Timing (Rep. J. Nielson)

Rep. Nielson explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:    Chair McIff moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Lines 11 through 15 :    

             11          This bill:
             12          .    requires a
{   prospective petitioner filing for   }        party to       a divorce to complete the divorce


             13
     orientation course prior to the court
{   entering   }        hearing       any temporary orders      {   , unless

             14      circumstances exist regarding the safety of the petitioner or the petitioner's minor
             15      child  
}
; and

2.    Page 2, Lines 36 through 38 :    

             36          (3)
{   The   }        With the exception of temporary restraining orders pursuant to Rule 65, Utah Rules of Civil Procedure, a party may file, but the       court may not      {   enter any   }        hear,       temporary orders until the      {   petitioner   }        party seeking temporary orders       has completed the

             37      divorce orientation course
{   , unless the court determines that an order is necessary to protect the

             38      safety of the petitioner or a minor child of the petitioner  
}
.

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Arent, Rep. Greene, Rep. Hutchings, and Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

Spoke to the bill:    Mr. Rick Schwermer, Utah Administrative Office of the Courts
            Mr. Stewart Ralphs, Legal Aid Society, Salt Lake City

MOTION:    Rep. King moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

1st Sub. H.B. 268    Dangerous Weapons Amendments (Rep. B. Greene)

Rep. Greene explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:    Rep. Greene moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Lines 9 through 16 :    

             9          This bill redefines dangerous weapon
{   and exempts   }        , clarifies restrictions relating to dangerous weapons, and establishes exemptions for the use of       archery equipment      {   from the

             10      definition  
}
  for hunting and target shooting       .

             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    defines dangerous weapon as a firearm or an object which is used unlawfully to
             14      inflict serious bodily injury;


             15          .    
{   exempts archery equipment, including crossbows, from the definition of dangerous

             16      weapon  
}
  clarifies the criminal culpability of transferring a dangerous weapon to a restricted person       ;

    .
  provides that a restricted person may own, possess, or have under the person's custody or control, archery equipment, including crossbows, for the purpose of lawful hunting and target shooting;       and


2.    Page 4, Lines 88 through 101 :    

             88          (6) (a) "Dangerous weapon" means:
             89          (i) a firearm; or
             90          (ii) an
{   item   }        object       that in the manner of its      {   unlawful   } use or intended      {   unlawful   } use is capable

             91      of causing death or serious bodily injury.
             92          (b) The following factors [shall be] are used in determining whether [a knife, or
             93      another item] any
{   instrument,   } object      {   , or thing   } [not commonly known as a dangerous weapon]

             94      other than a firearm is a dangerous weapon:
             95          (i) the
{   character of the instrument,   }        location and context in which the       object      {   , or thing   }        was used or possessed;

    (ii) the primary purpose for which the object was made  
;

             96          
{   (ii)   }        (iii)       the character of the wound, if any, produced[, if any] by      {   its   }        the object's       unlawful use;

             97          
{   (iii)   }        (iv)       the manner in which the      {   instrument,   } object      {   , or thing   } was unlawfully used; and

             98          
{   (iv)   }        (v)       the [other] lawful purposes for which the      {   instrument,   } object      {   , or thing   } may be used.

             99          (c)
{   Unless specifically identified elsewhere in this code, nothing other than a firearm is

             100      considered a de facto dangerous weapon, and  
}
  Whenever reasonably possible,       a determination made pursuant to Subsection

             101      (6)(b)
{   may   }        shall       be made      {   only   } after an      {   instrument,   } object      {   or thing   } is used in an unlawful        or threatening       manner.


3.    Page 6, Line 179 through Page 7, Line 181 :    

             179          (b) physically possesses, uses, or has under the person's immediate custody or

control
             180      any dangerous weapon other than a firearm while committing any felony or other violent
             181      criminal offense

  , or any action that constitutes a serious threat to public safety       is guilty of a third degree felony.


4.    Page 7, Lines 185 through 187 :    

             185          (b) physically possesses, uses, or has under the person's immediate custody or control
             186      any dangerous weapon other than a firearm while committing any felony or other violent
             187      criminal offense
  , or any action that constitutes a serious threat to public safety       is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.


5.    Page 9, Lines 266 through 268 :    

             266          (2) It is not a violation of
{   this chapter   }        Subsection 76-10-503(2) or (3)       for a person        defined in Section 76-10-503(1)       to own, possess, or have under the

             267      person's custody or control, archery equipment, including crossbows, for the purpose of lawful
             268      hunting
{   or   }        and lawful       target shooting.


The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:    Rep. Greene moved to further amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 6, Line 179 through Page 7, Line 181 :    

             179          (b) physically possesses, uses, or has under the person's immediate custody or control
             180      any dangerous weapon other than a firearm while committing any felony or other violent
             181      criminal offense
  , or      {   any action   } possesses a dangerous weapon in a manner that constitutes a serious threat to public safety       is guilty of a third degree felony.


2.    Page 7, Lines 185 through 187 :    

             185          (b) physically possesses, uses, or has under the person's immediate custody or control
             186      any dangerous weapon other than a firearm while committing any felony or other violent
             187      criminal offense
  , or      {   any action   } possesses a dangerous weapon in a manner that constitutes a serious threat to public safety       is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.


Spoke to the bill:        Mr. Paul Boyden, Executive Director, Statewide Association of      Prosecutors
                Mr. Steve Thomas, representing himself
                Mr. Steven Athay, representing himself

SUBSTITUTE MOTION
:    Rep. King moved to hold the bill. The motion passed with Rep. Greene voting in opposition. Rep. Perry was absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Arent moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

Chair McIff adjourned the meeting at 6:25 p.m.





                                             ___________________________________
Kay L. McIff, Chair