MINUTES OF THE

SENATE JUDICIARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 250, Utah State Capitol

February 24, 2015

 

Members Present:     Sen. Mark B. Madsen, Chair

                                    Sen. Luz Escamilla

                                    Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard

                                    Sen. Daniel W. Thatcher

                                    Sen. Stephen H. Urquhart

                                    Sen. Todd Weiler

 

Members Excused:    Sen. Gene Davis        

 

Staff Present:             Mr. Nathan Brady, Policy Analyst

                                    Ms. Nancy Skidmore, Committee Secretary

 

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

 

Chair Madsen called the meeting to order at 4:20 p.m.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Madsen moved to approve the minutes of the February 23, 2015 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Sen Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

Sen. Madsen relinquished the chair to Sen. Thatcher.    

 

S.B. 226       Search and Seizure Amendments (Sen. M. Madsen)

 

Sen. Madsen explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Madsen moved to amend the bill as follows:

 

1.         Page 2, Line 47: 


                                       47   other remote sensing or detection technology   {that enables}    used by   the individual operating the device to

 

The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard and Sen. Weiler absent for the vote.

 

Spoke to the bill:                     Rick Schwermer, Utah Court Administrator

                                                Coy Porter, State Fire Marshall

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Marina Lowe, Legislative and Policy Counsel, ACLU

                                                Connor Boyd, President, Libertas Institute

 

MOTION:  Sen. Madsen moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Weiler absent for the vote.

 

Sen. Madsen resumed the chair.

 

S.B. 214       Veterans Court (Sen. P. Knudson)

 

Sen. Knudson explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:                     Rick Schwermer, Utah Court Administrator

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Cory Peterson, Deputy Director, Veterans Services Coordinator

 

MOTION:   Sen. Weiler moved to amend the bill as follows:

 

1.         Page 2, Lines 40 through 45:     


             40        (2)  The collaborative strategy in each veterans court program shall:

             41        (a)  include monitoring and evaluation components to measure program effectiveness;

             42        and

             43        (b)  be submitted, for the purpose of coordinating the disbursement of funding, to the  {:

             44        (i)  }  Administrative Office of the Courts  {; and

             45        (ii)  Department of Corrections}  .


 

2.         Page 2, Lines 51 through 58:     


                                       51      (4)  Screening criteria for participation in a veterans court program shall include:

                                       52      (a)  a plea to, conviction of, or adjudication for   {a nonviolent offense or drug-related}    a criminal   

                                       53     offense;

                                       54     (b)    {an agreement to}   frequent alcohol and other drug testing, if appropriate;

                                       55     (c)  participation in veteran diversion outreach programs, including substance abuse

                                       56     treatment programs where appropriate; and

                                       57     (d)    {an agreement to submit to}   sanctions for noncompliance with diversion and

                                       58     substance abuse programs' requirements.

 

The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Thatcher moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously.

 

S.B. 228          Emergency Order Amendments (Sen. R. Okerlund)

 

Sen. Okerlund explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:                     Jacey Skinner, Chief Counsel for the Governor

 

 

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 236       Justice Court Judges Retirement Amendments (Sen. T. Weiler)

 

Sen. Weiler explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Weiler moved to amend the bill as follows:

 

1.         Page 1, Lines 20 through 21:     


             20 Other Special Clauses:

             21          {None}    This bill provides a special effective date.   

 

2.         Page 2, Lines 47 through 48:     


             47        (ii)  the   {Office of the State Court Administrator}    Administrative Office of the Courts  , based on the judge's total full-time

             48        caseload.


 

3.         Page 3, Lines 77 through 78:     


             77        (ii)  the   {Office of the State Court Administrator}     Administrative Office of the Courts   , based on the judge's total full-time

             78        caseload.


 

4.         Page 3, Lines 86 through 87:     


                                       86   (4)  All of the service rendered by a justice court judge in any one fiscal or calendar

                                       87   year may not count for more than one year of service credit. 

                     Section 3. Effective date.

                     This bill takes effect on January 1, 2016.  

 

The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

Spoke to the bill:                     Dee Larson, Legal Counsel, Utah Retirement Systems

 

MOTION:  Sen. Weiler moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

H.B. 35        Parent-time Schedule Amendments (Rep. V.L. Snow)

 

Rep. Snow explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:                     Stewart Ralphs, Executive Director, Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Dan Duel, Legal Affairs, National Parents Organization

                                                Will Melton

                                                Julie Anderson

                                                Belki Tolman

 

Spoke against the bill:             Charlotte Jensen

 

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Sen. Thatcher voting in opposition. Sen. Hillyard and Sen. Weiler were absent for the vote.

 

S.J.R. 17      Joint Resolution Recognizing the 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta (Sen. H. Stephenson)

 

Sen. Stephenson explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Thatcher moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard, Sen. Urquhart, and Sen. Weiler absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 229       Child Support Guidelines Advisory Committee Extension (Sen. L. Hillyard)

 

Rep. Snow explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard, Sen. Urquhart, and Sen. Weiler absent for the vote

 

MOTION:   Sen. Escamilla moved to place the bill on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard, Sen. Urquhart, and Sen. Weiler absent for the vote.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Thatcher moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard, Sen. Urquhart, and Sen. Weiler absent for the vote.

 

Chair Madsen adjourned the meeting 6:10 p.m.

 

 

 

________________________

Sen. Mark B. Madsen, Chair