MINUTES OF THE

SENATE JUDICIARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 250, Utah State Capitol

March 2, 2015

 

Members Present:     Sen. Mark B. Madsen, Chair

                                    Sen. Gene Davis

                                    Sen. Luz Escamilla

                                    Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard

                                    Sen. Daniel W. Thatcher

                                    Sen. Stephen H. Urquhart

                                    Sen. Todd Weiler

 

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 4:18 p.m.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved to approve the minutes of the February 26, 2015 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Davis, Sen. Thatcher, and Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.    

 

H.B. 164      Grandparents Rights Amendments (Rep. L. Christensen)

 

Rep. Christensen explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Weiler moved H.B. 164 be replaced with 1st Sub. H.B. 164. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Davis, Sen. Thatcher, and Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.

 

Spoke against the bill:             Laura Anthorpe, President, Utah Adoption Society

                                                Stewart Ralphs, Executive Director, Legal Aid Society       

 

MOTION:  Sen. Urquhart moved to table the bill. The motion passed with Sen. Hillyard and Sen. Madsen voting in opposition. Sen. Weiler was absent for the vote.

 

H.B. 189      Child Welfare Mediation (Rep E. Hutchings)

 

Sen Hillyard explained the bill to the committee.

 

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

 

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

 

 

H.B. 131S01   Tobacco Shop Amendments (Rep. K. Powell)

 

Rep. Powell explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Escamilla moved 1st Sub. H.B. 131 be replaced with 2nd Sub. H.B. 131. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Urquhart and Sen. Weiler absent for the vote.

 

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

 

S.B. 277       Administrative Law Judge Appointment (Sen. W. Harper)

 

This bill was not considered.

 

H.B. 11        Death Penalty Procedure Amendments (Rep. P. Ray)

 

Rep. Ray explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke against the bill:             Anna Brower, Public Policy Advocate, ACLU

                                                Jean Hill, Government Liaison, Catholic Diocese

                                                Ralph Delllapiana, Director, Alternatives to the Death Penalty

                                                Randy Gardner

 

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

 

MOTION:   Sen. Davis moved to recommend to the Legislative Management Committee that the Legislature study the Death Penalty and execution methods during the 2015 Interim Session. The motion passed with Sen. Hillyard voting in opposition. Sen. Urquhart and Sen. Weiler was absent for the vote.

 

H.B. 136      Campaign Disclosures for Judicial Retention Elections (Rep. Brad King)

 

Rep. King 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.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Thatcher 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

 

 

 

H.B. 215      Sex Offender Registry Amendments (Rep. J. Draxler)

 

Rep. Draxler explained the bill to the committee.

 

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

 

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

 

H.B. 252      Human Trafficking Amendments (Rep. Brain S. King)

 

Rep King explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:                     Gregory Ferbrache, Justice Director, Attorney General’s Office      

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Sean D. Reyes, Attorney General

                                               

 

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

 

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

 

H.B. 214      Misrepresentation of Telephone and Text Identification (Rep. D. Lifferth)

 

Rep. Lifferth explained the bill to the committee.

 

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

 

MOTION:   Sen. Thatcher moved to place the bill on the Consent Calendar. The motion failed with Sen. Madsen voting in opposition. Sen. Davis and Sen. Hillyard were absent for the vote.

 

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

 

Chair Madsen adjourned the meeting at 5:48 p.m.

 

 

 

________________________

Sen. Mark B. Madsen, Chair