MINUTES OF THE

SENATE JUDICIARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 250, Utah State Capitol

February 11, 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 3:17 p.m.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved to approve the minutes of the February 8, 2016 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Thatcher, Sen. Urquhart and Sen. Weiler absent for the vote.    

 

S.B. 96         Uniform Deployed Parents Custody and Parent-time Act (Sen. L. Hillyard)

 

Sen. Hillyard explained the bill to the committee.

 

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

 

I.                    Page 11, Lines 321 through 323:       


                                       321 deploying parent is unable to exercise that authority, to a nonparent who is an adult family

                                       322 member of the child  { or an adult}   with whom the child has a close and substantial relationship.

                                       323 If a court grants the authority to a nonparent, the court shall specify the decision-making

 

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

 

Spoke to the bill:                     Ms. Lorie Fowlke, Chair Legislative Committee, Family Law Section - Bar

                                                Mr. Bill Duncan, Director, Sutherland Institute

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Stewart Ralphs, Director, Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake

 

 

 

Spoke against the bill:             Ms. Dani Hartvigsen, Coalition for Preservation of Family Values

                     Mr. Dan Deuel, Chairman of Legislative Affairs, National Parents Organization of Utah

 

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

 

S.B. 124       Gang Enhancement Provision Amendments (Sen. D. Thatcher)

 

Sen. Thatcher explained the bill to the committee.

 

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

 

MOTION:   Sen. Escamilla moved the bill be placed on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Madsen, Sen Hillyard and Sen. Urquhart.

 

Chair Madsen relinquished the chair to Sen. Weiler.

 

S.B. 107       Hate Crimes Amendments (Sen. S. Urquhart)

 

Sen. Urquhart explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:                     Mr. Clifford Rosky, Professor of Law, University of Utah

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Sim Gill, Salt Lake County District Attorney

                                                Mr. Marina Lowe, Legislative and Policy Counsel, ACLU of Utah

                                                Mr. Paul Boyden, Statewide Association of Prosecutors

                     Dr. Forrest Crawford, Professor, Weber State University, Ogden NAACP

                                                Ms. Jeanetta Williams, President, NAACP Salt Lake Branch

                                                Ms. Jean Hill, Government Liaison, Catholic Diocese

                                               

Spoke against the bill:             Ms. Laura Bunker, United Families International     

                                                Ms. Gayle Ruzicka, Eagle Forum

                                                Mr. Colton Bennett, Intern, Eagle Forum

                                                Ms. Dani Hartvigsen, Coalition for Preservation of Family Values

                                                Mr. Tyler Cope

                                                Mr. Dave Mallinak, Pastor, Berean Baptist Church of Ogden, Utah

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

Sen. Weiler adjourned the meeting 5:22 p.m.

 

 

 

________________________

Sen. Mark B. Madsen, Chair