H.B. 277

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MCGRUFF HOUSE PROGRAM
2 1997 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Sponsor: Trisha S. Beck
5 AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS IN GENERAL; ESTABLISHING THE
6 "MCGRUFF HOUSE PROGRAM" AS THE RECOGNIZED "SAFE HOUSE" PROGRAM
7 IN UTAH FOR CHILDREN; PROVIDING FOR REGISTRATION AND TRAINING
8 REQUIREMENTS; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
9 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
10 ENACTS:
11 63-93-1, Utah Code Annotated 1953
12 63-93-2, Utah Code Annotated 1953
13 63-93-3, Utah Code Annotated 1953
14 63-93-4, Utah Code Annotated 1953
15 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
16 Section 1. Section 63-93-1 is enacted to read:
17 CHAPTER 93. MCGRUFF SAFE HOUSE ACT
18 63-93-1. Title.
19 This act is known as the "McGruff Safe House" Act.
20 Section 2. Section 63-93-2 is enacted to read:
21 63-93-2. Purpose.
22 (1) The Legislature recognizes that children are often in dangerous situations that may be
23 threatening or frightening to them and that there is a need for "safe homes" in our neighborhoods
24 where a child may go for help.
25 (2) The Legislature also recognizes that along with the need for "safe homes" that children
26 can recognize easily, there is needed a method by which these homes can be identified.
27 (3) The purpose of this act is to:

1 (a) provide and designate a recognizable symbol for those "safe homes" that children can
2 readily identify; and
3 (b) establish a method by which law enforcement agencies can identify and train
4 volunteers who are willing to make their homes "safe homes".
5 Section 3. Section 63-93-3 is enacted to read:
6 63-93-3. Designation -- Administration -- Rulemaking.
7 (1) The National McGruff House Network Program is hereby designated as the official
8 statewide "safe house" program for Utah.
9 (2) The program shall be jointly administered by the Department of Public Safety and the
10 Utah Council for Crime Prevention. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall designate a program
11 administrator.
12 (3) The department may make rules in accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah
13 Administrative Rulemaking Act, to carry out the provisions of this chapter.
14 Section 4. Section 63-93-4 is enacted to read:
15 63-93-4. Program requirements.
16 (1) The program shall:
17 (a) recruit volunteer "safe homes" in neighborhoods with the help of local community
18 groups;
19 (b) provide training and education to volunteers regarding the program and its use;
20 (c) provide for an application process for volunteers;
21 (d) conduct criminal history background checks on volunteers and members of their
22 households over the age of 18;
23 (e) approve or disapprove applications for "safe homes";
24 (f) provide education through community programs for parents and children on the
25 program and the proper use of "safe homes";
26 (g) provide approved "safe homes" with signs for display;
27 (h) maintain a register of all "safe homes" that includes, at a minimum, the address of the
28 home and the names of all persons living in the home over the age of 18; and
29 (i) provide procedures by which a "safe home" may be removed from the register.
30 (2) The program administrator shall provide for a method of renewal of the "safe home"
31 designation in order to keep the registry current and provide for the periodic review of the "safe

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1 home," the volunteer and members of the household over the age of 18.
2 Section 5. Effective date.
3 This act takes effect on July 1, 1997.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-15-97 4:04 PM

A limited legal review of this bill raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

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