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H.B. 295

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METROPOLITAN PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE

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1998 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Sponsor: Perry Buckner

5    AN ACT RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT; ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO
6    STUDY CREATING METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND FIRE
7    DEPARTMENTS; PROVIDING FOR MEMBERSHIP; DELINEATING RESPONSIBILITIES
8    AND PROCEDURES; PROVIDING A REPORTING DATE; APPROPRIATING $22,500
9    FROM THE GENERAL FUND; AND PROVIDING A REPEAL DATE.
10    This act enacts uncodified material.
11    Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
12        Section 1. Metropolitan Police Task Force -- Creation -- Membership -- Quorum --
13     Compensation -- Staff.
14        (1) There is created the Metropolitan Public Safety Task Force, consisting of the following
15    13 members:
16        (a) two members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate, no more than one
17    of whom may be from the same political party;
18        (b) four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the House
19    of Representatives, no more than two of whom may be from the same political party;
20        (c) the Commissioner of Public Safety or his designee;
21        (d) a representative of the Utah Sheriffs' Association, appointed by the association;
22        (e) a representative of the Association of Chiefs of Police, appointed by the association;
23        (f) one representative of the League of Cities and Towns, appointed by the league;
24        (g) one representative of the Association of Counties, appointed by the association;
25        (h) one representative who is an active member of the United Association of Community
26    Councils, who is appointed by the association; and
27        (i) one representative of the Utah State Fire Chiefs' Association, appointed by the


1    association.
2        (2) (a) The president of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate appointed under
3    Subsection (1)(a) as a cochair of the task force.
4        (b) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House
5    of Representatives appointed under Subsection (1)(b) as a cochair of the task force.
6        (3) A majority of the members of the task force constitute a quorum. The action of a
7    majority of a quorum constitutes the action of the task force.
8        (4) (a) Salaries and expenses of the members of the task force who are legislators shall be
9    paid in accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rule 15.03.
10        (b) Members of the task force who are not legislators may not receive compensation for
11    their work associated with the task force, but may receive per diem and expenses incurred as a
12    member of the task force at the rates established by the Division of Finance under Sections
13    63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107.
14        (5) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support
15    to the task force.
16        Section 2. Duties -- Interim report.
17        (1) The task force shall review and make recommendations regarding the merging of
18    municipal and county:
19        (a) law enforcement agencies into one metropolitan law enforcement agency; and
20        (b) firefighting agencies into one metropolitan firefighting agency.
21        (2) As part of its work, the task force shall:
22        (a) actively seek comment and input from various affected parties, including, for example,
23    county commission members, leadership of local municipalities, peace officers, firefighters, and
24    citizens;
25        (b) evaluate other states' experiences regarding the creation of metropolitan law
26    enforcement and firefighting agencies, including any enabling legislation or guidelines those states
27    may have created; and
28        (c) consider the following issues regarding metropolitan police forces or firefighting
29    agencies:
30        (i) the effect on the quality of law enforcement and firefighting services provided to the
31    citizens served by the affected agencies;

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1        (ii) the costs, savings, and any other financial impacts upon affected agencies and
2    municipalities; and
3        (iii) considerations and recommendations regarding the feasibility of creating a
4    metropolitan law enforcement agency or firefighting agency in any of the urban counties along the
5    Wasatch Front, including Salt Lake County, and in other areas of the state, including rural areas.
6        (3) A final report, including any proposed legislation, shall be presented to the Law
7    Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee before November 30, 1998.
8        Section 3. Appropriation.
9        There is appropriated from the General Fund for fiscal year 1998-99:
10        (1) $2,500 to the Senate to pay for the compensation and expenses of senators on the task
11    force;

12        (2) $5,000 to the House of Representatives to pay for the compensation and expenses of
13    representatives on the task force; and

14        (3) $15,000 to the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel to pay for staffing
15    the task force.

16        Section 4. Repeal date.
17        This act is repealed November 30, 1998.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-21-98 1:34 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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