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H.B. 50

             1     

AMENDMENTS TO HATE CRIMES

             2     
2001 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Sponsor: David Litvack

             5      This act modifies the Criminal Code to revise the procedures and criminal penalties for
             6      commission of a crime motivated by actual bias or prejudice.
             7      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             8      REPEALS AND REENACTS:
             9          76-3-203.3, as enacted by Chapter 102, Laws of Utah 1992
             10      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             11          Section 1. Section 76-3-203.3 is repealed and reenacted to read:
             12          76-3-203.3. Penalty for crimes motivated by bias or prejudice.
             13          (1) A person who, in committing any offense, selects the victim primarily because of bias
             14      or prejudice against a group is subject to an enhanced penalty as provided under Subsection (3).
             15          (2) (a) The prosecuting attorney, or grand jury if an indictment is returned, shall cause to
             16      be subscribed upon the information or indictment notice that the defendant is subject to the
             17      enhanced penalties provided under Subsection (3).
             18          (b) The notice under Subsection (2)(a) shall be in a clause separate from and in addition
             19      to the primary offense charged.
             20          (3) If the trier of fact finds beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant, in committing
             21      an offense, selected the victim primarily because of bias or prejudice against a group, the enhanced
             22      penalty for a:
             23          (a) class B misdemeanor is a class A misdemeanor;
             24          (b) class A misdemeanor is a third degree felony;
             25          (c) third degree felony is a second degree felony;
             26          (d) second degree felony is a first degree felony; or
             27          (e) first degree felony remains the penalty for a first degree felony, except:


             28          (i) imposition or execution of the sentence may not be suspended unless the court finds
             29      the interests of justice would be best served and states the specific circumstances justifying the
             30      disposition on the record; and
             31          (ii) the Board of Pardons and Parole shall consider the finding by the trier of fact that the
             32      convicted person selected the victim primarily because of bias or prejudice against a group as an
             33      aggravating factor in determining the length of incarceration.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 12-12-00 9:02 AM


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

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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