H.B. 360

1

CHILDREN'S JUSTICE CENTER PROGRAM
2 AMENDMENTS
3 2001 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Scott Daniels
6 This act adds provisions allowing the attorney general to establish satellite offices for
7 Children's Justice Centers and adds Emery and Wasatch counties to the list of counties in
8 which a Children's Justice Center shall be established. The act also requires that the
9 Legislature provide for cost of living increases in the Children's Justice Centers' personnel
10 budget if it provides for a cost of living increase for other state employees.
11 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
12 AMENDS:
13 67-5b-102, as last amended by Chapter 320, Laws of Utah 1999
14 67-5b-103, as enacted by Chapter 192, Laws of Utah 1994
15 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
16 Section 1. Section 67-5b-102 is amended to read:
17 67-5b-102. Children's Justice Center -- Requirements of center -- Purposes of center.
18 (1) (a) There is established a program that provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary,
19 nonprofit, intergovernmental response to sexual abuse of children and serious physical abuse of
20 children in a facility known as a Children's Justice Center.
21 (b) The attorney general shall administer the program.
22 (c) The attorney general shall:
23 (i) allocate the funds appropriated by a line item pursuant to Section 67-5b-103 ;
24 (ii) administer applications for state and federal grants;
25 (iii) staff the Advisory Board on Children's Justice;
26 (iv) assist in the development of new centers; and
27 (v) coordinate services between centers.

28 (2) (a) The attorney general shall establish Children's Justice Centers or satellite offices
29 in Cache County, Carbon County, Davis County, Duchesne County, Emery County, Grand County,
30 Salt Lake County, Tooele County, Uintah County, Utah County, Wasatch County, Washington
31 County, and Weber County.
32 (b) The attorney general may establish other centers within a county and in other counties
33 of the state.
34 (3) The attorney general and each center shall fulfill the statewide purpose of each center
35 by:
36 (a) minimizing the time and duplication of effort required to investigate, prosecute, and
37 initiate treatment for the abused child in the state;
38 (b) facilitating the investigation of the alleged offense against the abused child;
39 (c) conducting interviews of abused children and their families in a professional manner;
40 (d) obtaining reliable and admissible information which can be used effectively in criminal
41 and child protection proceedings in the state;
42 (e) coordinating and tracking:
43 (i) the use of limited medical and psychiatric services;
44 (ii) investigation of the alleged offense;
45 (iii) preparation of prosecution;
46 (iv) treatment of the abused child and family; and
47 (v) education and training of persons who provide services to the abused child and its
48 family in the state;
49 (f) expediting the processing of the case through the courts in the state;
50 (g) protecting the interest of the abused child and the community in the state;
51 (h) reducing trauma to the abused child in the state;
52 (i) enhancing the community understanding of sexual abuse of children and serious
53 physical abuse of children in the state; and
54 (j) providing as many services as possible that are required for the thorough and effective
55 investigation of child abuse cases.
56 (4) To assist a center in fulfilling the requirements and statewide purposes as provided in
57 Subsection (3), each center may obtain access to any relevant juvenile court legal records and adult
58 court legal records, unless sealed by the court.

59 (5) The statewide purpose of this chapter is to establish a program that provides a
60 comprehensive, multidisciplinary, nonprofit, intergovernmental response to sexual abuse of
61 children and serious physical abuse of children in a facility known as a Children's Justice Center.
62 Section 2. Section 67-5b-103 is amended to read:
63 67-5b-103. Appropriation and funding.
64 (1) Funding for centers under this section is intended to be broad-based, provided by a line
65 item appropriation by the Legislature to the attorney general, and is intended to include federal
66 grant monies, local government monies, and private donations.
67 (2) The money appropriated shall be used to contract with intergovernmental bodies that
68 qualify under Section 67-5b-104 to provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, nonprofit,
69 intergovernmental response to abused children and to cover administrative costs of coordination
70 of the centers' operations.
71 (3) If the Legislature authorizes an appropriation for a cost of living allowance for state
72 employees, an equal percentage shall be authorized to the Children's Justice Center Program for
73 the percentage of personnel costs included in the Children's Justice Center Program's total
74 appropriation.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-30-01 9:30 AM

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

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel