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MINUTES OF THE
SENATE JUDICIARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
STANDING COMMITTEE
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2004
Room 414, STATE CAPITOL BUILDING


Members Present:        Sen. Gregory Bell, Chair
            Sen. Patrice M. Arent
            Sen. D. Chris Buttars
            Sen. Mike Dmitrich
            Sen. James M. Evans
            Sen. David L. Gladwell
            Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard

Members Excused:        Sen. L. Al Mansell
        
Staff Present:        Jami Momberger, Policy Analyst
            Katrina Yarrington, Committee Secretary

Public Speakers Present:    Kirk Torgensen, Chief Deputy, Attorney General's Office
            Bob Fisher, President, Utah Property Rights Association
            Richard Daynes, Attorney, Assistant U.S. Attorney
            Dan McConkie, Commissioner, Utah Association of County Councils
            Richard Mack, former narcotics police officer
            Val Shupe, Chief of Police/President, Utah Chiefs Association
            Corrina Callahan, citizen
            Wayne Crawford, citizen
            Steve Maxfield, citizen
            Paul Boyden, State-wide Association of Prosecutors
            John Peterson, citizen
            Blaine Odenwalder, citizen
            Aaron Kennard, Salt Lake County Sheriff
            Jaynie Brown, citizen
            Von B. Williamson, Lieutenant, Cache County Sheriff's Office
            Mike Sibbett, Chairman, Board of Pardons & Parole
            Ron Gordon, Director, Sentencing Commission
            Ray Wall, Juvenile Court Administrator
            

A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.     

Committee Chair Bell called the meeting to order at 4:15 p.m.
    

1.     Approval of minutes

     MOTION: Sen. Arent moved to approve the minutes from the February 13th, 2004 meeting.

    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Dmitrich, Sen. Evans, Sen Gladwell, and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

2. S.B. 175 Protection of Private Lawfully Obtained Property (D.C. Buttars)

    Sen. Buttars introduced the bill, continuing discussion from Friday, February 13th, 2004.

     MOTION: Sen. Buttars moved to amend S.B. 175 as follows:

1.    Page 15, Line 439 :    

             439      such] if the forfeiture is
[[   [   ]] substantially      [[   ]   ]] [proportional to both]      [[   grossly   ]] disproportional to the use


2.    Page 15, Line 451 :    

             451          (b) If the court finds that the forfeiture is
[[   grossly   ]]        substantially       disproportional to the conduct for


3.    Page 16, Lines 478 through 480 :    

             478          
[[   (d) A court order to transfer the property is not required if a federal agency seeking

             479      jurisdiction over the property obtains a seizure warrant, search warrant, arrest warrant in rem,
             480      or other federal process mandating the transfer.   ]]

    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Dmitrich, Sen. Evans, and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Sen. Gladwell moved to amend S.B. 175.
    
    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Evans and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Sen. Buttars moved to vote on each of Sen. Gladwell's amendments separately.

    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Evans and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Sen. Gladwell moved the following amendment #1:

1.    Page 14, Lines 405 through 406 :    

(ii) second, for the satisfaction of
[[   exempt   ]]        any       interests        , including those of interest holders,       in the order of their priority as

                  determined by Title 70A, Uniform Commercial Code; and

    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Evans and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Sen. Gladwell moved the following amendment #2:

2.    Page 14, Lines 418 through 425 :    

             418          
[[   (1)   ]] In any [civil or criminal] proceeding to forfeit seized property under this chapter,

             419      the court
[[   [   ]] shall      [[   ]   ]]      [[   may   ]] award a prevailing [owner] party reasonable attorneys' fees and other

             420      costs of [suit] litigation reasonably incurred by the owner. An owner who prevails only in part
             421      [shall be] is entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and reasonable costs of suit related to
             422      those issues on which he prevailed.
             423          
[[   (2) In determining whether to award attorneys' fees and costs, the court shall consider

             424      the merit of each parties' allegations and pleadings, and whether a seizure, complaint, claim, or
             425      answer was reasonable and based upon good faith, or was made for any improper purpose.   ]]

    The motion pass unanimously.

     MOTION: Sen. Gladwell moved the following amendment #3:

3.    Page 16, Lines 477 through 480 :    

             477      the court must give any owner the right to be heard with regard to the transfer.
             478          
[[   (d) A court order to transfer the property is not required if a federal agency seeking

             479      jurisdiction over the property obtains a seizure warrant, search warrant, arrest warrant in rem,
             480      or other federal process mandating the transfer.   ]]

    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Evans and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.


     MOTION: Sen. Gladwell moved the following amendment #4:

4.    Page 16, Lines 485 through 487 :    

             485      24-1-16 .]:
             486     
[[       (i) shall be used in compliance with federal rules and regulations relating to equitable

             487      sharing;   ]]

Renumber following subsections.

The motion failed, with Sen. Bell, Sen. Arent, Sen. Buttars, and Sen. Dmitrich voting in opposition, and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Sen. Gladwell moved the following amendment #5:

5.    Page 17, Lines 495 through 498 :    

             495          (c) Law enforcement agencies awarded any equitable share of property forfeited by the
             496      federal government may only use
[[   that equitable share subject to the laws, rules, regulations,

             497      and orders of the state or local jurisdiction or political subdivision governing the use of public
             498      funds available for law enforcement purposes. The use of the property shall be nonlapsing.   ]]
  the award monies after approval or appropriation by the agency's legislative body. The award monies are

                  nonlapsing.  


    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Sen. Gladwell moved the following amendment #6:

6.    Page 21, Line 619 :    

             619          (d) law enforcement training
  that includes:

    (i) implementation of the Fourth Amendment of the federal constitution and Article 1, Section 7, of the Utah Constitutions, and addresses the protection of the individual's rights of due process;
    (ii) protection of the rights of innocent property holders; and

    (iii) the Tenth Amendment of the federal constitution regarding states' sovereignty and the states' reserved rights  
;


    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Sen. Gladwell moved the following amendment #7:

7.    Page 22, Lines 652 through 653 :    

             652          (11) The Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice shall report in writing to
             653      the
[[   Legislature   ]]        legislative Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee       annually regarding the forfeited property transferred to the fund, awards made


    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

    The following people spoke in support of the bill:
    Dan McConkie, Commissioner, Utah Association of County Councils
    Val Shupe, Chief of Police/President, Utah Chiefs Association
    Paul Boyden, State-wide Association of Prosecutors
    Richard Daynes, Attorney, Assistant U.S. Attorney

    The following people spoke in opposition to the bill:
    Bob Fisher, Utah Property Rights Association
    Richard Mack, former narcotics police officer
    Corrina Callahan, citizen
    Wayne Crawford, citizen
    Steve Maxfield, citizen    
    John Peterson, citizen
    Blaine Odenwalder, citizen

     MOTION: Sen. Hillyard moved to pass S.B. 175 out with a favorable recommendation.

    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Evans absent for the vote.

3. S.B. 130 Restrictions on Use of Unmarked Police Vehicles (J. Hickman)

    Sen. Hickman introduced the bill.

    The following people spoke in opposition to the bill:
    Val Shupe, Chief of Police/President, Utah Chiefs Association

    Aaron Kennard, Salt Lake County Sheriff
    Jaynie Brown, citizen
    Von B. Williamson, Lieutenant, Cache County Sheriff's Office

     MOTION: Sen. Dmitrich moved to pass S.B. 130 out with a favorable recommendation.

    The motion failed, with Sen. Bell, Sen. Arent, Sen. Evans, and Sen. Gladwell voting in opposition, and Sen. Buttars and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

4. S.B. 158 Criminal Offense Amendments (G. Bell)

    Sen. Bell introduced the bill assisted by Ron Gordon, Director, Sentencing Commission, and Mike Sibbett, Chairman, Board of Pardons and Parole.

     MOTION: Sen. Buttars moved to pass S.B. 158 out with a favorable recommendation.

    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Dmitrich and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

5. S.B. 174 Adoption of Uniform Juvenile Compact (D. Gladwell)

    Sen. Gladwell introduced the bill assisted by Ray Wall, Juvenile Court Administrator.

     MOTION: Sen. Buttars moved to pass S.B. 174 out with a favorable recommendation.

    The motion passed unanimously, with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Sen. Buttars moved to adjourn.

    Committee Chair Bell adjourned the meeting at 6:00 p.m.

    Minutes recorded by Katrina Yarrington, Secretary





 Sen. Gregory S. Bell, Committee Chair