Download Zipped Enrolled WordPerfect SB0173.ZIP
[Introduced][Amended][Status][Bill Documents][Fiscal Note][Bills Directory]

S.B. 173 Enrolled

             1     

LICENSURE OF PROGRAMS AND

             2     
FACILITIES - CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

             3     
CHECK AMENDMENTS

             4     
2006 GENERAL SESSION

             5     
STATE OF UTAH

             6     
Chief Sponsor: Thomas V. Hatch

             7     
House Sponsor: Wayne A. Harper

             8     
             9      LONG TITLE
             10      General Description:
             11          This bill modifies criminal background check requirements, contained in the Licensure
             12      of Programs and Facilities chapter of the Utah Human Services Code, for a person who
             13      has direct access to children or vulnerable adults.
             14      Highlighted Provisions:
             15          This bill:
             16          .    modifies the requirements for a person undergoing a criminal background check by
             17      the Office of Licensing, within the Department of Human Services, to determine
             18      whether the person may have direct access to children or vulnerable adults;
             19          .    provides that a person described in the preceding paragraph who continuously lived
             20      in Utah during the five years preceding the background check, except for time spent
             21      outside of the United States and its territories, is not required to submit fingerprints
             22      for an FBI national criminal history record check;
             23          .    provides that the office shall require a person described in the preceding paragraph
             24      to submit documentation establishing whether the person was convicted of a crime
             25      during the time that the person spent outside of the United States and its territories;
             26      and
             27          .    grants rulemaking authority to the Office of Licensing.
             28      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             29          None


             30      Other Special Clauses:
             31          None
             32      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             33      AMENDS:
             34          62A-2-120, as last amended by Chapter 188, Laws of Utah 2005
             35     
             36      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             37          Section 1. Section 62A-2-120 is amended to read:
             38           62A-2-120. Criminal background checks -- Direct access to children or
             39      vulnerable adults.
             40          (1) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (7), an applicant for an initial license or a
             41      license renewal under this chapter shall submit to the office the names and other identifying
             42      information, which may include fingerprints, of all persons associated with the licensee, as
             43      defined in Section 62A-2-101 , with direct access to children or vulnerable adults.
             44          (b) The Criminal Investigations and Technical Services Division of the Department of
             45      Public Safety, or the office as authorized under Section 53-10-108 , shall process the
             46      information described in Subsection (1)(a) to determine whether the individual has been
             47      convicted of any crime.
             48          (c) [If] Except as provided in Subsection (1)(d), if an individual has not continuously
             49      lived in Utah for the five years immediately preceding the day on which the information
             50      referred to in Subsection (1)(a) is submitted to the office, the individual shall submit
             51      fingerprints for a FBI national criminal history record check. The fingerprints shall be
             52      submitted to the FBI through the Criminal Investigations and Technical Services Division.
             53          (d) An individual is not required to comply with Subsection (1)(c) if the individual
             54      continuously lived in Utah for the five years immediately preceding the day on which the
             55      information described in Subsection (1)(a) is submitted to the office, except for time spent
             56      outside of the United States and its territories.
             57          (e) If an applicant described in Subsection (1)(a) spent time outside of the United


             58      States and its territories at any time during the five years immediately preceding the day on
             59      which the information described in Subsection (1)(a) is submitted to the office, the office shall
             60      require the applicant to submit documentation establishing whether the applicant was convicted
             61      of a crime during the time that the applicant spent outside of the United States and its
             62      territories.
             63          (f) The office shall make rules, in accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah
             64      Administrative Rulemaking Act, to implement the provisions of this Subsection (1).
             65          (2) The office shall approve a person for whom identifying information is submitted
             66      under Subsection (1) to have direct access to children or vulnerable adults in the licensee
             67      program if:
             68          (a) (i) the person is found to have no criminal history record; or
             69          (ii) (A) the only convictions in the person's criminal history record are misdemeanors
             70      or infractions not involving any of the offenses described in Subsection (3); and
             71          (B) the date of the last conviction under Subsection (2)(a)(ii)(A) is more than five years
             72      before the date of the search;
             73          (b) the person is not listed in the statewide database of the Division of Aging and Adult
             74      Services created by Section 62A-3-311.1 ;
             75          (c) juvenile court records do not show that a court made a substantiated finding, under
             76      Section 78-3a-320 , that the person committed a severe type of child abuse or neglect;
             77          (d) the person is not listed in the Licensing Information System of the Division of
             78      Child and Family Services created by Section 62A-4a-116.2 ; and
             79          (e) the person has not pled guilty or no contest to a pending charge for any:
             80          (i) felony;
             81          (ii) misdemeanor listed in Subsection (3); or
             82          (iii) infraction listed in Subsection (3).
             83          (3) Unless at least ten years have passed since the date of conviction, the office may not
             84      approve a person to have direct access to children or vulnerable adults in the licensee's human
             85      services program if that person has been convicted of an offense, whether a felony,


             86      misdemeanor, or infraction, that is:
             87          (a) identified as a sexual offense, domestic violence, lewdness, assault, or battery;
             88          (b) a violation of any pornography law, including sexual exploitation of a minor;
             89          (c) prostitution;
             90          (d) included in:
             91          (i) Title 76, Chapter 5, Offenses Against the Person;
             92          (ii) Title 76, Chapter 5a, Sexual Exploitation of Children; or
             93          (iii) Title 76, Chapter 7, Offenses Against the Family; or
             94          (e) a conviction in:
             95          (i) (A) another state, territory, or district of the United States; or
             96          (B) a federal court of the United States; and
             97          (ii) for an offense that, if committed in the state, would constitute a violation of an
             98      offense described in Subsection (3)(d).
             99          (4) (a) If a person for whom identifying information is submitted under Subsection (1)
             100      is not approved by the office under Subsection (2) or (3) to have direct access to children or
             101      vulnerable adults in the licensee program, the office shall conduct a comprehensive review of
             102      criminal and court records and related circumstances if the reason the approval is not granted
             103      is due solely to one or more of the following:
             104          (i) a conviction for:
             105          (A) any felony not listed in Subsection (3);
             106          (B) any misdemeanor or infraction, not listed in Subsection (3), within five years of the
             107      date of the search;
             108          (C) a protective order or ex parte protective order violation under Section 76-5-108 or
             109      a similar statute in another state; or
             110          (D) any felony, misdemeanor, or infraction listed in Subsection (3) if at least ten years
             111      have passed since the date of conviction;
             112          (ii) a plea of guilty or no contest to a pending:
             113          (A) felony;


             114          (B) misdemeanor not listed in Subsection (3); or
             115          (C) infraction not listed in Subsection (3);
             116          (iii) the person is listed in the statewide database of the Division of Aging and Adult
             117      Services created by Section 62A-3-311.1 ;
             118          (iv) juvenile court records show that a court made a substantiated finding, under
             119      Section 78-3a-320 , that the person committed a severe type of child abuse or neglect; or
             120          (v) the person is listed in the Licensing Information System of the Division of Child
             121      and Family Services created by Section 62A-4a-116.2 .
             122          (b) The comprehensive review under Subsection (4)(a) shall include an examination of:
             123          (i) the date of the offense or incident;
             124          (ii) the nature and seriousness of the offense or incident;
             125          (iii) the circumstances under which the offense or incident occurred;
             126          (iv) the age of the perpetrator when the offense or incident occurred;
             127          (v) whether the offense or incident was an isolated or repeated incident;
             128          (vi) whether the offense or incident directly relates to abuse of a child or vulnerable
             129      adult, including:
             130          (A) actual or threatened, nonaccidental physical or mental harm;
             131          (B) sexual abuse;
             132          (C) sexual exploitation; and
             133          (D) negligent treatment;
             134          (vii) any evidence provided by the person of rehabilitation, counseling, or psychiatric
             135      treatment received, or additional academic or vocational schooling completed, by the person;
             136      and
             137          (viii) any other pertinent information.
             138          (c) At the conclusion of the comprehensive review under Subsection (4)(a), the office
             139      shall approve the person who is the subject of the review to have direct access to children or
             140      vulnerable adults, unless it finds that approval will likely create a risk of harm to a child or
             141      vulnerable adult.


             142          (d) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             143      office may make rules, consistent with this chapter, defining procedures for the comprehensive
             144      review described in this Subsection (4).
             145          (5) (a) For purposes of this Subsection (5), "directly supervised" means that the person
             146      being supervised is under the uninterrupted visual and auditory surveillance of the person doing
             147      the supervising.
             148          (b) A licensee may not permit any person to have direct access to a child or a
             149      vulnerable adult unless, subject to Subsection (5)(c), that person is:
             150          (i) associated with the licensee and:
             151          (A) approved by the office to have direct access to children or vulnerable adults under
             152      this section; or
             153          (B) (I) the office has not determined whether to approve that person to have direct
             154      access to children or vulnerable adults;
             155          (II) the information described in Subsection (1)(a), relating to that person, is submitted
             156      to the department; and
             157          (III) that person is directly supervised by a person associated with the licensee who is
             158      approved by the office to have direct access to children or vulnerable adults under this section;
             159          (ii) (A) not associated with the licensee; and
             160          (B) directly supervised by a person associated with the licensee who is approved by the
             161      office to have direct access to children or vulnerable adults under this section;
             162          (iii) the parent or guardian of the child or vulnerable adult; or
             163          (iv) a person approved by the parent or guardian of the child or vulnerable adult to
             164      have direct access to the child or vulnerable adult.
             165          (c) Notwithstanding Subsection (5)(b), a person may not have direct access to a child
             166      or a vulnerable adult if that person is prohibited by court order from having that access.
             167          (6) (a) Within 30 days after receiving the identifying information for a person under
             168      Subsection (1), the office shall give written notice to the person and to the licensee or applicant
             169      with whom the person is associated of:


             170          (i) the office's decision regarding its background screening clearance and findings; and
             171          (ii) a list of any convictions found in the search.
             172          (b) With the notice described in Subsection (6)(a), the office shall also give to the
             173      person the details of any comprehensive review conducted under Subsection (4).
             174          (c) If the notice under Subsection (6)(a) states that the person is not approved to have
             175      direct access to children or vulnerable adults, the notice shall further advise the persons to
             176      whom the notice is given that either the person or the licensee or applicant with whom the
             177      person is associated, or both, may, under Subsection 62A-2-111 (2), request a hearing in the
             178      department's Office of Administrative Hearings, to challenge the office's decision.
             179          (d) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             180      office shall make rules, consistent with this chapter:
             181          (i) defining procedures for the challenge of its background screening decision
             182      described in this Subsection (6); and
             183          (ii) expediting the process for renewal of a license under the requirements of this
             184      section and other applicable sections.
             185          (7) Notwithstanding Subsection (1)(a), this section does not apply to an applicant for
             186      an initial license, or license renewal, to operate a substance abuse treatment program that
             187      provides services to adults only.


[Bill Documents][Bills Directory]