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MINUTES OF THE
SENATE JUDICIARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT & CRIMINAL JUSTICE
STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING
TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2007, 3:00 P.M.
ROOM W130, WEST OFFICE BUILDING, STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX



Members Present:    Sen. Gregory S. Bell, Chair
    Sen. Jon J. Greiner
    Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard
    Sen. Mark B. Madsen
    Sen. Scott D. McCoy
    Sen. Ross I. Romero

Members Excused:    Pres. John L. Valentine

Staff Present:    Jerry Howe, Policy Analyst
    Bonnie Brinton, Committee Secretary
    
Public Speakers Present:    Kirk Cullimore, Atorney
    Ken Bresin, Deputy Director, Utah Legal Services
    Mark Johnson, Ogden City
    Tara Rollins, Utah Housing Coalition
    Creighton Horton, Assistant Attorney General
    Bob Wilde, Attorney
    Jane Marquardt, Attorney, Equality Utah
    Ron Gordon, Director, Office of Crime Victim Reparations         Records

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

Chair Bell called the meeting to order at 3:10 p.m.
    
Approval of Minutes

    MOTION: Sen. McCoy moved to approve the minutes of January 26, 2007.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sens. Hillyard and Madsen absent for the vote.

1.    S.B. 136 Unlawful Detainer Amendments (Sen. M. Waddoups)

    Sen. Waddoups proposed the following amendment:


1.    Page 4, Lines 108 through 111 :    

             108      [The] Any officer of the court shall indorse on the summons the number of days within

which
             109      the defendant is required to appear and defend the action, which shall [not] be [less than] three
             110      [or more than 20]

{   calendar   } days from the date of service      {   , unless the court determines that the

             111      facts of the case should allow more time   } . The court may authorize service by publication or

2.    Page 5, Lines 134 through 143 :    

             134          (b)
  (i)       The defendant may remain in possession if he executes and files a counter bond in

             135      the form of a corporate bond, a cash bond, certified funds, or a property bond executed by two
             136      persons who own real property in the state and who are not parties to the action.
    
  (ii)       The form of

             137      the bond is at the defendant's option.
    
  (iii)       The bond shall be payable to the clerk of the court.

    
  (iv)       The

             138      defendant shall file the bond prior to the later of the expiration of three business days from the
             139      date he is served with notice of the filing of plaintiff's possession bond or within 24 hours after
             140      the court sets the bond amount.
 

    (v) Notwithstanding Subsection (2)(b)(iv), the court may allow a period of up to 72 hours for the posting of the counterbond.  

    
  (vi)       The court shall approve the bond in an amount that is the

             141      probable amount of costs of suit, including attorney fees and actual damages that may result to
             142      the plaintiff if the defendant has improperly withheld possession.
    
  (vii)       The court shall consider

             143      prepaid rent to the owner as a portion of the defendant's total bond.

3.    Page 6, Lines 167 through 168 :    

             167          (b) the court shall begin the trial within 60 days after the day on which the complaint is
             168      filed, unless the parties agree otherwise.

    
  (c) If this chapter requires a hearing to be held within a specified time, the time may be extended to the first date thereafter on which a judge is available to hear the case in a jurisdiction in which a judge is not always available.      


4.    Page 6, Line 178 through Page 7, Line 192 :                  178          (3) (a) In an action for unlawful detainer in which the claim is for nuisance and alleges
             179     
{   criminal activity   }        an act that would be considered criminal under the laws of this state       , the court shall hold an evidentiary hearing within ten days after the day on

             180      which the complaint is filed to determine whether the alleged
{   criminal activity   }        act       occurred.

             181          (b) The hearing required by Subsection (3)(a) shall be set at the time the complaint is
             182      filed and shall be served upon the defendant with the summons at least three calendar days
             183      before the scheduled time of the hearing.
             184          (c) If the court, at an evidentiary hearing held in accordance with Subsection (3)(a),
             185      determines that it is more likely than not that the alleged
{   criminal   } act occurred, the court shall

             186      issue an order of restitution.
             187          (d) If an order of restitution is issued in accordance with Subsection (3)(c), a constable
             188      or the sheriff of the county where the property is situated shall return possession of the property
             189      to the plaintiff immediately.
    
  (e) The court may allow a period of up to 72 hours before restitution may be made under Subsection (3)(d) if the court determines the time is appropriate under the circumstances.      

             190          
{   (e)   }        (f)       At the evidentiary hearing held in accordance with Subsection (3)(a), if the court

             191      determines that all issues between the parties can be adjudicated without further proceedings,
             192      the court shall adjudicate those issues and enter judgment on the merits.
    
  (g) "An act that would be considered criminal under the laws of this state" under Subsection (3)(a) includes only the following:

    (i) an act that would be considered a felony under the laws of this state;
    (ii) an act that would be considered criminal affecting the health or safety of a tenant, the landlord, the landlord's agent, or other person on the landlord's property;
    (iii) an act that would be considered criminal that causes damage or loss to any

tenant's property or the landlord's property;
    (iv) a drug- or gang-related act that would be considered criminal;
    (v) an act or threat of violence against any tenant or other person on the premises, or against the landlord or the landlord's agent; and
    (vi) any other act that would be considered criminal that the court determines directly impacts the peaceful enjoyment of the premises by any tenant.  


    


    Kirk Cullimore, Attorney, assisted in the explanation of the amendment.

     MOTION: Sen. Romero moved to adopt the amendment.

    The motion passed unanimously.

    Ken Bresin, Deputy Director, Utah Legal Services, spoke against the amendment.

    Mark Johnson, Ogden City, spoke in favor of the bill.

    Tara Rollins, Utah Housing Coalition, spoke to the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Greiner moved to pass S.B. 136, as amended, out of Committee with a     favorable recommendation.

    The motion passed with Sen. McCoy voting against the motion and Sen. Hillyard absent for     the vote.

2.    S.B. 164 Statute of Limitations for Bodily Injury (Sen. G. Bell)

    This bill was held at the request of the sponsor.

3.    S.B. 173 Criminal Intent Amendments (Sen. S. McCoy)

    Sen. McCoy distributed a handout and explained the bill.

    Creighton Horton, Attorney General's Office, assisted in the explanation of the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Romero moved to pass S.B. 173 out of Committee with a favorable     recommendation.

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

4.    S.B. 154 Statement Under Penalty of Perjury (Sen. S. McCoy)

    Sen. McCoy proposed the following amendments:


1.    Page 1, Line 26 through Page 2, Line 38 :    

             26     
  (1)            If the      {   law requires or permits an affidavit,   }        Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure, Civil Procedure, or Evidence, require or permit a written declaration upon oath,       an individual may, with like force and effect,

             27      provide an unsworn written
{   document   }        declaration       , subscribed        and dated       under penalty      {   of perjury and dated   }        of this section       , in

             28      substantially the following form:
             29          
{   (1) if executed outside the state:   }

             30          "I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under
{   penalty of perjury under the laws   }        criminal penalty       of the

             31      State of Utah that the foregoing is true and correct.
             32          Executed on (date).
             33          (Signature)"
{   ;   }        .      

             34          
{   (2) if executed within the state:

             35          "I declare (or certify, verify, or state) under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true
             36      and correct.
             37          Executed on (date).
             38          (Signature)".   }
  (2)     A person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if the person knowingly makes a false written statement in lieu of an affidavit as provided under Subsection 1.      



     MOTION: Sen. McCoy moved to adopt the amendments to S.B. 154.

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

    Bob Wilde, Attorney, spoke in favor of the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. McCoy moved to pass S.B. 154, as amended, out of Committee with a     favorable recommendation.

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


5.    S.B. 58 Wrongful Death Amendments (Sen. S. McCoy)

     Sen. McCoy explained the bill.

    Jane Marquardt, Attorney, assisted in the explanation of the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Romero moved to pass S.B. 58 out of Committee with a favorable     recommendation.

     SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Sen. McCoy moved to hold S.B. 58.

    The substitute motion passed unanimously.

6.    S.B. 72 Crime Victim Reparations Records (Sen. G. Bell)

    Sen. Bell explained the bill.

    Ron Gordon, Director, Office of Crime Victim Reparations Records, assisted in the explanation of the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Hillyard moved to pass S.B. 72 out of Committee with a favorable     recommendation.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Madsen absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Sen. McCoy moved to adjourn the meeting.

    The meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.


        
_            _____________________________________
            Sen. Gregory S. Bell, Committee Chair