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H.B. 161

This document includes House Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Mon, Feb 11, 2008 at 1:47 PM by ddonat. --> This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Mon, Feb 18, 2008 at 4:18 PM by ddonat. -->              1     

SEX OFFENDERS' CONTACT WITH

             2     
CHILDREN

             3     
2008 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Richard A. Greenwood

             6     
Senate Sponsor: Darin G. Peterson

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill modifies the Code of Criminal Procedure and requires a registered sex
             11      offender to obtain permission from a child's parent or guardian to allow a child younger
             12      than age 14 to accompany the offender.
             13      Highlighted Provisions:
             14          This bill:
             15          .    provides that it is a H. [ third degree felony ] class A misdemeanor .H for any sex
             15a      offender whose offense was
             16      against a child to request H. [ or allow ] or solicit .H a child younger than 14 to accompany
             16a      the sex
             17      offender for any purpose unless:
             18              .    the sex offender has in the sex offender's possession written permission from the
             19      child's parent or guardian authorizing the offender to accompany the child; H. [ or ] .H
             20              .    the child's parent or guardian has given verbal permission and both the child and
             21      the sex offender are in the child's home or on the property appurtenant to the
             22      child's home; H. or
             22a               . the child is the natural child of the sex offender, and the offender is not
             22b      prohibited by any court order, or probation or parole provision, from contact with
             22c      the child; .H
             23          .    prohibits a defense of not knowing the actual age of the child; and
             24          .    extends the period of registration as a sex offender for five years, if the offender
             25      violates this provision.
             26      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             27          None


             28      Other Special Clauses:
             29          None
             30      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             31      AMENDS:
             32          77-27-21.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 337
             33      ENACTS:
             34          77-27-21.8, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             35     
             36      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             37          Section 1. Section 77-27-21.5 is amended to read:
             38           77-27-21.5. Sex offender registration -- Information system -- Law enforcement
             39      and courts to report -- Registration -- Penalty -- Effect of expungement.
             40          (1) As used in this section:
             41          (a) "Department" means the Department of Corrections.
             42          (b) "Division" means the Division of Juvenile Justice Services.
             43          (c) "Employed" or "carries on a vocation" includes employment that is full time or part
             44      time, whether financially compensated, volunteered, or for the purpose of government or
             45      educational benefit.
             46          (d) "Notification" means a person's acquisition of information from the department
             47      about a sex offender, including his place of habitation, physical description, and other
             48      information as provided in Subsections (12) and (13).
             49          (e) "Register" means to comply with the rules of the department made under this
             50      section.
             51          (f) "Sex offender" means any person:
             52          (i) convicted by this state of:
             53          (A) a felony or class A misdemeanor violation of Section 76-4-401 , enticing a minor
             54      over the Internet;
             55          (B) Section 76-5-301.1 , kidnapping of a child;
             56          (C) a felony violation of Section 76-5-401 , unlawful sexual activity with a minor;
             57          (D) Section 76-5-401.1 , sexual abuse of a minor;
             58          (E) Section 76-5-401.2 , unlawful sexual conduct with a 16 or 17 year old;


             59          (F) Section 76-5-402 , rape;
             60          (G) Section 76-5-402.1 , rape of a child;
             61          (H) Section 76-5-402.2 , object rape;
             62          (I) Section 76-5-402.3 , object rape of a child;
             63          (J) a felony violation of Section 76-5-403 , forcible sodomy;
             64          (K) Section 76-5-403.1 , sodomy on a child;
             65          (L) Section 76-5-404 , forcible sexual abuse;
             66          (M) Section 76-5-404.1 , sexual abuse of a child or aggravated sexual abuse of a child;
             67          (N) Section 76-5-405 , aggravated sexual assault;
             68          (O) Section 76-5a-3 , sexual exploitation of a minor;
             69          (P) Section 76-7-102 , incest;
             70          (Q) Section 76-9-702.5 , lewdness involving a child;
             71          (R) Section 76-10-1306 , aggravated exploitation of prostitution; or
             72          (S) attempting, soliciting, or conspiring to commit any felony offense listed in
             73      Subsection (1)(f)(i);
             74          (ii) who has been convicted of any crime, or an attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to
             75      commit a crime in another state or by the United States government that is substantially
             76      equivalent to the offenses listed in Subsection (1)(f)(i) and who is:
             77          (A) a Utah resident; or
             78          (B) not a Utah resident, but who is in the state for ten days, regardless of whether or
             79      not the offender intends to permanently reside in this state;
             80          (iii) who is required to register as a sex offender in any other state or United States
             81      territory, is not a Utah resident, but who is in the state for ten days, regardless of whether or not
             82      the offender intends to permanently reside in this state;
             83          (iv) who is a nonresident regularly employed, working, or a student in this state and
             84      was convicted of one or more offenses listed in Subsection (1)(f)(i), or any substantially
             85      equivalent offense in another state or by the United States government, and as a result of the
             86      conviction, is required to register in the person's state of residence;
             87          (v) who is found not guilty by reason of insanity in this state, any other state, or by the
             88      United States government of one or more offenses listed in Subsection (1)(f)(i); or
             89          (vi) who is adjudicated delinquent based on one or more offenses listed in Subsection


             90      (1)(f)(i) and who has been committed to the division for secure confinement and remains in the
             91      division's custody 30 days prior to the person's 21st birthday.
             92          (2) The department, to assist in investigating sex-related crimes and in apprehending
             93      offenders, shall:
             94          (a) develop and operate a system to collect, analyze, maintain, and disseminate
             95      information on sex offenders and sex offenses; and
             96          (b) make information collected and developed under this section available to the
             97      public.
             98          (3) Any law enforcement agency shall, in the manner prescribed by the department,
             99      inform the department of:
             100          (a) the receipt of a report or complaint of an offense listed in Subsection (1)(f), within
             101      three working days; and
             102          (b) the arrest of a person suspected of any of the offenses listed in Subsection (1)(f),
             103      within five working days.
             104          (4) Upon convicting a person of any of the offenses listed in Subsection (1)(f), the
             105      convicting court shall within three working days forward a copy of the judgment and sentence
             106      to the department.
             107          (5) A sex offender in the custody of the department shall be registered by agents of the
             108      department upon:
             109          (a) being placed on probation;
             110          (b) commitment to a secure correctional facility operated by or under contract to the
             111      department;
             112          (c) release from confinement to parole status, termination or expiration of sentence, or
             113      escape;
             114          (d) entrance to and release from any community-based residential program operated by
             115      or under contract to the department; or
             116          (e) termination of probation or parole.
             117          (6) A sex offender not in the custody of the department and who is confined in a
             118      correctional facility not operated by or under contract to the department shall be registered with
             119      the department by the sheriff of the county in which the offender is confined upon:
             120          (a) commitment to the correctional facility; and


             121          (b) release from confinement.
             122          (7) A sex offender in the custody of the division shall be registered with the department
             123      by the division prior to release from custody.
             124          (8) A sex offender committed to a state mental hospital shall be registered with the
             125      department by the hospital upon admission and upon discharge.
             126          (9) A sex offender convicted by any other state or by the United States government is
             127      required to register under Subsection (1)(f)(ii) and shall register with the department within ten
             128      days of entering the state, regardless of the length of stay.
             129          (10) (a) Except as provided in Subsections (10)(b), (c), [and] (d), and (f) a sex offender
             130      shall, for the duration of the sentence and for ten years after termination of sentence or custody
             131      of the division, register annually during the month of the offender's birth and again within five
             132      days of every change of his place of habitation, vehicle information, or educational information
             133      required to be submitted under Subsection (12).
             134          (b) Except as provided Subsections (10)(c) and (d), a sex offender who is convicted of
             135      an offense listed in Subsection (1)(f)(i) by another state shall register for the time period
             136      required by the state where the offender was convicted if the state's registration period for the
             137      offense that the offender was convicted of is in excess of the ten years from completion of the
             138      sentence registration period that is required under Subsection (10)(a).
             139          (c) (i) A sex offender convicted as an adult of any of the offenses listed in Subsection
             140      (10)(c)(ii) shall, for the offender's lifetime, register annually during the month of the offender's
             141      birth and again within five days of every change of the offender's place of habitation, vehicle
             142      information, or educational information required to be submitted under Subsection (12). This
             143      registration requirement is not subject to exemptions and may not be terminated or altered
             144      during the offender's lifetime.
             145          (ii) Offenses referred to in Subsection (10)(c)(i) are:
             146          (A) any offense listed in Subsection (1)(f) if, at the time of the conviction, the offender
             147      has previously been convicted of an offense listed in Subsection (1)(f) or has previously been
             148      required to register as a sex offender for an offense committed as a juvenile;
             149          (B) Section 76-4-401 , enticing a minor over the Internet, if the offense is a class A or
             150      felony violation;
             151          (C) Section 76-5-301.1 , child kidnapping;


             152          (D) Section 76-5-402 , rape;
             153          (E) Section 76-5-402.1 , rape of a child;
             154          (F) Section 76-5-402.2 , object rape;
             155          (G) Section 76-5-402.3 , object rape of a child;
             156          (H) Section 76-5-403 , forcible sodomy;
             157          (I) Section 76-5-403.1 , sodomy on a child;
             158          (J) Section 76-5-404.1 , sexual abuse of a child;
             159          (K) Subsection 76-5-404.1 (4), aggravated sexual abuse of a child;
             160          (L) Section 76-5-405 , aggravated sexual assault;
             161          (M) Section 76-5a-3 , sexual exploitation of a minor; or
             162          (N) Section 76-7-102 , incest.
             163          (d) Notwithstanding Subsections (10)(a), (b), and (c), a sex offender who is confined in
             164      a secure facility or in a state mental hospital is not required to register annually.
             165          (e) A sex offender that is required to register annually under this Subsection (10) shall
             166      surrender the sex offender's license certificate or identification card as required under
             167      Subsection 53-3-216 (3) or 53-3-807 (4) and may apply for a license certificate or identification
             168      card as provided under Section 53-3-205 or 53-3-804 .
             169          (f) A sex offender who violates Section 77-27-21.8 while required to register under this
             170      section shall register as a sex offender for an additional five years subsequent to the registration
             171      period otherwise required under this section.
             172          (11) An agency in the state that registers a sex offender on probation, a sex offender
             173      who has been released from confinement to parole status or termination, or a sex offender
             174      whose sentence has expired shall inform the offender of the duty to comply with:
             175          (a) the continuing registration requirements of this section during the period of
             176      registration required in Subsection (10), including:
             177          (i) notification to the state agencies in the states where the registrant presently resides
             178      and plans to reside when moving across state lines;
             179          (ii) verification of address at least every 60 days pursuant to a parole agreement for
             180      lifetime parolees; and
             181          (iii) notification to the out-of-state agency where the offender is living, whether or not
             182      the offender is a resident of that state; and


             183          (b) the driver license certificate or identification card surrender requirement under
             184      Subsection 53-3-216 (3) or 53-3-807 (4) and application provisions under Section 53-3-205 or
             185      53-3-804 .
             186          (12) A sex offender shall provide the department with the following information:
             187          (a) all names or aliases the sex offender is or has been known by;
             188          (b) the sex offender's name and residential address;
             189          (c) a physical description, including the sex offender's age, height, weight, eye and hair
             190      color;
             191          (d) the type of vehicle or vehicles the sex offender drives;
             192          (e) a current photograph of the sex offender; and
             193          (f) each educational institution in Utah at which the sex offender is employed, carries
             194      on a vocation, or is a student, and any change of enrollment or employment status of the sex
             195      offender at any educational institution.
             196          (13) The department shall:
             197          (a) provide the following additional information when available:
             198          (i) the crimes the sex offender was convicted of or adjudicated delinquent for; and
             199          (ii) a description of the sex offender's primary and secondary targets; and
             200          (b) ensure that the registration information collected regarding a sex offender's
             201      enrollment or employment at an educational institution is:
             202          (i) (A) promptly made available to any law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction
             203      where the institution is located if the educational institution is an institution of higher
             204      education; or
             205          (B) promptly made available to the district superintendent of the school district where
             206      the offender is enrolled if the educational institution is an institution of primary education; and
             207          (ii) entered into the appropriate state records or data system.
             208          (14) (a) A sex offender who knowingly fails to register under this section is guilty of:
             209          (i) a third degree felony and shall be sentenced to serve a term of incarceration for not
             210      less than 90 days and also at least one year of probation if:
             211          (A) the sex offender is required to register for a felony conviction of an offense listed
             212      in Subsection (1)(f)(i); or
             213          (B) the sex offender is required to register for the offender's lifetime under Subsection


             214      (10)(c); or
             215          (ii) a class A misdemeanor and shall be sentenced to serve a term of incarceration for
             216      not fewer than 90 days and also at least one year of probation if the sex offender is required to
             217      register for a misdemeanor conviction of an offense listed in Subsection (1)(f)(i).
             218          (b) Neither the court nor the Board of Pardons and Parole may release a person who
             219      violates this section from serving the term required under Subsection (14)(a). This Subsection
             220      (14)(b) supersedes any other provision of the law contrary to this section.
             221          (15) Notwithstanding Title 63, Chapter 2, Government Records Access and
             222      Management Act, information in Subsections (12) and (13) collected and released under this
             223      section is public information.
             224          (16) (a) If a sex offender is to be temporarily sent outside a secure facility in which he
             225      is confined on any assignment, including, without limitation, firefighting or disaster control,
             226      the official who has custody of the offender shall, within a reasonable time prior to removal
             227      from the secure facility, notify the local law enforcement agencies where the assignment is to
             228      be filled.
             229          (b) This Subsection (16) does not apply to any person temporarily released under guard
             230      from the institution in which he is confined.
             231          (17) Notwithstanding Sections 77-18-9 through 77-18-14 regarding expungement, a
             232      person convicted of any offense listed in Subsection (1)(f) is not relieved from the
             233      responsibility to register as required under this section.
             234          (18) Notwithstanding Section 42-1-1 , a sex offender:
             235          (a) may not change his name:
             236          (i) while under the jurisdiction of the department; and
             237          (ii) until the registration requirements of this statute have expired; or
             238          (b) may not change his name at any time, if registration is under Subsection (10)(c).
             239          (19) The department may make rules necessary to implement this section, including:
             240          (a) the method for dissemination of the information; and
             241          (b) instructions to the public regarding the use of the information.
             242          (20) Any information regarding the identity or location of a victim shall be redacted by
             243      the department from information provided under Subsections (12) and (13).
             244          (21) Nothing in this section shall be construed to create or impose any duty on any


             245      person to request or obtain information regarding any sex offender from the department.
             246          (22) The department shall post registry information on the Internet, and the website
             247      shall contain a disclaimer informing the public of the following:
             248          (a) the information contained on the site is obtained from sex offenders and the
             249      department does not guarantee its accuracy;
             250          (b) members of the public are not allowed to use the information to harass or threaten
             251      sex offenders or members of their families; and
             252          (c) harassment, stalking, or threats against sex offenders or their families are prohibited
             253      and doing so may violate Utah criminal laws.
             254          (23) The website shall be indexed by both the surname of the offender and by postal
             255      codes.
             256          (24) The department shall construct the website so that users, before accessing registry
             257      information, must indicate that they have read the disclaimer, understand it, and agree to
             258      comply with its terms.
             259          (25) The department, its personnel, and any individual or entity acting at the request or
             260      upon the direction of the department are immune from civil liability for damages for good faith
             261      compliance with this section and will be presumed to have acted in good faith by reporting
             262      information.
             263          (26) The department shall redact information that, if disclosed, could reasonably
             264      identify a victim.
             265          (27) (a) Each sex offender required to register under Subsection (10), who is not
             266      currently under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections, shall pay to the department
             267      an annual fee of $75 each year the sex offender is subject to the registration requirements.
             268          (b) The department shall deposit fees under this Subsection (27) in the General Fund as
             269      a dedicated credit, to be used by the department for maintaining the sex offender registry under
             270      this section and monitoring sex offender registration compliance, including the costs of:
             271          (i) data entry;
             272          (ii) processing registration packets;
             273          (iii) updating registry information;
             274          (iv) ensuring sex offender compliance with registration requirements under this
             275      section; and


             276          (v) apprehending offenders who are in violation of the sex offender registration
             277      requirements under this section.
             278          Section 2. Section 77-27-21.8 is enacted to read:
             279          77-27-21.8. Sex offender in presence of a child -- Definitions -- Penalties.
             280          (1) As used in this section:
             281          (a) "Accompany" means:
             282          (i) to be in the presence of an individual; and
             283          (ii) moving or traveling with that individual from one location to another, whether
             284      outdoors, indoors, or in or on any type of vehicle.
             285          (b) "Child" means an individual younger than 14 years of age.
             286          (2) A sex offender subject to registration under Section H. [ 77-27-21.7 ] 77-27-21.5 .H
             286a      for the commission
             287      of an offense committed against a child younger than 14 years of age is guilty of a H. [ third degree
             288      felony
] class A misdemeanor .H
if the sex offender requests, invites, or H. [ allows ] solicits .H
             288a1      a child to
             288a      accompany the sex offender H. , under circumstances that do not constitute an attempt to
             288b      violate Section 76-5-301.1, child kidnapping .H ,
             289      unless:
             290          (a) (i) the child's parent or guardian has provided to the sex offender written
             291      authorization, including the specific date and location, for the sex offender to accompany the
             292      child; and
             293          (ii) the sex offender has possession of the written authorization and is accompanying
             294      the child only at the date and location specified in the authorization; H. [ or ] .H
             295          (b) the child's parent or guardian has given verbal authorization for the sex offender to
             296      accompany the child either in the child's residence or on property appurtenant to the child's
             297      residence, but in no other location H. ; or
             297a          (c) the child is the natural child of the sex offender, and the offender is not prohibited
             297b      by any court order, or probation or parole provision, from contact with the child .H .
             298          (3) A sex offender convicted of a violation of Subsection (2) is subject to registration
             299      under Section H. [ 77-21-21.7 ] 77-27-21.5 .H for an additional five years subsequent to the
             299a      required registration
             300      under Section H. [ 77-21-21.7 ] 77-27-21.5 .H .
             301          (4) It is not a defense to a prosecution under this section that the defendant mistakenly
             302      believed the individual to be 14 years of age or older at the time of the offense or was unaware
             303      of the individual's true age.
             304          (5) This section does not apply if a sex offender is acting to rescue a child who is in an
             305      emergency and life-threatening situation.





Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-9-08 7:02 AM


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