S.B. 239 Enrolled

1

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL -
2 SAFETY NET INITIATIVE
3 2008 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble
6 House Sponsor: Rebecca D. Lockhart
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill modifies provisions in the Attorney General chapter and establishes the Safety
11 Net Initiative and task force within the Office of the Attorney General.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This bill:
14 . authorizes the attorney general to employ investigators, prosecutors, and necessary
15 support staff to administer special duties assigned to the attorney general;
16 . provides definitions;
17 . creates the Safety Net Initiative within the Office of the Attorney General to
18 facilitate communication and coordinate efforts to provide services to men, women,
19 and children who may be subject to crimes including domestic violence, sexual
20 abuse, or maltreatment in certain communities;
21 . establishes the Safety Net Initiative Task Force;
22 . permits the attorney general to hire support staff to administer the Safety Net
23 Initiative and task force; and
24 . makes technical changes.
25 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
26 None
27 Other Special Clauses:
28 None
29 Utah Code Sections Affected:

30 ENACTS:
31 67-5-1.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
32 67-5-26, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33
34 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
35 Section 1. Section 67-5-1.5 is enacted to read:
36 67-5-1.5. Special duties -- Employment of staff.
37 (1) The attorney general may undertake special duties and projects as follows:
38 (a) employment of child protection services investigators under Section 67-5-16 ;
39 (b) employment of an Obscenity and Pornography Complaints Ombudsman under
40 Section 67-5-18 ;
41 (c) administration of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force under Section
42 67-5-20 ;
43 (d) administration of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit under Section
44 67-5-21 ;
45 (e) administration of the Identity Theft Reporting Information System (IRIS) Program
46 under Section 67-5-22 ;
47 (f) administration of the Attorney General Crime and Violence Prevention Fund under
48 Section 67-5-24 ; and
49 (g) administration of the Safety Net Initiative as provided under Section 67-5-26 .
50 (2) As permitted by the provisions of this chapter, the attorney general may employ or
51 contract with investigators, prosecutors, and necessary support staff to fulfill the special duties
52 undertaken under this section.
53 Section 2. Section 67-5-26 is enacted to read:
54 67-5-26. Safety Net Initiative -- Task force -- Staff.
55 (1) As used in this section, "individuals in underserved communities" means men,
56 women, and children living in culturally isolated communities of Utah and northern Arizona
57 who may lack access to justice, safety, and services.

58 (2) There is created within the Office of the Attorney General the Safety Net Initiative
59 to:
60 (a) address and prevent the crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, incest,
61 and child abuse relating to individuals in underserved communities; and
62 (b) implement strategies to increase awareness and to reduce risk factors in order to
63 improve the safety and well-being of individuals in underserved communities.
64 (3) There is created within the Office of the Attorney General the Safety Net Task
65 Force, which is a statewide multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional task force focused on
66 accomplishing the following objectives:
67 (a) coordinating with government agencies, non-profit organizations, and interested
68 individuals in order to work to provide open communication with individuals in underserved
69 communities; and
70 (b) coordinating efforts to give individuals in underserved communities equal access to
71 justice, safety, and services.
72 (4) The attorney general may employ or contract with individuals, entities, and support
73 staff necessary to administer the duties required by this section.