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S.B. 205

             1     

RECORDS ACCESS DISCOVERY AMENDMENTS

             2     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

             5     
House Sponsor: Bradley M. Daw

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies Title 53, Public Safety Code, and Title 58, Occupations and
             10      Professions, by permitting dissemination of information in the controlled substance
             11      database and criminal background checks to a defense attorney for use in a criminal
             12      case.
             13      Highlighted Provisions:
             14          This bill:
             15          .    permits a state or local prosecutor to provide information from the controlled
             16      substance database to a criminal defense attorney, upon request during discovery,
             17      for use in a criminal defense case;
             18          .    permits a criminal justice agency to provide information from a criminal
             19      background check to a defense attorney, upon request during discovery, for use in a
             20      criminal defense case; and
             21          .    makes technical changes.
             22      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             23          None
             24      Other Special Clauses:
             25          None
             26      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             27      AMENDS:


             28          53-10-108, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 243
             29          58-37f-301, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapters 38, 151, and 226
             30     
             31      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             32          Section 1. Section 53-10-108 is amended to read:
             33           53-10-108. Restrictions on access, use, and contents of division records -- Limited
             34      use of records for employment purposes -- Challenging accuracy of records -- Usage fees
             35      -- Missing children records -- Penalty for misuse of records.
             36          (1) Dissemination of information from a criminal history record or warrant of arrest
             37      information from division files is limited to:
             38          (a) criminal justice agencies for purposes of administration of criminal justice and for
             39      employment screening by criminal justice agencies;
             40          (b) noncriminal justice agencies or individuals for any purpose authorized by statute,
             41      executive order, court rule, court order, or local ordinance;
             42          (c) agencies or individuals for the purpose of obtaining required clearances connected
             43      with foreign travel or obtaining citizenship;
             44          (d) (i) agencies or individuals pursuant to a specific agreement with a criminal justice
             45      agency to provide services required for the administration of criminal justice; and
             46          (ii) the agreement shall specifically authorize access to data, limit the use of the data to
             47      purposes for which given, and ensure the security and confidentiality of the data;
             48          (e) agencies or individuals for the purpose of a preplacement adoptive study, in
             49      accordance with the requirements of Sections 78B-6-128 and 78B-6-130 ;
             50          (f) (i) agencies and individuals as the commissioner authorizes for the express purpose
             51      of research, evaluative, or statistical activities pursuant to an agreement with a criminal justice
             52      agency; and
             53          (ii) private security agencies through guidelines established by the commissioner for
             54      employment background checks for their own employees and prospective employees;
             55          (g) a qualifying entity for employment background checks for their own employees and
             56      persons who have applied for employment with the qualifying entity; and
             57          (h) other agencies and individuals as the commissioner authorizes and finds necessary
             58      for protection of life and property and for offender identification, apprehension, and


             59      prosecution pursuant to an agreement.
             60          (2) An agreement under Subsection (1)(f) or (1)(h) shall specifically authorize access
             61      to data, limit the use of data to research, evaluative, or statistical purposes, preserve the
             62      anonymity of individuals to whom the information relates, and ensure the confidentiality and
             63      security of the data.
             64          (3) (a) Before requesting information under Subsection (1)(g), a qualifying entity must
             65      obtain a signed waiver from the person whose information is requested.
             66          (b) The waiver must notify the signee:
             67          (i) that a criminal history background check will be conducted;
             68          (ii) who will see the information; and
             69          (iii) how the information will be used.
             70          (c) Information received by a qualifying entity under Subsection (1)(g) may only be:
             71          (i) available to persons involved in the hiring or background investigation of the
             72      employee; and
             73          (ii) used for the purpose of assisting in making an employment or promotion decision.
             74          (d) A person who disseminates or uses information obtained from the division under
             75      Subsection (1)(g) for purposes other than those specified under Subsection (3)(c), in addition to
             76      any penalties provided under this section, is subject to civil liability.
             77          (e) A qualifying entity that obtains information under Subsection (1)(g) shall provide
             78      the employee or employment applicant an opportunity to:
             79          (i) review the information received as provided under Subsection (8); and
             80          (ii) respond to any information received.
             81          (f) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             82      division may make rules to implement this Subsection (3).
             83          (g) (i) The applicant fingerprint card fee under Subsection (1)(g) is $20.
             84          (ii) The name check fee under Subsection (1)(g) is $15.
             85          (iii) These fees remain in effect until changed by the division through the process under
             86      Section 63J-1-504 .
             87          (iv) Funds generated under Subsections (3)(g)(i), (3)(g)(ii), and (8)(b) shall be
             88      deposited in the General Fund as a dedicated credit by the department to cover the costs
             89      incurred in providing the information.


             90          (h) The division or its employees are not liable for defamation, invasion of privacy,
             91      negligence, or any other claim in connection with the contents of information disseminated
             92      under Subsection (1)(g).
             93          (4) (a) Any criminal history record information obtained from division files may be
             94      used only for the purposes for which it was provided and may not be further disseminated,
             95      except under [Subsection] Subsections (4)(b) and (c).
             96          (b) A criminal history provided to an agency pursuant to Subsection (1)(e) may be
             97      provided by the agency to the person who is the subject of the history, another licensed
             98      child-placing agency, or the attorney for the adoptive parents for the purpose of facilitating an
             99      adoption.
             100          (c) A criminal history of a defendant provided to a criminal justice agency under
             101      Subsection (1)(a) may also be provided by the prosecutor to a defendant's defense counsel,
             102      upon request during the discovery process, for the purpose of establishing a defense in a
             103      criminal case.
             104          (5) If an individual has no prior criminal convictions, criminal history record
             105      information contained in the division's computerized criminal history files may not include
             106      arrest or disposition data concerning an individual who has been acquitted, the person's charges
             107      dismissed, or when no complaint against the person has been filed.
             108          (6) (a) This section does not preclude the use of the division's central computing
             109      facilities for the storage and retrieval of criminal history record information.
             110          (b) This information shall be stored so it cannot be modified, destroyed, or accessed by
             111      unauthorized agencies or individuals.
             112          (7) Direct access through remote computer terminals to criminal history record
             113      information in the division's files is limited to those agencies authorized by the commissioner
             114      under procedures designed to prevent unauthorized access to this information.
             115          (8) (a) The commissioner shall establish procedures to allow an individual right of
             116      access to review and receive a copy of the individual's criminal history report.
             117          (b) A processing fee for the right of access service, including obtaining a copy of the
             118      individual's criminal history report under Subsection (8)(a) is $15. This fee remains in effect
             119      until changed by the commissioner through the process under Section 63J-1-504 .
             120          (c) (i) The commissioner shall establish procedures for an individual to challenge the


             121      completeness and accuracy of criminal history record information contained in the division's
             122      computerized criminal history files regarding that individual.
             123          (ii) These procedures shall include provisions for amending any information found to
             124      be inaccurate or incomplete.
             125          (9) The private security agencies as provided in Subsection (1)(f)(ii):
             126          (a) shall be charged for access; and
             127          (b) shall be registered with the division according to rules made by the division under
             128      Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
             129          (10) Before providing information requested under this section, the division shall give
             130      priority to criminal justice agencies needs.
             131          (11) (a) It is a class B misdemeanor for a person to knowingly or intentionally access,
             132      use, disclose, or disseminate a record created, maintained, or to which access is granted by the
             133      division or any information contained in a record created, maintained, or to which access is
             134      granted by the division for a purpose prohibited or not permitted by statute, rule, regulation, or
             135      policy of a governmental entity.
             136          (b) A person who discovers or becomes aware of any unauthorized use of records
             137      created or maintained, or to which access is granted by the division shall inform the
             138      commissioner and the director of the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification of the
             139      unauthorized use.
             140          Section 2. Section 58-37f-301 is amended to read:
             141           58-37f-301. Access to database.
             142          (1) The division shall make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
             143      Administrative Rulemaking Act, to:
             144          (a) effectively enforce the limitations on access to the database as described in this
             145      part; and
             146          (b) establish standards and procedures to ensure accurate identification of individuals
             147      requesting information or receiving information without request from the database.
             148          (2) The division shall make information in the database available only to the following
             149      individuals, in accordance with the requirements of this chapter and division rules:
             150          (a) personnel of the division specifically assigned to conduct investigations related to
             151      controlled substance laws under the jurisdiction of the division;


             152          (b) authorized division personnel engaged in analysis of controlled substance
             153      prescription information as a part of the assigned duties and responsibilities of their
             154      employment;
             155          (c) in accordance with a written agreement entered into with the department,
             156      employees of the Department of Health:
             157          (i) whom the director of the Department of Health assigns to conduct scientific studies
             158      regarding the use or abuse of controlled substances, provided that the identity of the individuals
             159      and pharmacies in the database are confidential and are not disclosed in any manner to any
             160      individual who is not directly involved in the scientific studies; or
             161          (ii) when the information is requested by the Department of Health in relation to a
             162      person or provider whom the Department of Health suspects may be improperly obtaining or
             163      providing a controlled substance;
             164          (d) a licensed practitioner having authority to prescribe controlled substances, to the
             165      extent the information:
             166          (i) (A) relates specifically to a current or prospective patient of the practitioner; and
             167          (B) is sought by the practitioner for the purpose of:
             168          (I) prescribing or considering prescribing any controlled substance to the current or
             169      prospective patient;
             170          (II) diagnosing the current or prospective patient;
             171          (III) providing medical treatment or medical advice to the current or prospective
             172      patient; or
             173          (IV) determining whether the current or prospective patient:
             174          (Aa) is attempting to fraudulently obtain a controlled substance from the practitioner;
             175      or
             176          (Bb) has fraudulently obtained, or attempted to fraudulently obtain, a controlled
             177      substance from the practitioner;
             178          (ii) (A) relates specifically to a former patient of the practitioner; and
             179          (B) is sought by the practitioner for the purpose of determining whether the former
             180      patient has fraudulently obtained, or has attempted to fraudulently obtain, a controlled
             181      substance from the practitioner;
             182          (iii) relates specifically to an individual who has access to the practitioner's Drug


             183      Enforcement Administration identification number, and the practitioner suspects that the
             184      individual may have used the practitioner's Drug Enforcement Administration identification
             185      number to fraudulently acquire or prescribe a controlled substance;
             186          (iv) relates to the practitioner's own prescribing practices, except when specifically
             187      prohibited by the division by administrative rule;
             188          (v) relates to the use of the controlled substance database by an employee of the
             189      practitioner, described in Subsection (2)(e); or
             190          (vi) relates to any use of the practitioner's Drug Enforcement Administration
             191      identification number to obtain, attempt to obtain, prescribe, or attempt to prescribe, a
             192      controlled substance;
             193          (e) in accordance with Subsection (3)(a), an employee of a practitioner described in
             194      Subsection (2)(d), for a purpose described in Subsection (2)(d)(i) or (ii), if:
             195          (i) the employee is designated by the practitioner as an individual authorized to access
             196      the information on behalf of the practitioner;
             197          (ii) the practitioner provides written notice to the division of the identity of the
             198      employee; and
             199          (iii) the division:
             200          (A) grants the employee access to the database; and
             201          (B) provides the employee with a password that is unique to that employee to access
             202      the database in order to permit the division to comply with the requirements of Subsection
             203      58-37f-203 (3)(b) with respect to the employee;
             204          (f) a licensed pharmacist having authority to dispense a controlled substance to the
             205      extent the information is sought for the purpose of:
             206          (i) dispensing or considering dispensing any controlled substance; or
             207          (ii) determining whether a person:
             208          (A) is attempting to fraudulently obtain a controlled substance from the pharmacist; or
             209          (B) has fraudulently obtained, or attempted to fraudulently obtain, a controlled
             210      substance from the pharmacist;
             211          (g) federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities, and state and local
             212      prosecutors, engaged as a specified duty of their employment in enforcing laws:
             213          (i) regulating controlled substances; [or]


             214          (ii) investigating insurance fraud, Medicaid fraud, or Medicare fraud; or
             215          (iii) providing information about a criminal defendant to defense counsel, upon request
             216      during the discovery process, for the purpose of establishing a defense in a criminal case;
             217          (h) employees of the Office of Internal Audit and Program Integrity within the
             218      Department of Health who are engaged in their specified duty of ensuring Medicaid program
             219      integrity under Section 26-18-2.3 ;
             220          (i) a mental health therapist, if:
             221          (i) the information relates to a patient who is:
             222          (A) enrolled in a licensed substance abuse treatment program; and
             223          (B) receiving treatment from, or under the direction of, the mental health therapist as
             224      part of the patient's participation in the licensed substance abuse treatment program described
             225      in Subsection (2)(i)(i)(A);
             226          (ii) the information is sought for the purpose of determining whether the patient is
             227      using a controlled substance while the patient is enrolled in the licensed substance abuse
             228      treatment program described in Subsection (2)(i)(i)(A); and
             229          (iii) the licensed substance abuse treatment program described in Subsection
             230      (2)(i)(i)(A) is associated with a practitioner who:
             231          (A) is a physician, a physician assistant, an advance practice registered nurse, or a
             232      pharmacist; and
             233          (B) is available to consult with the mental health therapist regarding the information
             234      obtained by the mental health therapist, under this Subsection (2)(i), from the database;
             235          (j) an individual who is the recipient of a controlled substance prescription entered into
             236      the database, upon providing evidence satisfactory to the division that the individual requesting
             237      the information is in fact the individual about whom the data entry was made;
             238          (k) the inspector general, or a designee of the inspector general, of the Office of
             239      Inspector General of Medicaid Services, for the purpose of fulfilling the duties described in
             240      Title 63J, Chapter 4a, Part 2, Office Duties and Powers; and
             241          (l) the following licensed physicians for the purpose of reviewing and offering an
             242      opinion on an individual's request for workers' compensation benefits under Title 34A, Chapter
             243      2, Workers' Compensation Act, or Title 34A, Chapter 3, Utah Occupational Disease Act:
             244          (i) a member of the medical panel described in Section 34A-2-601 ; or


             245          (ii) a physician offering a second opinion regarding treatment.
             246          (3) (a) A practitioner described in Subsection (2)(d) may designate up to three
             247      employees to access information from the database under Subsection (2)(e).
             248          (b) The division shall make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
             249      Administrative Rulemaking Act, to establish background check procedures to determine
             250      whether an employee designated under Subsection (2)(e)(i) should be granted access to the
             251      database.
             252          (c) The division shall grant an employee designated under Subsection (2)(e)(i) access
             253      to the database, unless the division determines, based on a background check, that the
             254      employee poses a security risk to the information contained in the database.
             255          (d) The division may impose a fee, in accordance with Section 63J-1-504 , on a
             256      practitioner who designates an employee under Subsection (2)(e)(i), to pay for the costs
             257      incurred by the division to conduct the background check and make the determination
             258      described in Subsection (3)(b).
             259          (4) (a) An individual who is granted access to the database based on the fact that the
             260      individual is a licensed practitioner or a mental health therapist shall be denied access to the
             261      database when the individual is no longer licensed.
             262          (b) An individual who is granted access to the database based on the fact that the
             263      individual is a designated employee of a licensed practitioner shall be denied access to the
             264      database when the practitioner is no longer licensed.




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    as of 2-3-12 11:29 AM


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