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MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Room 25, House Office Building
February 9, 2012

MEMBERS PRESENT:    Rep. Paul Ray, Chair
                Rep. Evan J. Vickers, Vice Chair
                Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck
                Rep. Bradley M. Daw
                Rep. Daniel McCay
                Rep. Ronda Rudd Menlove
                Rep. Dean Sanpei
                Rep. Christine F. Watkins

MEMBERS EXCUSED:    Rep. Tim M. Cosgrove                
            
STAFF PRESENT:        Mr. Mark D. Andrews, Policy Analyst
                Ms. RuthAnne Frost, Associate General Counsel
                Ms. Linda Black, House Secretary

Note:    A list of visitors and copy of handouts are filed with committee minutes.

Chair Ray called the meeting to order at 4:15 p.m.

MOTION:    Rep. Chavez-Houck moved to approve the minutes of February 8, 2012. The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Menlove, Rep. Sanpei, and Rep. Vickers absent for the vote.

H.B. 319    Provision of Information to Parents of Children in State Custody (Rep. C. Watkins)

Rep. Watkins presented the bill to the committee.

Spoke in favor of the bill:    Ms. Sharon Burgess
                Mr. Dan Duell, American Action Parental League
                Ms. Charri Brummer, Assistant Director, Division of Child and Family Services (Department of Human Services)

MOTION:    Rep. McCay moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Vickers absent for the vote.

H.B. 308    Parental Rights of Biological Fathers (Rep. C. Watkins)

Rep. Watkins presented the bill to the committee.




MOTION:    Rep. Watkins moved to replace H.B. 308 with 1st Substitute H.B. 308. The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Vickers absent for the vote.

Spoke in favor of the bill:        Ms. Jennifer Graham
                    Mr. Dan Duell, American Action Parental League
                
Spoke in opposition to the bill:    Mr. David Hardy, attorney, Utah Adoption Council                          (handout)
                    Mr. Stan Rasmussen, Sutherland Institute
                    Ms. Donna Pope, Heart to Heart Adoptions

Spoke to the bill:            Ms. Janice Houston, Utah Office of Vital Statistics, Utah Department of Health
                    Ms. Lisa Harris
                    Natalie (no surname given)

MOTION:
    Rep. McCay moved to hold the bill, as substituted. The motion passed with Rep. Chavez-Houck, Rep. Ray, and Rep. Watkins voting in opposition.

H.B. 232    Abuse, Neglect, and Division Definitions
(Rep. C. Watkins)

Rep. Watkins presented the bill to the committee.

MOTION:    Rep. Watkins moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Lines 8 through 15 :    

             8      General Description:
             9          This bill
{   modifies the definition of neglect and   } eliminates a responsibility of the

             10      Division of Child and Family Services.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          
{   .    adds willful, wanton, and reckless negligence to the definition of neglect; and   }

             14          .    eliminates the division's responsibility to conduct court-ordered home evaluations in
             15      custody proceedings.

2.    Page 7, Lines 191 through 194 :    

             191          (25) (a) "Neglect" means action or inaction
{   that is willful, wanton, or reckless


             192
     negligence,   }
causing:
             193          (i) abandonment of a child, except as provided in Title 62A, Chapter 4a, Part 8, Safe
             194      Relinquishment of a Newborn Child;

The motion passed unanimously.

Spoke in favor of the bill:    Mr. Stan Rasmussen, Sutherland Institute
Spoke to the bill:        Ms. Charri Brummer, Assistant Director, Division of Child and Family Services (Department of Human Services)

MOTION:    Rep. Daw moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:    Rep. Daw moved to place H.B. 232 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:    Rep. Menlove moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

Rep. Ray adjourned the meeting at 5:50 p.m.



                        _____________________________
                         Rep. Paul Ray, Chair