First Substitute H.B. 213

This document includes House Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Mon, Feb 24, 2014 at 10:58 AM by lerror. -->

Representative LaVar Christensen proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR SEXUAL CONTACT WITH A

             2     
STUDENT

             3     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: LaVar Christensen

             6     
Senate Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill modifies the Criminal Code regarding the concept of a position of special
             11      trust regarding persons working at schools.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    modifies the offense of aggravated sexual abuse of a child by providing a definition
             15      of the term "position of special trust" and clarifying that the definition H. of a teacher .H
             15a      includes
             16      adult employees and volunteers at public and private schools;
             17          .    provides that specified sexual conduct against victims between 14 and 18 years of
             18      age are third degree felonies if committed by a school employee or volunteer; and
             19          .    states in the Criminal Code that a sexual offense against a minor is a ground for the
             20      revocation of a teacher's license.
             21      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             22          None
             23      Other Special Clauses:
             24          None
             25      Utah Code Sections Affected:


             26      AMENDS:
             27           76-5-309 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 196
             28           76-5-401.1 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 1998, Chapter 82
             29           76-5-401.2 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 34
             30           76-5-404.1 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapters 81 and 196
             31           76-5-406 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 196
             32      ENACTS:
             33           76-5-415 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             34     
             35      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             36          Section 1. Section 76-5-309 is amended to read:
             37           76-5-309. Human trafficking and human smuggling -- Penalties.
             38          (1) Human trafficking for forced labor and human trafficking for forced sexual
             39      exploitation are each a second degree felony, except under Section 76-5-310 .
             40          (2) Human smuggling, under Section 76-5-308 of one or more persons is a third degree
             41      felony, except under Section 76-5-310 .
             42          (3) Human trafficking for forced labor or for forced sexual exploitation and human
             43      smuggling are each a separate offense from any other crime committed in relationship to the
             44      commission of either of these offenses.
             45          (4) Under circumstances not amounting to aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a
             46      violation of Subsection 76-5-404.1 (4)(h)[(i)], a person who benefits, receives, or exchanges
             47      anything of value from knowing participation in:
             48          (a) human trafficking for forced labor or for forced sexual exploitation in violation of
             49      Section 76-5-308 is guilty of a second degree felony; and
             50          (b) human smuggling is guilty of a third degree felony.
             51          (5) A person commits a separate offense of human trafficking or human smuggling for
             52      each person who is smuggled or trafficked under Section 76-5-308 or 76-5-310 .
             53          Section 2. Section 76-5-401.1 is amended to read:
             54           76-5-401.1. Sexual abuse of a minor.
             55          (1) For purposes of this section "minor" is a person who is 14 years of age or older, but
             56      younger than 16 years of age, at the time the sexual activity described in this section occurred.


             57          (2) A person commits sexual abuse of a minor if the person is seven years or more
             58      older than the minor H. or holds a relationship of special trust as an adult teacher, employee,
             58a      or volunteer, as described in Subsection 76-5-404.1(c)(xix) .H and, under circumstances not
             58b      amounting to rape, in violation of Section
             59      76-5-402 , object rape, in violation of Section 76-5-402.2 , forcible sodomy, in violation of
             60      Section 76-5-403 , aggravated sexual assault, in violation of Section 76-5-405 , unlawful sexual
             61      activity with a minor, in violation of Section 76-5-401 , or an attempt to commit any of those
             62      offenses, the person touches the anus, buttocks, or any part of the genitals of the minor, or
             63      touches the breast of a female minor, or otherwise takes indecent liberties with the minor, or
             64      causes a minor to take indecent liberties with the actor or another person, with the intent to
             65      cause substantial emotional or bodily pain to any person or with the intent to arouse or gratify
             66      the sexual desire of any person regardless of the sex of any participant.
             67          (3) (a) A violation of this section is a class A misdemeanor[.], except under Subsection
             68      (3)(b).
             69          (b) A violation of this section is a third degree felony if the actor at the time of the
             70      commission of the offense:
             71          (i) is 18 years of age or older;
             72          (ii) held a position of special trust as a teacher or a volunteer at a school, as that
             73      position is defined in Subsection 76-5-404.1 (1)(c)(xix); and
             74          (iii) committed the offense against an individual who at the time of the offense was
             75      enrolled as a student at the school where the actor was employed or was acting as a volunteer.
             76          Section 3. Section 76-5-401.2 is amended to read:
             77           76-5-401.2. Unlawful sexual conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old.
             78          (1) As used in this section, "minor" means a person who is 16 years of age or older, but
             79      younger than 18 years of age, at the time the sexual conduct described in Subsection (2)
             80      occurred.
             81          (2) (a) A person commits unlawful sexual conduct with a minor if, under
             82      circumstances not amounting to an offense listed under Subsection (3), a person who is:
             83          (i) seven or more years older but less than 10 years older than the minor at the time of
             84      the sexual conduct engages in any conduct listed in Subsection (2)(b), and the person knew or
             85      reasonably should have known the age of the minor; H. [ or ] .H
             86          (ii) 10 or more years older than the minor at the time of the sexual conduct and engages
             87      in any conduct listed in Subsection (2)(b) H. ; or
             87a      (iii) or holds a relationship of special trust as an adult teacher, employee, or volunteer, as
             87b      described in Subsection 76-5-404.1(c)(xix) .H .


             88          (b) As used in Subsection (2)(a), "sexual conduct" refers to when the person:
             89          (i) has sexual intercourse with the minor;
             90          (ii) engages in any sexual act with the minor involving the genitals of one person and
             91      the mouth or anus of another person, regardless of the sex of either participant;
             92          (iii) causes the penetration, however slight, of the genital or anal opening of the minor
             93      by any foreign object, substance, instrument, or device, including a part of the human body,
             94      with the intent to cause substantial emotional or bodily pain to any person or with the intent to
             95      arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, regardless of the sex of any participant; or
             96          (iv) touches the anus, buttocks, or any part of the genitals of the minor, or touches the
             97      breast of a female minor, or otherwise takes indecent liberties with the minor, or causes a
             98      minor to take indecent liberties with the actor or another person, with the intent to cause
             99      substantial emotional or bodily pain to any person or with the intent to arouse or gratify the
             100      sexual desire of any person regardless of the sex of any participant.
             101          (3) The offenses referred to in Subsection (2) are:
             102          (a) (i) rape, in violation of Section 76-5-402 ;
             103          (ii) object rape, in violation of Section 76-5-402.2 ;
             104          (iii) forcible sodomy, in violation of Section 76-5-403 ;
             105          (iv) forcible sexual abuse, in violation of Section 76-5-404 ; or
             106          (v) aggravated sexual assault, in violation of Section 76-5-405 ; or
             107          (b) an attempt to commit any offense under Subsection (3)(a).
             108          (4) A violation of Subsection (2)(b)(i), (ii), or (iii) is a third degree felony.
             109          (5) (a) A violation of Subsection (2)(b)(iv) is a class A misdemeanor[.], except under
             110      Subsection (5)(b).
             111          (b) A violation of Subsection (2)(b)(iv) is a third degree felony if the actor at the time
             112      of the commission of the offense:
             113          (i) is 18 years of age or older;
             114          (ii) held a position of special trust as a teacher or a volunteer at a school, as that
             115      position is defined in Subsection 76-5-404.1 (1)(c)(xix); and
             116          (iii) committed the offense against an individual who at the time of the offense was
             117      enrolled as a student at the school where the actor was employed or was acting as a volunteer.
             118          Section 4. Section 76-5-404.1 is amended to read:


             119           76-5-404.1. Sexual abuse of a child -- Aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
             120          (1) As used in this section[, "child" means a person under the age of 14.]:
             121          (a) "Adult" means an individual 18 years of age or older.
             122          (b) "Child" means an individual under the age of 14.
             123          (c) "Position of special trust" means:
             124          (i) an adoptive parent;
             125          (ii) an athletic manager who is an adult;
             126          (iii) an aunt;
             127          (iv) a babysitter;
             128          (v) a coach;
             129          (vi) a cohabitant of a parent if the cohabitant is an adult;
             130          (vii) a counselor;
             131          (viii) a doctor or physician;
             132          (ix) an employer;
             133          (x) a foster parent;
             134          (xi) a grandparent;
             135          (xii) a legal guardian;
             136          (xiii) a natural parent;
             137          (xiv) a recreational leader who is an adult;
             138          (xv) a religious leader;
             139          (xvi) a sibling or a step-sibling who is an adult;
             140          (xvii) a scout leader who is an adult;
             141          (xviii) a stepparent;
             142          (xix) a teacher or any other person employed by or volunteering at a public or private
             143      elementary school or secondary school, and who is 18 years of age or older;
             144          (xx) an uncle;
             145          (xxi) a youth leader who is an adult; or
             146          (xxii) any person in a position of authority, other than those persons listed in
             147      Subsections (1)(c)(i) through (xxi), which enables the person to exercise undue influence over
             148      the child.
             149          (2) A person commits sexual abuse of a child if, under circumstances not amounting to


             150      rape of a child, object rape of a child, sodomy on a child, or an attempt to commit any of these
             151      offenses, the actor touches the anus, buttocks, or genitalia of any child, the breast of a female
             152      child, or otherwise takes indecent liberties with a child, or causes a child to take indecent
             153      liberties with the actor or another with intent to cause substantial emotional or bodily pain to
             154      any person or with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person regardless of
             155      the sex of any participant.
             156          (3) Sexual abuse of a child is [punishable as] a second degree felony.
             157          (4) A person commits aggravated sexual abuse of a child when in conjunction with the
             158      offense described in Subsection (2) any of the following circumstances have been charged and
             159      admitted or found true in the action for the offense:
             160          (a) the offense was committed by the use of a dangerous weapon as defined in Section
             161      76-1-601 , or by force, duress, violence, intimidation, coercion, menace, or threat of harm, or
             162      was committed during the course of a kidnapping;
             163          (b) the accused caused bodily injury or severe psychological injury to the victim during
             164      or as a result of the offense;
             165          (c) the accused was a stranger to the victim or made friends with the victim for the
             166      purpose of committing the offense;
             167          (d) the accused used, showed, or displayed pornography or caused the victim to be
             168      photographed in a lewd condition during the course of the offense;
             169          (e) the accused, prior to sentencing for this offense, was previously convicted of any
             170      felony, or of a misdemeanor involving a sexual offense;
             171          (f) the accused committed the same or similar sexual act upon two or more victims at
             172      the same time or during the same course of conduct;
             173          (g) the accused committed, in Utah or elsewhere, more than five separate acts, which if
             174      committed in Utah would constitute an offense described in this chapter, and were committed
             175      at the same time, or during the same course of conduct, or before or after the instant offense;
             176          (h) the offense was committed by a person who occupied a position of special trust in
             177      relation to the victim; ["position of special trust" means that position occupied by a person in a
             178      position of authority, who, by reason of that position is able to exercise undue influence over
             179      the victim, and includes, but is not limited to, a youth leader or recreational leader who is an
             180      adult, adult athletic manager, adult coach, teacher, counselor, religious leader, doctor,


             181      employer, foster parent, babysitter, adult scout leader, natural parent, stepparent, adoptive
             182      parent, legal guardian, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or adult cohabitant of a parent;]
             183          (i) the accused encouraged, aided, allowed, or benefitted from acts of prostitution or
             184      sexual acts by the victim with any other person, or sexual performance by the victim before any
             185      other person, human trafficking, or human smuggling; or
             186          (j) the accused caused the penetration, however slight, of the genital or anal opening of
             187      the child by any part or parts of the human body other than the genitals or mouth.
             188          (5) Aggravated sexual abuse of a child is a first degree felony punishable by a term of
             189      imprisonment of:
             190          (a) except as provided in Subsection (5)(b), (5)(c), or (6), not less than 15 years and
             191      which may be for life;
             192          (b) except as provided in Subsection (5)(c) or (6), life without parole, if the trier of fact
             193      finds that during the course of the commission of the aggravated sexual abuse of a child the
             194      defendant caused serious bodily injury to another; or
             195          (c) life without parole, if the trier of fact finds that at the time of the commission of the
             196      aggravated sexual abuse of a child, the defendant was previously convicted of a grievous
             197      sexual offense.
             198          (6) If, when imposing a sentence under Subsection (5)(a) or (b), a court finds that a
             199      lesser term than the term described in Subsection (5)(a) or (b) is in the interests of justice and
             200      states the reasons for this finding on the record, the court may impose a term of imprisonment
             201      of not less than:
             202          (a) for purposes of Subsection (5)(b), 15 years and which may be for life; or
             203          (b) for purposes of Subsection (5)(a) or (b):
             204          (i) 10 years and which may be for life; or
             205          (ii) six years and which may be for life.
             206          (7) The provisions of Subsection (6) do not apply when a person is sentenced under
             207      Subsection (5)(c).
             208          (8) Subsections (5)(b) and (5)(c) do not apply if the defendant was younger than 18
             209      years of age at the time of the offense.
             210          (9) Imprisonment under this section is mandatory in accordance with Section 76-3-406 .
             211          Section 5. Section 76-5-406 is amended to read:


             212           76-5-406. Sexual offenses against the victim without consent of victim --
             213      Circumstances.
             214          An act of sexual intercourse, rape, attempted rape, rape of a child, attempted rape of a
             215      child, object rape, attempted object rape, object rape of a child, attempted object rape of a
             216      child, sodomy, attempted sodomy, forcible sodomy, attempted forcible sodomy, sodomy on a
             217      child, attempted sodomy on a child, forcible sexual abuse, attempted forcible sexual abuse,
             218      sexual abuse of a child, attempted sexual abuse of a child, aggravated sexual abuse of a child,
             219      attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a child, or simple sexual abuse is without consent of the
             220      victim under any of the following circumstances:
             221          (1) the victim expresses lack of consent through words or conduct;
             222          (2) the actor overcomes the victim through the actual application of physical force or
             223      violence;
             224          (3) the actor is able to overcome the victim through concealment or by the element of
             225      surprise;
             226          (4) (a) (i) the actor coerces the victim to submit by threatening to retaliate in the
             227      immediate future against the victim or any other person, and the victim perceives at the time
             228      that the actor has the ability to execute this threat; or
             229          (ii) the actor coerces the victim to submit by threatening to retaliate in the future
             230      against the victim or any other person, and the victim believes at the time that the actor has the
             231      ability to execute this threat;
             232          (b) as used in this Subsection (4), "to retaliate" includes threats of physical force,
             233      kidnapping, or extortion;
             234          (5) the victim has not consented and the actor knows the victim is unconscious,
             235      unaware that the act is occurring, or physically unable to resist;
             236          (6) the actor knows that as a result of mental disease or defect, the victim is at the time
             237      of the act incapable either of appraising the nature of the act or of resisting it;
             238          (7) the actor knows that the victim submits or participates because the victim
             239      erroneously believes that the actor is the victim's spouse;
             240          (8) the actor intentionally impaired the power of the victim to appraise or control his or
             241      her conduct by administering any substance without the victim's knowledge;
             242          (9) the victim is younger than 14 years of age;


             243          (10) the victim is younger than 18 years of age and at the time of the offense the actor
             244      was the victim's parent, stepparent, adoptive parent, or legal guardian or occupied a position of
             245      special trust in relation to the victim as defined in [Subsection] Section 76-5-404.1 [(4)(h)];
             246          (11) the victim is 14 years of age or older, but younger than 18 years of age, and the
             247      actor is more than three years older than the victim and entices or coerces the victim to submit
             248      or participate, under circumstances not amounting to the force or threat required under
             249      Subsection (2) or (4); or
             250          (12) the actor is a health professional or religious counselor, as those terms are defined
             251      in this Subsection (12), the act is committed under the guise of providing professional
             252      diagnosis, counseling, or treatment, and at the time of the act the victim reasonably believed
             253      that the act was for medically or professionally appropriate diagnosis, counseling, or treatment
             254      to the extent that resistance by the victim could not reasonably be expected to have been
             255      manifested; for purposes of this Subsection (12):
             256          (a) "health professional" means an individual who is licensed or who holds himself or
             257      herself out to be licensed, or who otherwise provides professional physical or mental health
             258      services, diagnosis, treatment, or counseling including, but not limited to, a physician,
             259      osteopathic physician, nurse, dentist, physical therapist, chiropractor, mental health therapist,
             260      social service worker, clinical social worker, certified social worker, marriage and family
             261      therapist, professional counselor, psychiatrist, psychologist, psychiatric mental health nurse
             262      specialist, or substance abuse counselor; and
             263          (b) "religious counselor" means a minister, priest, rabbi, bishop, or other recognized
             264      member of the clergy.
             265          Section 6. Section 76-5-415 is enacted to read:
             266          76-5-415. Educator's license subject to action for violation of this part.
             267          Commission of any offense under this Title 76, Chapter 5, Part 4, Sexual Offenses, by
             268      an educator as defined in Section 53A-6-103 , is grounds under Section 53A-6-501 for
             269      disciplinary action against the educator, including revocation of the educator's license.


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