H.B. 82

             1     

RETAIL THEFT LOSS PREVENTION OFFICERS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Mark A. Wheatley

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies the Criminal Code regarding enforcement of shoplifting laws.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    allows a law enforcement agency to appoint volunteers to issue citations for
             13      shoplifting and for use of theft detection shielding devices;
             14          .    requires that the law enforcement agency provide a training program and that the
             15      volunteer complete the program; and
             16          .    allows a retail establishment merchant to detain an individual suspected of
             17      shoplifting in order to inform a volunteer authorized to issue a citation.
             18      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             19          None
             20      Other Special Clauses:
             21          None
             22      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             23      AMENDS:
             24           76-6-603 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 306
             25           77-7-18 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 322
             26           77-7-20 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 65
             27      ENACTS:


             28           76-6-602.5 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             29     
             30      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             31          Section 1. Section 76-6-602.5 is enacted to read:
             32          76-6-602.5. Citations issued by volunteers -- Requirements.
             33          (1) Any law enforcement agency in this state may appoint volunteers to issue citations
             34      for violations of:
             35          (a) the provisions of Section 76-6-602 , regarding retail theft; and
             36          (b) the provisions of Section 76-6-608 , regarding theft detection shielding devices.
             37          (2) A volunteer appointed under this section shall be at least 21 years of age.
             38          (3) The law enforcement agency appointing a volunteer:
             39          (a) shall establish a training program regarding issuing of citations under this section;
             40      and
             41          (b) may establish additional volunteer qualifications that the agency finds reasonable
             42      and necessary.
             43          (4) A volunteer may not issue citations under this section until the volunteer has
             44      satisfactorily completed the training program established under Subsection (3)(a) and is
             45      appointed under this section.
             46          (5) A citation issued by a volunteer under this section has the same effect as a citation
             47      issued by a peace officer for the same offense.
             48          Section 2. Section 76-6-603 is amended to read:
             49           76-6-603. Detention of suspected violator by merchant -- Purposes.
             50          (1) Any merchant who has probable cause to believe that [a person] an individual has
             51      committed retail theft may detain [such person] the individual, on or off the premises of a retail
             52      mercantile establishment, in a reasonable manner and for a reasonable length of time [for all or
             53      any of the following purposes] to:
             54          (a) [to] make reasonable inquiry as to whether [such person has in his possession] the
             55      individual has possession of any unpurchased merchandise and to make reasonable
             56      investigation of the ownership of [such] the merchandise;
             57          (b) [to] request identification;
             58          (c) [to verify such] determine the validity of the identification;


             59          (d) [to] make a reasonable request of [such person] the individual to place or keep in
             60      full view any merchandise [such] the individual may have removed, or which the merchant has
             61      reason to believe [he] the individual may have removed, from its place of display or elsewhere,
             62      whether for examination, purchase, or for any other reasonable purpose;
             63          (e) [to] inform a peace officer of the detention of the person and surrender that person
             64      to the custody of a peace officer;
             65          (f) inform a volunteer authorized to issue a citation under Section 76-6-602.5 ; or
             66          [(f)] (g) in the case of a minor, [to] inform a peace officer, the parents, guardian, or
             67      other private person interested in the welfare of that minor immediately, if possible, of this
             68      detention and to surrender custody of [such] the minor to [such] the person.
             69          (2) A merchant may make a detention [as permitted herein] under this section while off
             70      the premises of a retail mercantile establishment only if [such] the detention is pursuant to an
             71      immediate pursuit of [such] the person.
             72          Section 3. Section 77-7-18 is amended to read:
             73           77-7-18. Citation on misdemeanor or infraction charge.
             74          Any person subject to arrest or prosecution on a misdemeanor or infraction charge may
             75      be issued and delivered a citation that requires the person to appear at the court of the
             76      magistrate with territorial jurisdiction. The citation may be issued by:
             77          (1) a peace officer, in lieu of or in addition to taking the person into custody;
             78          (2) any public official of any county or municipality charged with the enforcement of
             79      the law;
             80          (3) a port-of-entry agent as defined in Section 72-1-102 ;
             81          (4) an animal control officer of a special service district under Title 17D, Chapter 1,
             82      Special Service District Act, who is authorized to provide animal control service; [and]
             83          (5) a volunteer authorized to issue a citation under Section 41-6a-213 [.]; and
             84          (6) a volunteer authorized to issue a citation under Section 76-6-602.5 .
             85          Section 4. Section 77-7-20 is amended to read:
             86           77-7-20. Service of citation on defendant -- Filing in court -- Electronic filing --
             87      Contents of citations.
             88          (1) A peace officer [or], public official, or other authorized person who issues a
             89      citation pursuant to Section 77-7-18 shall give the citation to the person cited and shall within


             90      five days electronically file the data from Subsections (2)(a) through (2)(g) with the court
             91      specified in the citation. The data transmission shall use the court's electronic filing interface.
             92      A nonconforming filing is not effective.
             93          (2) The citation issued under authority of this chapter shall contain the following data:
             94          (a) the name of the court before which the person is to appear;
             95          (b) the name of the person cited;
             96          (c) a brief description of the offense charged;
             97          (d) the date, time, and place at which the offense is alleged to have occurred;
             98          (e) the date on which the citation was issued;
             99          (f) the name of the peace officer or public official who issued the citation, and the
             100      name of the arresting person if an arrest was made by a private party and the citation was
             101      issued in lieu of taking the arrested person before a magistrate;
             102          (g) the time and date on or before and after which the person is to appear or a statement
             103      that the court will notify the person of the time to appear;
             104          (h) the address of the court in which the person is to appear; and
             105          (i) a notice containing substantially the following language:
             106     
READ CAREFULLY

             107          This citation is not an information and will not be used as an information without your
             108      consent. If an information is filed you will be provided a copy by the court. You MUST
             109      appear in court on or before the time set in this citation or as directed by the court. IF YOU
             110      FAIL TO APPEAR, THE COURT MAY ISSUE A WARRANT FOR YOUR ARREST.
             111          (3) By electronically filing the data with the court, the peace officer or public official
             112      certifies to the court that:
             113          (a) the citation or information, including the summons and complaint, was served upon
             114      the defendant in accordance with the law;
             115          (b) the defendant committed the offense set forth in the served documents; and
             116          (c) the court to which the defendant was directed to appear is the proper court pursuant
             117      to Section 77-7-21 .





Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-15-14 11:20 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


[Bill Documents][Bills Directory]