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• H.B. 298

H.B. 298 Victim Advocate Confidentiality Amendments

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• Hearings/Debate

Bill Sponsor: Rep. McKell, Michael K.

Floor Sponsor: Sen. Bramble, Curtis S.

• Substitute Sponsor: Rep. McKell, Michael K.

• Drafting Attorney: Patricia Owen
• Fiscal Analyst: Gary R. Syphus

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• Bill Text
  • Introduced
  • Amended
    • Amended Pages Only
  • Enrolled (Currently Displayed)

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• Other Versions
  • H.B. 298
    Substitute Sponsor:
    

    • Introduced
    • Fiscal Note
    • House Transmittal Letter 1
    • House Transmittal Letter 2
    • Senate Transmittal Letter 1
    • Senate Transmittal Letter 2
    • Agency Perf Note

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• Related Documents
  • Fiscal Note
  • House Floor Amendment 1
  • Senate Floor Amendment 2(passed)
  • HB0298 comparison
  • Agency Perf Note

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• Information
  • Last Action: 19 Mar 2018, Governor Signed
  • Last Location: Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
  • Effective Date: 8 May 2018
  • Session Law Chapter: 226

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• Similar Bills
  • Legislature
  • Task Force / Committees
  • Judicial Operations
  • Victims

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Enrolled

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H.B. 298

1     VICTIM ADVOCATE CONFIDENTIALITY AMENDMENTS
2     2018 GENERAL SESSION
3     STATE OF UTAH
4     Chief Sponsor: Michael K. McKell
5     Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble
6     

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7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill creates a task force.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     creates the Victim Advocate Confidentiality Task Force, including:
13               •     addressing membership;
14               •     providing quorum requirements;
15               •     addressing compensation; and
16               •     outlining task force duties.
17     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18          None
19     Other Special Clauses:
20          This bill provides a repeal date.
21     Utah Code Sections Affected:
22     ENACTS:
23          36-29-103, Utah Code Annotated 1953
24     

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25     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26          Section 1. Section 36-29-103 is enacted to read:
27          36-29-103. Victim Advocate Confidentiality Task Force.
28          (1) There is created a task force known as the "Victim Advocate Confidentiality Task
29     Force."

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30          (2) The task force shall consist of the following members:
31          (a) two members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate, no more than
32     one of whom may be from the same political party;
33          (b) three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the
34     House of Representatives, no more than two of whom may be from the same political party;
35          (c) the executive director of the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice or
36     the executive director's designee;
37          (d) the state court administrator or the state court administrator's designee;
38          (e) the director of the Utah Office for Victims of Crime or the director's designee; and
39          (f) the attorney general or the attorney general's designee.
40          (3) (a) The president of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate appointed
41     under Subsection (2)(a) as a cochair of the task force.
42          (b) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House
43     of Representatives appointed under Subsection (2)(b) as a cochair of the task force.
44          (4) (a) A majority of the members of the task force constitutes a quorum.
45          (b) The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes an action of the task force.
46          (5) (a) Salaries and expenses of the members of the task force who are legislators shall
47     be paid in accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5, Legislative
48     Compensation and Expenses.
49          (b) A member of the task force who is not a legislator:
50          (i) may not receive compensation for the member's work associated with the task force;
51     and
52          (ii) may receive per diem and reimbursement for travel expenses incurred as a member
53     of the task force at the rates established by the Division of Finance under Sections 63A-3-106
54     and 63A-3-107 and rules made by the Division of Finance pursuant to Sections 63A-3-106 and
55     63A-3-107.
56          (6) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support
57     to the task force.

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58          (7) The task force shall study when and how communication or information provided
59     to an individual who advocates for victims should be kept confidential, including:
60          (a) defining relevant terms such as "victim advocate" and what qualifications a victim
61     advocate should have to have any confidentiality protections;
62          (b) what types of communication or information, if any, should be kept confidential;
63          (c) how to address issues such as:
64          (i) a victim advocate knowing that the victim will give or has given perjured testimony;
65          (ii) the communication or information containing exculpatory or inculpatory evidence;
66     and
67          (iii) duties to disclose suspected cases of child abuse or neglect;
68          (d) whether the confidentiality requirements should be enacted by statute or court rules
69     of procedure and evidence; and
70          (e) any other issue related to this Subsection (7).
71          (8) On or before the November 2018 Interim the task force shall report to the Judiciary
72     Interim Committee, including presenting proposed legislation, if any.
73          Section 2. Repeal date.
74          Section 36-29-103 is repealed on November 30, 2018.