H.B. 21 Stalking Amendments

Floor Sponsor:

Sen. Fillmore, Lincoln
  • Drafting Attorney: Jackie Rogers
  • Fiscal Analyst: Gary R. Syphus
  • Bill Tracking
  • Information
    • Last Action: 5 Mar 2021, House/ filed
    • Last Location: House file for bills not passed
    • Committee Note: The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee recommended this bill. (15-0-1)
      The Criminal Code Evaluation Task Force recommended this bill. (6-0-0)

H.B. 21

This document includes House Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Thu, Jan 28, 2021 at 9:47 AM by pflowers.
1     
STALKING AMENDMENTS

2     
2021 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Candice B. Pierucci

5     
Senate Sponsor: Lincoln Fillmore

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     Committee Note:
9          The Criminal Code Evaluation Task Force recommended this bill.
10               Membership:     6 legislators     9 non-legislators
11               Total Vote:     14 voting for     0 voting against     1 absent
12               Legislative Vote:     6 voting for     0 voting against     0 absent
13          The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee recommended this bill.
14               Legislative Vote:     15 voting for     0 voting against     1 absent
15     General Description:
16          This bill modifies the elements for the offense of stalking.
17     Highlighted Provisions:
18          This bill:
19          ▸     changes the definition of "course of conduct" required for the offense of stalking
19a     by Ĥ→ [:
20               •     increasing the number of acts necessary to constitute a course of conduct; and
21               •] ←Ĥ      requiring that the acts constituting the course of conduct evidence a continuity
22     of purpose.
23     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
24          None
25     Other Special Clauses:
26          None
27     Utah Code Sections Affected:
28     AMENDS:
29          76-5-106.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 142
30     

31     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
32          Section 1. Section 76-5-106.5 is amended to read:
33          76-5-106.5. Stalking -- Definitions -- Injunction -- Penalties -- Duties of law
34     enforcement officer.
35          (1) As used in this section:
36          (a) "Course of conduct" means [two] Ĥ→ [three] two ←Ĥ or more acts directed at or
36a     toward a specific
37     person evidencing a continuity of purpose, including:
38          (i) acts in which the actor follows, monitors, observes, photographs, surveils, threatens,
39     or communicates to or about a person, or interferes with a person's property:
40          (A) directly, indirectly, or through any third party; and
41          (B) by any action, method, device, or means; or
42          (ii) when the actor engages in any of the following acts or causes someone else to
43     engage in any of these acts:
44          (A) approaches or confronts a person;
45          (B) appears at the person's workplace or contacts the person's employer or coworkers;
46          (C) appears at a person's residence or contacts a person's neighbors, or enters property
47     owned, leased, or occupied by a person;
48          (D) sends material by any means to the person or for the purpose of obtaining or
49     disseminating information about or communicating with the person to a member of the person's
50     family or household, employer, coworker, friend, or associate of the person;
51          (E) places an object on or delivers an object to property owned, leased, or occupied by
52     a person, or to the person's place of employment with the intent that the object be delivered to
53     the person; or
54          (F) uses a computer, the Internet, text messaging, or any other electronic means to
55     commit an act that is a part of the course of conduct.
56          (b) "Emotional distress" means significant mental or psychological suffering, whether
57     or not medical or other professional treatment or counseling is required.
58          (c) "Immediate family" means a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or any other person who
59     regularly resides in the household or who regularly resided in the household within the prior six
60     months.
61          (d) "Reasonable person" means a reasonable person in the victim's circumstances.
62          (e) "Stalking" means an offense as described in Subsection (2) or (3).
63          (f) "Text messaging" means a communication in the form of electronic text or one or
64     more electronic images sent by the actor from a telephone or computer to another person's
65     telephone or computer by addressing the communication to the recipient's telephone number.
66          (2) A person is guilty of stalking who intentionally or knowingly engages in a course of
67     conduct directed at a specific person and knows or should know that the course of conduct
68     would cause a reasonable person:
69          (a) to fear for the person's own safety or the safety of a third person; or
70          (b) to suffer other emotional distress.
71          (3) A person is guilty of stalking who intentionally or knowingly violates:
72          (a) a stalking injunction issued under Title 78B, Chapter 7, Part 7, Civil Stalking
73     Injunctions; or
74          (b) a permanent criminal stalking injunction issued under Title 78B, Chapter 7, Part 9,
75     Criminal Stalking Injunctions.
76          (4) In any prosecution under this section, it is not a defense that the actor:
77          (a) was not given actual notice that the course of conduct was unwanted; or
78          (b) did not intend to cause the victim fear or other emotional distress.
79          (5) An offense of stalking may be prosecuted under this section in any jurisdiction
80     where one or more of the acts that is part of the course of conduct was initiated or caused an
81     effect on the victim.
82          (6) Stalking is a class A misdemeanor:
83          (a) upon the offender's first violation of Subsection (2); or
84          (b) if the offender violated a stalking injunction issued under Title 78B, Chapter 7, Part
85     7, Civil Stalking Injunctions.
86          (7) Stalking is a third degree felony if the offender:
87          (a) has been previously convicted of an offense of stalking;
88          (b) has been previously convicted in another jurisdiction of an offense that is
89     substantially similar to the offense of stalking;
90          (c) has been previously convicted of any felony offense in Utah or of any crime in
91     another jurisdiction which if committed in Utah would be a felony, in which the victim of the
92     stalking offense or a member of the victim's immediate family was also a victim of the
93     previous felony offense;
94          (d) violated a permanent criminal stalking injunction issued under Title 78B, Chapter
95     7, Part 9, Criminal Stalking Injunctions; or
96          (e) has been or is at the time of the offense a cohabitant, as defined in Section
97     78B-7-102, of the victim.
98          (8) Stalking is a second degree felony if the offender:
99          (a) used a dangerous weapon as defined in Section 76-1-601 or used other means or
100     force likely to produce death or serious bodily injury, in the commission of the crime of
101     stalking;
102          (b) has been previously convicted two or more times of the offense of stalking;
103          (c) has been convicted two or more times in another jurisdiction or jurisdictions of
104     offenses that are substantially similar to the offense of stalking;
105          (d) has been convicted two or more times, in any combination, of offenses under
106     Subsection (7)(a), (b), or (c);
107          (e) has been previously convicted two or more times of felony offenses in Utah or of
108     crimes in another jurisdiction or jurisdictions which, if committed in Utah, would be felonies,
109     in which the victim of the stalking was also a victim of the previous felony offenses; or
110          (f) has been previously convicted of an offense under Subsection (7)(d) or (e).
111          (9) (a) A permanent criminal stalking injunction limiting the contact between the
112     defendant and victim may be filed in accordance with Section 78B-7-902.
113          (b) This section does not preclude the filing of criminal information for stalking based
114     on the same act which is the basis for the violation of the stalking injunction issued under Title
115     78B, Chapter 7, Part 7, Civil Stalking Injunctions, or a permanent criminal stalking injunction
116     issued under Title 78B, Chapter 7, Part 9, Criminal Stalking Injunctions.
117          (10) (a) A law enforcement officer who responds to an allegation of stalking shall use
118     all reasonable means to protect the victim and prevent further violence, including:
119          (i) taking action that, in the officer's discretion, is reasonably necessary to provide for
120     the safety of the victim and any family or household member;
121          (ii) confiscating the weapon or weapons involved in the alleged stalking;
122          (iii) making arrangements for the victim and any child to obtain emergency housing or
123     shelter;
124          (iv) providing protection while the victim removes essential personal effects;
125          (v) arranging, facilitating, or providing for the victim and any child to obtain medical
126     treatment; and
127          (vi) arranging, facilitating, or providing the victim with immediate and adequate notice
128     of the rights of victims and of the remedies and services available to victims of stalking, in
129     accordance with Subsection (10)(b).
130          (b) (i) A law enforcement officer shall give written notice to the victim in simple
131     language, describing the rights and remedies available under this section and Title 78B,
132     Chapter 7, Part 7, Civil Stalking Injunctions.
133          (ii) The written notice shall also include:
134          (A) a statement that the forms needed in order to obtain a stalking injunction are
135     available from the court clerk's office in the judicial district where the victim resides or is
136     temporarily domiciled; and
137          (B) a list of shelters, services, and resources available in the appropriate community,
138     together with telephone numbers, to assist the victim in accessing any needed assistance.
139          (c) If a weapon is confiscated under this Subsection (10), the law enforcement agency
140     shall return the weapon to the individual from whom the weapon is confiscated if a stalking
141     injunction is not issued or once the stalking injunction is terminated.
Bill Status / Votes
• Senate Actions • House Actions • Fiscal Actions • Other Actions
DateActionLocationVote
12/15/2020 Bill Numbered but not DistributedLegislative Research and General Counsel
12/15/2020 Numbered Bill Publicly DistributedLegislative Research and General Counsel
12/15/2020 LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal inputLegislative Research and General Counsel
12/15/2020 LFA/ fiscal note publicly availableLegislative Research and General Counsel
1/6/2021 House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchClerk of the House
1/6/2021 House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystClerk of the House
1/19/2021 House/ 1st reading (Introduced)House Rules Committee
1/19/2021 House/ to standing committeeHouse Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
1/27/2021 House Comm - Amendment Recommendation # 1House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee10 0 1
1/27/2021 House Comm - Favorable RecommendationHouse Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee10 0 1
1/28/2021 (11:11:52 AM)House/ comm rpt/ amendedHouse Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
1/28/2021 (11:11:53 AM)House/ 2nd readingHouse 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
2/3/2021 (3:08:06 PM)House/ 3rd readingHouse 3rd Reading Calendar for House bills
2/3/2021 (3:08:38 PM)House/ circledHouse 3rd Reading Calendar for House billsVoice vote
2/19/2021 House/ 3rd Reading Calendar to RulesHouse Rules Committee
3/5/2021 House/ strike enacting clauseClerk of the House
3/5/2021 House/ filedHouse file for bills not passed