The 2006 general session began on January 16th and will commence on March 1st. Below is a summary of bills that are currently under review in the legislature and UCASA's positions on these bills. Information in this section will be updated during Utah’s legislative session and a summary will be provided at the end of the session. If you have questions about these issues, or other issues not included, please feel free to contact UCASA. We welcome your input, ideas and involvement. To find out who your representatives are and review information on the 2006 general session, please visit the :Utah State Legislature.

Some of this year's key policy issues deal with the extremely complicated issues surrounding the management of convicted sex offenders. UCASA takes a neutral position on several of these bills due to concerns about the unintended consequences of tracking and the lack of evidence that re-offending can be reduced in any way through the sex offender registry. UCASA supports legislation that identifies and holds offenders accountable, establishes and/or maintains funding for victim services and prevention, expands the rights of victims to have access to information, advocacy, crisis intervention, treatment, education and prevention services. UCASA supports legislation that enhances and/or maintains the rights of a victim to make choices about reporting, prosecution, pregnancy, future safety, and other issues raised by the experience.

• HB 10 Domestic Violence and Dating Violence Amendments This bill provides for the issuance, modification, and enforcement of protective orders between individuals who are, or have been, in a dating relationship, and for the provision of services to victims of dating violence.
Position: Support :bill text and status

• HB 30 Emancipation of a Minor This bill creates a procedure by which a minor 16 years of age or older may petition the juvenile court for a declaration of emancipation.
Position: Support :bill text and status

• HB 56 Sex Offender Registration Amendments This bill requires the registration of a sex offender who is committed to the Division of Juvenile Justice Services for secure confinement and who remains in the division's custody 30 days prior to the offender's 21st birthday.
Position: Neutral :bill text and status

• HB 61 Criminal Penalty for Animal Cruelty This bill provides that torture of an animal is a felony. Position: Support :bill text and status

• HB 85 Abortion by a Minor - Parental Notification and Consent This bill requires parental consent and notification for abortions performed upon minors.
Position: Oppose :bill text and status

• HB 90 Criminal Penalties Amendment This bill modifies the Criminal Code regarding crimes motivated by bias, by providing that courts and the Board of Pardons and Parole consider if the offender's act against a victim includes specified aggravating factors that pose harm to the community.
Position: Support :bill text and status

• HB 102 Sentencing for First Degree Felony Murder This bill, known as "Lori's Law", provides that the minimum prison term for first degree murder is 15 years, and establishes a defendant's "position of trust" as an aggravating factor in sentencing murder offenses.
Position: Support :bill text and status

• HB 158 Sex Offender Amendments This bill amends provisions related to sex offenders and provides that a driver license or identification card expires on the birth date of the applicant in the first year following the date that the driver license or identification card was issued if the person is required to register as a sex offender.
Position: Neutral :bill text and status

• HB 161 Sexual Offenses Against Children This bill increases the sentencing of repeat sexual offenders.
Position: Support :bill text and status

• HB 170 Prosecution and Prevention of Child Pornography Offenses Amendment This bill appropriates certain ongoing General Fund monies to fund prosecution, prevention, and treatment of individuals involved in child pornography crimes and other pornography crimes.
Position: Support :bill text and status

• HB 208 Aggravated Murder Amendment This bill clarifies that a murder becomes the offense of aggravated murder if committed incident to an act, conduct, or criminal episode during which the defendant also committed another specified crime, such as robbery, arson, or a sexual offense.
Position: Support :bill text and status

• HB 212 DNA Database Amendments This bill requires that all persons convicted of a class A misdemeanor provide a DNA specimen, rather than only those persons convicted of class A misdemeanor attempted burglary or sexual abuse of a minor.
Position: Support :bill text and status

• HB 318 Sex Offender Registration Revisions This bill requires a sex offender from outside Utah to register within 12 hours of entering Utah, regardless of his length of stay; requires a sex offender who is moving to register a change of address ten days before moving; extends the registration requirements for certain offenses from ten years to lifetime; extends notification requirements to offenders working in all educational institutions; increases the penalty for failure to register from a misdemeanor to a third degree felony and requires mandatory incarceration; and requires the state to maintain the registry on the Internet and index it by surname and postal codes.
Position: Neutral :bill text and status

• HB 379 Amendments to Sexually Explicit Business and Escort Service Fund This bill reduces, from 60% to 50%, the percentage of the monies from the Sexually Explicit Business and Escort Service Fund that are used by the Department of Corrections and provides that 10% of the monies from the Sexually Explicit Business and Escort Service Fund shall be used to develop, implement, and maintain a statewide strategy to address sexual violence issues in the state.
Position: Support :bill text and status

• SB 7 Child Protection Amendments This bill describes the circumstances and procedures under which a child may be taken into protective custody and provides an expedited hearing process to determine whether a child should be taken into protective custody.
Position: Support :bill text and status

• SB 106 Uniform Interstate Enforcement of Protection Orders Act This bill requires that protective orders, and child protective orders, contain a statement that the order complies with the Uniform Interstate Enforcement of Domestic Violence Protection Orders Act.
Position: Support :bill text and status

• SB 167 Juvenile Offenses - Diversion Amendment This bill provides that in specified situations involving sexual activity between two persons younger than 16, the court may use the sentencing option of diversion.
Position: Support :bill text and status