Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 81 (2018GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Okerlund, R.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/15/2018

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• requires the attorney general to establish a Children's Justice Center, satellite office, or multidisciplinary team in Juab County; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

CHILDREN'S JUSTICE CENTER PROGRAM
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Ralph Okerlund
House Sponsor: 
Derrin R. Owens
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill requires the attorney general to establish a Children's Justice Center, satellite
office, or multidisciplinary team in Juab County.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ requires the attorney general to establish a Children's Justice Center, satellite office,
or multidisciplinary team in Juab County; and
▸ makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
67-5b-102
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2016, Chapter 290
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
67-5b-102
 is amended to read:
67-5b-102.
Children's Justice Center -- Requirements of center -- Purposes of
center.
(1) (a) There is established [
a program, known as
] the Children's Justice Center
Program[
, that provides
] 
to provide
 a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, intergovernmental
response to child abuse victims in a facility known as a Children's Justice Center.
(b) The attorney general shall administer the program.
(c) The attorney general shall:
(i) allocate the funds appropriated by a line item pursuant to Section 
67-5b-103
;
(ii) administer applications for state and federal grants and subgrants;
(iii) staff the Advisory Board on Children's Justice;
(iv) assist in the development of new centers;
(v) coordinate services between centers;
(vi) contract with counties and other entities for the provision of services;
(vii) provide training, technical assistance, and evaluation to centers; and
(viii) provide other services to comply with established minimum practice standards as
required to maintain the state's and centers' eligibility for grants and subgrants.
(2) (a) The attorney general shall establish Children's Justice Centers, satellite offices,
or multidisciplinary teams in Beaver County, Box Elder County, Cache County, Carbon
County, Davis County, Duchesne County, Emery County, Grand County, Iron County, 
Juab
County,
 Kane County, Salt Lake County, San Juan County, Sanpete County, Sevier County,
Summit County, Tooele County, Uintah County, Utah County, Wasatch County, Washington
County, and Weber County.
(b) The attorney general may establish other centers, satellites, or multidisciplinary
teams within a county and in other counties of the state.
(3) The attorney general and each center shall:
(a) coordinate the activities of the public agencies involved in the investigation and
prosecution of child abuse cases and the delivery of services to child abuse victims and child
abuse victims' families;
(b) provide a neutral, child-friendly program, where interviews are conducted and
services are provided to facilitate the effective and appropriate disposition of child abuse cases
in juvenile, civil, and criminal court proceedings;
(c) facilitate a process for interviews of child abuse victims to be conducted in a
professional and neutral manner;
(d) obtain reliable and admissible information that can be used effectively in child
abuse cases in the state;
(e) maintain a multidisciplinary team that includes representatives of public agencies
involved in the investigation and prosecution of child abuse cases and in the delivery of
services to child abuse victims and child abuse victims' families;
(f) hold regularly scheduled case reviews with the multidisciplinary team;
(g) coordinate and track:
(i) investigation of the alleged offense; and
(ii) preparation of prosecution;
(h) maintain a working protocol that addresses the center's procedures for conducting
forensic interviews and case reviews, and for ensuring a child abuse victim's access to medical
and mental health services;
(i) maintain a system to track the status of cases and the provision of services to child
abuse victims and child abuse victims' families;
(j) provide training for professionals involved in the investigation and prosecution of
child abuse cases and in the provision of related treatment and services;
(k) enhance community understanding of child abuse cases; and
(l) provide as many services as possible that are required for the thorough and effective
investigation of child abuse cases.
(4) To assist a center in fulfilling the requirements and statewide purposes as provided
in Subsection (3), each center may obtain access to any relevant juvenile court legal records
and adult court legal records, unless sealed by the court.