Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 116 Fourth Substitute (2020GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Romero, A.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/28/2020

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• creates the task force; and
• specifies duties of the task force.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

MURDERED AND MISSING INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND
GIRLS TASK FORCE
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Angela Romero
Senate Sponsor: 
David P. Hinkins
Cosponsors:
Patrice M. Arent
Joel K. Briscoe
Jennifer Dailey-Provost
Suzanne Harrison
Sandra Hollins
Brian S. King
Karen Kwan
Phil Lyman
Carol Spackman Moss
Stephanie Pitcher
Marie H. Poulson
Douglas V. Sagers
Rex P. Shipp
Andrew Stoddard
Keven J. Stratton
Elizabeth Weight
Mark A. Wheatley
Mike Winder
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill creates the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ creates the task force; and
▸ specifies duties of the task force.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2021:
▸ to the Legislature - Senate as a one-time appropriation:
• from the General Fund, $3,200;
▸ to the Legislature - House of Representatives as a one-time appropriation:
• from the General Fund, $3,200;
▸ to the Legislature - Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel as a
one-time appropriation:
• from the General Fund, $2,800.
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a repeal date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
ENACTS:
36-29-107
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
36-29-107
 is enacted to read:
 36-29-107.
 Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force --
Creation -- Membership -- Quorum -- Compensation -- Staff -- Vacancies -- Duties --
Interim Report.
(1) As used in this section, "task force" means the Murdered and Missing Indigenous
Women and Girls Task Force created in Subsection (2).
(2) There is created a Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force
consisting of the following nine members:
(a) one member of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate;
(b) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the House
of Representatives;
(c) the following three members, appointed jointly by the president of the Senate and
the speaker of the House of Representatives:
(i) a member of a nonprofit organization primarily serving Utah's Native American
community;
(ii) a representative of a Utah Native American tribe; and
(iii) a representative of a victim advocate organization serving Utah's Native American
population;
(d) the director of the Division of Indian Affairs, or the director's designee;
(e) the executive director of the Department of Human Services, or the executive
director's designee;
(f) the attorney general, or the attorney general's designee; and
(g) the commissioner of public safety for the Department of Public Safety, or the
commissioner's designee.
(3) A vacancy in a position appointed under Subsection (2)(a), (b), or (c) shall be filled
by appointing a replacement member in the same manner as the member creating the vacancy
was appointed under Subsection (2)(a), (b), or (c).
(4) (a) The senator appointed under Subsection (2)(a) is a cochair of the task force.
(b) The member of the House of Representatives appointed under Subsection (2)(b) is
a cochair of the task force.
(5) (a) A quorum consists of five members.
(b) The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes an action of the task force.
(6) (a) Salaries and expenses of the members of the task force who are legislators shall
be paid in accordance with Section 
36-2-2
 and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5, Chapter 3,
Legislator Compensation.
(b) A member of the task force who is not a legislator:
(i) may not receive compensation or benefits for the member's service associated with
the task force; and
(ii) may receive per diem and travel expenses incurred as a member of the task force at
the rates established by the Division of Finance in accordance with Sections 
63A-3-106
 and
63A-3-107
 and rules made by the Division of Finance pursuant to Sections 
63A-3-106
 and
63A-3-107
.
(7) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support
to the task force.
(8) The task force shall:
(a) conduct appropriate consultations with tribal governments on the scope and nature
of the issues regarding missing and murdered indigenous women and girls;
(b) develop model protocols and procedures to apply to new and unsolved cases of
missing or murdered indigenous women and girls, including the best practices for:
(i) improving the way law enforcement investigators and prosecutors respond to the
high volume of the cases, and to the investigative challenges that might be presented in cases
involving female victims;
(ii) collecting and sharing data among various jurisdictions and law enforcement
agencies; and
(iii) better use of existing criminal databases;
(c) seek input from multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional persons, including
representatives from tribal law enforcement and federal agencies, about how to review cold
cases involving missing and murdered indigenous women and girls; and
(d) address the need for greater clarity concerning roles, authorities, and jurisdiction
throughout the lifecycle of cases involving missing and murdered indigenous women and girls
by discussing:
(i) best practices in cases involving missing and murdered indigenous women and girls,
including best practices related to communication with affected families from initiation of an
investigation through case resolution or closure; and
(ii) education and outreach campaigns for communities that are most affected by crime
resulting in missing and murdered indigenous women and girls to identify and reduce the
crime.
(9) (a) On or before November 30, 2020, the task force shall provide a report to the
Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee.
(b) The report shall include a summary of the task force's findings under Subsection (8)
and recommendations for improvements in the criminal justice and social service systems for
preventing and addressing crimes involving missing and murdered indigenous women and girls
in Utah.
Section 2. 
Appropriation.
The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
2020, and ending June 30, 2021. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
fiscal year 2021. Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures
Act, the Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts
indicated for the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
ITEM 1
To Legislature - Senate
From General Fund, One-time
$3,200
Schedule of Programs:
Administration
$3,200
ITEM 2
To Legislature - House of Representatives
From General Fund, One-time
$3,200
Schedule of Programs:
Administration
$3,200
ITEM 3
To Legislature - Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel
From General Fund, One-time
$2,800
Schedule of Programs:
Administration
$2,800
The Legislature intends that an appropriation provided under these items be used for
expenses relating to the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force as
described in Section 
36-29-107
.
Section 3. 
Repeal date.
Section 
36-29-107
 is repealed on November 30, 2020.