Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 137 First Substitute (2020GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Watkins, C.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/28/2020

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• under certain circumstances, prohibits the Office of Licensing from denying a license based on certain criminal convictions that are older than 10 years;
• modifies the time frame within which the Office of Licensing is required to notify the Bureau of Criminal Identification of the status of a license;
• modifies the circumstances under which the Office of Licensing is required to conduct a comprehensive review of an applicant's background check; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

CHILD PLACEMENT BACKGROUND CHECK LIMITS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Christine F. Watkins
Senate Sponsor: 
Wayne A. Harper
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill modifies provisions relating to background checks performed and licenses
issued by the Office of Licensing within the Department of Human Services.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ under certain circumstances, prohibits the Office of Licensing from denying a
license based on certain criminal convictions that are older than 10 years;
▸ modifies the time frame within which the Office of Licensing is required to notify
the Bureau of Criminal Identification of the status of a license;
▸ modifies the circumstances under which the Office of Licensing is required to
conduct a comprehensive review of an applicant's background check; and
▸ makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
62A-2-120
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 335
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
62A-2-120
 is amended to read:
62A-2-120.
Background check -- Direct access to children or vulnerable adults.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) (i) "Applicant" means:
(A) the same as that term is defined in Section 
62A-2-101
;
(B) an individual who is associated with a licensee and has or will likely have direct
access to a child or a vulnerable adult;
(C) an individual who provides respite care to a foster parent or an adoptive parent on
more than one occasion;
(D) a department contractor;
(E) a guardian submitting an application on behalf of an individual, other than the child
or vulnerable adult who is receiving the service, if the individual is 12 years of age or older and
resides in a home, that is licensed or certified by the office, with the child or vulnerable adult
who is receiving services; or
(F) a guardian submitting an application on behalf of an individual, other than the child
or vulnerable adult who is receiving the service, if the individual is 12 years of age or older and
is a person described in Subsection (1)(a)(i)(A), (B), (C), or (D).
(ii) "Applicant" does not mean an individual, including an adult, who is in the custody
of the Division of Child and Family Services or the Division of Juvenile Justice Services.
(b) "Application" means a background screening application to the office.
(c) "Bureau" means the Bureau of Criminal Identification within the Department of
Public Safety, created in Section 
53-10-201
.
(d) "Incidental care" means occasional care, not in excess of five hours per week and
never overnight, for a foster child. 
(e) "Personal identifying information" means:
(i) current name, former names, nicknames, and aliases;
(ii) date of birth;
(iii) physical address and email address;
(iv) telephone number;
(v) driver license or other government-issued identification;
(vi) social security number;
(vii) only for applicants who are 18 years of age or older, fingerprints, in a form
specified by the office; and
(viii) other information specified by the office by rule made in accordance with Title
63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
(2) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (13), an applicant shall submit the following
to the office:
(i) personal identifying information;
(ii) a fee established by the office under Section 
63J-1-504
; and
(iii) a form, specified by the office, for consent for:
(A) an initial background check upon submission of the information described under
this Subsection (2)(a);
(B) a background check at the applicant's annual renewal;
(C) a background check when the office determines that reasonable cause exists; and
(D) retention of personal identifying information, including fingerprints, for
monitoring and notification as described in Subsections (3)(d) and (4).
(b) In addition to the requirements described in Subsection (2)(a), if an applicant spent
time outside of the United States and its territories during the five years immediately preceding
the day on which the information described in Subsection (2)(a) is submitted to the office, the
office may require the applicant to submit documentation establishing whether the applicant
was convicted of a crime during the time that the applicant spent outside of the United States or
its territories.
(3) The office:
(a) shall perform the following duties as part of a background check of an applicant:
(i) check state and regional criminal background databases for the applicant's criminal
history by:
(A) submitting personal identifying information to the bureau for a search; or
(B) using the applicant's personal identifying information to search state and regional
criminal background databases as authorized under Section 
53-10-108
;
(ii) submit the applicant's personal identifying information and fingerprints to the
bureau for a criminal history search of applicable national criminal background databases;
(iii) search the Department of Human Services, Division of Child and Family Services'
Licensing Information System described in Section 
62A-4a-1006
;
(iv) search the Department of Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services'
vulnerable adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation database described in Section 
62A-3-311.1
;
(v) search the juvenile court records for substantiated findings of severe child abuse or
neglect described in Section 
78A-6-323
; and
(vi) search the juvenile court arrest, adjudication, and disposition records, as provided
under Section 
78A-6-209
;
(b) shall conduct a background check of an applicant for an initial background check
upon submission of the information described under Subsection (2)(a);
(c) may conduct all or portions of a background check of an applicant, as provided by
rule, made by the office in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
Rulemaking Act:
(i) for an annual renewal; or
(ii) when the office determines that reasonable cause exists;
(d) may submit an applicant's personal identifying information, including fingerprints,
to the bureau for checking, retaining, and monitoring of state and national criminal background
databases and for notifying the office of new criminal activity associated with the applicant;
(e) shall track the status of an approved applicant under this section to ensure that an
approved applicant is not required to duplicate the submission of the applicant's fingerprints if
the applicant applies for:
(i) more than one license;
(ii) direct access to a child or a vulnerable adult in more than one human services
program; or
(iii) direct access to a child or a vulnerable adult under a contract with the department;
(f) shall track the status of each license and each individual with direct access to a child
or a vulnerable adult and notify the bureau [
when the license has expired or
] 
within 90 days
after the day on which the license expires or the day on which
 the individual's direct access to a
child or a vulnerable adult [
has ceased
] 
ceases
;
(g) shall adopt measures to strictly limit access to personal identifying information
solely to the office employees responsible for processing the applications for background
checks and to protect the security of the personal identifying information the office reviews
under this Subsection (3);
(h) as necessary to comply with the federal requirement to check a state's child abuse
and neglect registry regarding any individual working in a program under this section that
serves children, shall:
(i) search the Department of Human Services, Division of Child and Family Services'
Licensing Information System described in Section 
62A-4a-1006
; and
(ii) require the child abuse and neglect registry be checked in each state where an
applicant resided at any time during the five years immediately preceding the day on which the
applicant submits the information described in Subsection (2)(a) to the office; and
(i) shall make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
Rulemaking Act, to implement the provisions of this Subsection (3) relating to background
checks.
(4) (a) With the personal identifying information the office submits to the bureau under
Subsection (3), the bureau shall check against state and regional criminal background databases
for the applicant's criminal history.
(b) With the personal identifying information and fingerprints the office submits to the
bureau under Subsection (3), the bureau shall check against national criminal background
databases for the applicant's criminal history.
(c) Upon direction from the office, and with the personal identifying information and
fingerprints the office submits to the bureau under Subsection (3)(d), the bureau shall:
(i) maintain a separate file of the fingerprints for search by future submissions to the
local and regional criminal records databases, including latent prints; and
(ii) monitor state and regional criminal background databases and identify criminal
activity associated with the applicant.
(d) The bureau is authorized to submit the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation Next Generation Identification System, to be retained in the Federal Bureau of
Investigation Next Generation Identification System for the purpose of:
(i) being searched by future submissions to the national criminal records databases,
including the Federal Bureau of Investigation Next Generation Identification System and latent
prints; and
(ii) monitoring national criminal background databases and identifying criminal
activity associated with the applicant.
(e) The Bureau shall notify and release to the office all information of criminal activity
associated with the applicant.
(f) Upon notice from the office that a license has expired or an individual's direct
access to a child or a vulnerable adult has ceased, the bureau shall:
(i) discard and destroy any retained fingerprints; and
(ii) notify the Federal Bureau of Investigation when the license has expired or an
individual's direct access to a child or a vulnerable adult has ceased, so that the Federal Bureau
of Investigation will discard and destroy the retained fingerprints from the Federal Bureau of
Investigation Next Generation Identification System.
(5) (a) After conducting the background check described in Subsections (3) and (4), the
office shall deny an application to an applicant who, within three years before the day on which
the applicant submits information to the office under Subsection (2) for a background check,
has been convicted of any of the following, regardless of whether the offense is a felony, a
misdemeanor, or an infraction:
(i) an offense identified as domestic violence, lewdness, voyeurism, battery, cruelty to
animals, or bestiality;
(ii) a violation of any pornography law, including sexual exploitation of a minor;
(iii) prostitution;
(iv) an offense included in:
(A) Title 76, Chapter 5, Offenses Against the Person;
(B) Section 
76-5b-201
, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor; or
(C) Title 76, Chapter 7, Offenses Against the Family;
(v) aggravated arson, as described in Section 
76-6-103
;
(vi) aggravated burglary, as described in Section 
76-6-203
;
(vii) aggravated robbery, as described in Section 
76-6-302
;
(viii) identity fraud crime, as described in Section 
76-6-1102
; or
(ix) [
a conviction for
] a felony or misdemeanor offense committed outside of the state
that, if committed in the state, would constitute a violation of an offense described in
Subsections (5)(a)(i) through (viii).
(b) If the office denies an application to an applicant based on a conviction described in
Subsection (5)(a), the applicant is not entitled to a comprehensive review described in
Subsection (6).
(6) (a) The office shall conduct a comprehensive review of an applicant's background
check if the applicant:
(i) has a conviction for any felony offense, not described in Subsection (5)(a),
regardless of the date of the conviction;
(ii) has a conviction for a misdemeanor offense, not described in Subsection (5)(a), and
designated by the office, by rule, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
Rulemaking Act, if the conviction is within [
five
] 
three
 years before the day on which the
applicant submits information to the office under Subsection (2) for a background check;
(iii) has a conviction for any offense described in Subsection (5)(a) that occurred more
than three years before the day on which the applicant submitted information under Subsection
(2)(a);
(iv) is currently subject to a plea in abeyance or diversion agreement for any offense
described in Subsection (5)(a);
(v) has a listing in the Department of Human Services, Division of Child and Family
Services' Licensing Information System described in Section 
62A-4a-1006
;
(vi) has a listing in the Department of Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult
Services' vulnerable adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation database described in Section
62A-3-311.1
;
(vii) has a record in the juvenile court of a substantiated finding of severe child abuse
or neglect described in Section 
78A-6-323
;
(viii) has a record of an adjudication in juvenile court for an act that, if committed by
an adult, would be a felony or misdemeanor, if the applicant is:
(A) under 28 years of age; or
(B) 28 years of age or older and has been convicted of, has pleaded no contest to, or is
currently subject to a plea in abeyance or diversion agreement for a felony or a misdemeanor
offense described in Subsection (5)(a); or
(ix) has a pending charge for an offense described in Subsection (5)(a).
(b) The comprehensive review described in Subsection (6)(a) shall include an
examination of:
(i) the date of the offense or incident;
(ii) the nature and seriousness of the offense or incident;
(iii) the circumstances under which the offense or incident occurred;
(iv) the age of the perpetrator when the offense or incident occurred;
(v) whether the offense or incident was an isolated or repeated incident;
(vi) whether the offense or incident directly relates to abuse of a child or vulnerable
adult, including:
(A) actual or threatened, nonaccidental physical or mental harm;
(B) sexual abuse;
(C) sexual exploitation; or
(D) negligent treatment;
(vii) any evidence provided by the applicant of rehabilitation, counseling, psychiatric
treatment received, or additional academic or vocational schooling completed; and
(viii) any other pertinent information.
(c) [
At
] 
Except as provided in Subsection (15), at
 the conclusion of the comprehensive
review described in Subsection (6)(a), the office shall deny an application to an applicant if the
office finds that approval would likely create a risk of harm to a child or a vulnerable adult.
(d) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
office may make rules, consistent with this chapter, to establish procedures for the
comprehensive review described in this Subsection (6).
(7) Subject to Subsection (10), the office shall approve an application to an applicant
who is not denied under Subsection (5), (6), or (13).
(8) (a) The office may conditionally approve an application of an applicant, for a
maximum of 60 days after the day on which the office sends written notice to the applicant
under Subsection (12), without requiring that the applicant be directly supervised, if the office:
(i) is awaiting the results of the criminal history search of national criminal background
databases; and
(ii) would otherwise approve an application of the applicant under Subsection (7).
(b) Upon receiving the results of the criminal history search of national criminal
background databases, the office shall approve or deny the application of the applicant in
accordance with Subsections (5) through (7).
(9) A licensee or department contractor may not permit an individual to have direct
access to a child or a vulnerable adult unless, subject to Subsection (10):
(a) the individual is associated with the licensee or department contractor and:
(i) the individual's application is approved by the office under this section;
(ii) the individual's application is conditionally approved by the office under
Subsection (8); or
(iii) (A) the individual has submitted the background check information described in
Subsection (2) to the office;
(B) the office has not determined whether to approve the applicant's application; and
(C) the individual is directly supervised by an individual who has a current background
screening approval issued by the office under this section and is associated with the licensee or
department contractor;
(b) (i) the individual is associated with the licensee or department contractor;
(ii) the individual has a current background screening approval issued by the office
under this section;
(iii) one of the following circumstances, that the office has not yet reviewed under
Subsection (6), applies to the individual:
(A) the individual was charged with an offense described in Subsection (5)(a);
(B) the individual is listed in the Licensing Information System, described in Section
62A-4a-1006
;
(C) the individual is listed in the vulnerable adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation
database, described in Section 
62A-3-311.1
;
(D) the individual has a record in the juvenile court of a substantiated finding of severe
child abuse or neglect, described in Section 
78A-6-323
; or
(E) the individual has a record of an adjudication in juvenile court for an act that, if
committed by an adult, would be a felony or a misdemeanor; and
(iv) the individual is directly supervised by an individual who:
(A) has a current background screening approval issued by the office under this
section; and
(B) is associated with the licensee or department contractor;
(c) the individual:
(i) is not associated with the licensee or department contractor; and
(ii) is directly supervised by an individual who:
(A) has a current background screening approval issued by the office under this
section; and
(B) is associated with the licensee or department contractor;
(d) the individual is the parent or guardian of the child, or the guardian of the
vulnerable adult;
(e) the individual is approved by the parent or guardian of the child, or the guardian of
the vulnerable adult, to have direct access to the child or the vulnerable adult;
(f) the individual is only permitted to have direct access to a vulnerable adult who
voluntarily invites the individual to visit; or
(g) the individual only provides incidental care for a foster child on behalf of a foster
parent who has used reasonable and prudent judgment to select the individual to provide the
incidental care for the foster child. 
(10) An individual may not have direct access to a child or a vulnerable adult if the
individual is prohibited by court order from having that access.
(11) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an individual for whom the
office denies an application may not have supervised or unsupervised direct access to a child or
vulnerable adult unless the office approves a subsequent application by the individual.
(12) (a) Within 30 days after the day on which the office receives the background
check information for an applicant, the office shall give written notice to:
(i) the applicant, and the licensee or department contractor, of the office's decision
regarding the background check and findings; and
(ii) the applicant of any convictions and potentially disqualifying charges and
adjudications found in the search.
(b) With the notice described in Subsection (12)(a), the office shall also give the
applicant the details of any comprehensive review conducted under Subsection (6).
(c) If the notice under Subsection (12)(a) states that the applicant's application is
denied, the notice shall further advise the applicant that the applicant may, under Subsection
62A-2-111
(2), request a hearing in the department's Office of Administrative Hearings, to
challenge the office's decision.
(d) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
office shall make rules, consistent with this chapter:
(i) defining procedures for the challenge of [
its
] 
the office's
 background check decision
described in Subsection (12)(c); and
(ii) expediting the process for renewal of a license under the requirements of this
section and other applicable sections.
(13) An individual or a department contractor who provides services in an adults only
substance use disorder program, as defined by rule, is exempt from this section. This
exemption does not extend to a program director or a member, as defined by Section
62A-2-108
, of the program. 
(14) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (14)(b), in addition to the other requirements
of this section, if the background check of an applicant is being conducted for the purpose of
licensing a prospective foster home or approving a prospective adoptive placement of a child in
state custody, the office shall:
(i) check the child abuse and neglect registry in each state where each applicant resided
in the five years immediately preceding the day on which the applicant applied to be a foster
parent or adoptive parent, to determine whether the prospective foster parent or prospective
adoptive parent is listed in the registry as having a substantiated or supported finding of child
abuse or neglect; and
(ii) check the child abuse and neglect registry in each state where each adult living in
the home of the applicant described in Subsection (14)(a)(i) resided in the five years
immediately preceding the day on which the applicant applied to be a foster parent or adoptive
parent, to determine whether the adult is listed in the registry as having a substantiated or
supported finding of child abuse or neglect.
(b) The requirements described in Subsection (14)(a) do not apply to the extent that:
(i) federal law or rule permits otherwise; or
(ii) the requirements would prohibit the Division of Child and Family Services or a
court from placing a child with:
(A) a noncustodial parent under Section 
62A-4a-209
, 
78A-6-307
, or 
78A-6-307.5
; or
(B) a relative, other than a noncustodial parent, under Section 
62A-4a-209
, 
78A-6-307
,
or 
78A-6-307.5
, pending completion of the background check described in Subsection (5).
(c) Notwithstanding Subsections (5) through (9), the office shall deny a license or a
license renewal to a prospective foster parent or a prospective adoptive parent if the applicant
has been convicted of:
(i) a felony involving conduct that constitutes any of the following:
(A) child abuse, as described in Section 
76-5-109
;
(B) commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child, as described in Section
76-5-109.1
;
(C) abuse or neglect of a child with a disability, as described in Section 
76-5-110
;
(D) endangerment of a child or vulnerable adult, as described in Section 
76-5-112.5
;
(E) aggravated murder, as described in Section 
76-5-202
;
(F) murder, as described in Section 
76-5-203
;
(G) manslaughter, as described in Section 
76-5-205
;
(H) child abuse homicide, as described in Section 
76-5-208
;
(I) homicide by assault, as described in Section 
76-5-209
;
(J) kidnapping, as described in Section 
76-5-301
;
(K) child kidnapping, as described in Section 
76-5-301.1
;
(L) aggravated kidnapping, as described in Section 
76-5-302
;
(M) human trafficking of a child, as described in Section 
76-5-308.5
;
(N) an offense described in Title 76, Chapter 5, Part 4, Sexual Offenses;
(O) sexual exploitation of a minor, as described in Section 
76-5b-201
;
(P) aggravated arson, as described in Section 
76-6-103
;
(Q) aggravated burglary, as described in Section 
76-6-203
;
(R) aggravated robbery, as described in Section 
76-6-302
; or
(S) domestic violence, as described in Section 
77-36-1
; or
(ii) an offense committed outside the state that, if committed in the state, would
constitute a violation of an offense described in Subsection (14)(c)(i).
(d) Notwithstanding Subsections (5) through (9), the office shall deny a license or
license renewal to a prospective foster parent or a prospective adoptive parent if, within the
five years immediately preceding the day on which the individual's application or license would
otherwise be approved, the applicant was convicted of a felony involving conduct that
constitutes a violation of any of the following:
(i) aggravated assault, as described in Section 
76-5-103
;
(ii) aggravated assault by a prisoner, as described in Section 
76-5-103.5
;
(iii) mayhem, as described in Section 
76-5-105
;
(iv) an offense described in Title 58, Chapter 37, Utah Controlled Substances Act;
(v) an offense described in Title 58, Chapter 37a, Utah Drug Paraphernalia Act;
(vi) an offense described in Title 58, Chapter 37b, Imitation Controlled Substances
Act;
(vii) an offense described in Title 58, Chapter 37c, Utah Controlled Substance
Precursor Act; or
(viii) an offense described in Title 58, Chapter 37d, Clandestine Drug Lab Act.
(e) In addition to the circumstances described in Subsection (6)(a), the office shall
conduct the comprehensive review of an applicant's background check pursuant to this section
if the registry check described in Subsection (14)(a) indicates that the individual is listed in a
child abuse and neglect registry of another state as having a substantiated or supported finding
of a severe type of child abuse or neglect as defined in Section 
62A-4a-1002
.
(15) (a) Notwithstanding Subsection (6) and except as provided in Subsection (15)(b),
the office may not deny an application to an applicant solely because the applicant was
convicted of an offense that occurred 10 years before the day on which the applicant submitted
the information required under Subsection (2)(a) if the applicant has not committed another
misdemeanor or felony offense since the day on which the conviction occurred.
(b) Subsection (15)(a) does not apply to an offense described in Subsection (14)(c).