Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 129 Third Substitute (2021GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Snow, V. L.

Final action

House/ filed 3/5/2021

Outcome

Failed / filed without passage

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• creates the Office on Domestic and Sexual Violence within the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice;
• requires the executive director of the commission to appoint a director of the office;
• creates the Domestic Violence Offender Task Force within the commission; and
• requires the office, in consultation with the task force, to coordinate statewide resources and policies for reducing instances of domestic and sexual violence.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

OFFICE ON DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: V. Lowry Snow
Senate Sponsor: 
____________
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill creates the Office on Domestic and Sexual Violence and the Domestic
Violence Offender Task Force within the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile
Justice.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ creates the Office on Domestic and Sexual Violence within the State Commission
on Criminal and Juvenile Justice;
▸ requires the executive director of the commission to appoint a director of the office;
▸ creates the Domestic Violence Offender Task Force within the commission; and
▸ requires the office, in consultation with the task force, to coordinate statewide
resources and policies for reducing instances of domestic and sexual violence.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
ENACTS:
63M-7-701
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-7-702
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-7-703
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-7-704
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-7-801
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-7-802
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-7-803
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-7-804
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
63M-7-701
 is enacted to read:
Part 7. Office on Domestic and Sexual Violence
 63M-7-701.
Title.
This part is known as the "Office on Domestic and Sexual Violence."
Section 2. Section 
63M-7-702
 is enacted to read:
 63M-7-702.
Definitions.
As used in this part:
(1) "Commission" means the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice
created in Section 
63M-7-201
.
(2) "Office" means the Office on Domestic and Sexual Violence created in Section
63M-7-703
.
Section 3. Section 
63M-7-703
 is enacted to read:
 63M-7-703.
Office on Domestic and Sexual Violence -- Creation -- Appointment of
director.
(1) There is created the Office on Domestic and Sexual Violence within the
commission.
(2) The executive director of the commission shall appoint a director of the office.
Section 4. Section 
63M-7-704
 is enacted to read:
 63M-7-704.
Office duties -- Rulemaking.
The office shall:
(1) provide leadership and generate unity for the state's ongoing efforts to reduce and
eliminate the impact of rape, sexual assault, and intimate partner and domestic and sexual
violence through comprehensive and evidence-based prevention, intervention, and treatment;
(2) coordinate with advisory councils within the commission focused on domestic and
sexual violence to create, disseminate, implement, and recommend statewide policies to
address intimate partner and domestic and sexual violence;
(3) collaborate and partner with public and private partners to perform the duties
described in this section using a multidisciplinary approach;
(4) facilitate planning for a balanced continuum of intimate partner and domestic and
sexual violence prevention, intervention, treatment, and justice services;
(5) in consultation with the Domestic Violence Offender Task Force created in Section
63M-7-803
:
(a) establish and promote the use of best practice standards that are based on the best
practices identified by the Domestic Violence Offender Task Force under Subsection
63M-7-804
(2)(b);
(b) disseminate the best practice standards described in Subsection (5)(a) to be used in
the evaluation, intervention, treatment, and monitoring of intimate partner and domestic and
sexual violence offenders; and
(c) establish an accreditation program for public and private providers of intervention
and treatment for intimate partner and domestic and sexual violence offenders that requires the
public and private providers comply with the best practices described in Subsection (5)(a); and
(6) make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Administrative Rulemaking
Act, to implement this part.
Section 5. Section 
63M-7-801
 is enacted to read:
Part 8. Domestic Violence Offender Task Force
 63M-7-801.
Title.
This part is known as the "Domestic Violence Offender Task Force."
Section 6. Section 
63M-7-802
 is enacted to read:
 63M-7-802.
Definitions.
As used in this part:
(1) "Commission" means the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice
created in Section 
63M-7-201
.
(2) "Task force" means the Domestic Violence Offender Task Force created in Section
63M-7-803
.
Section 7. Section 
63M-7-803
 is enacted to read:
 63M-7-803.
Domestic Violence Offender Task Force -- Creation -- Membership --
Quorum -- Per diem -- Staff support -- Meetings.
(1) There is created the Domestic Violence Offender Task Force within the
commission consisting of the following members:
(a) the executive director of the Department of Corrections, or the executive director's
designee;
(b) the executive director of the Department of Human Services, or the executive
director's designee;
(c) the executive director of the Department of Health, or the executive director's
designee;
(d) the director of the Office for Victims of Crime, or the director's designee;
(e) one judge appointed by the presiding officer of the Utah Judicial Council;
(f) one individual who represents the Administrative Office of the Courts appointed by
the state court administrator; and
(g) nine individuals appointed by the executive director of the commission, including:
(i) a clinical social worker, a marriage and family therapist, a professional counselor,
and a psychologist licensed under Title 58, Chapter 60, Mental Health Professional Practice
Act;
(ii) an individual who represents an association of criminal defense attorneys;
(iii) an individual who represents an association of prosecuting attorneys;
(iv) an individual who represents law enforcement;
(v) an individual who represents an association of criminal justice victim advocates;
and
(vi) an individual who represents a nonprofit organization that provides domestic
violence victim advocate services.
(2) (a) A member may not serve on the task force for more than eight consecutive
years.
(b) If a vacancy occurs in the membership of the task force appointed under Subsection
(1), the member shall be replaced in the same manner in which the original appointment was
made.
(c) A member of the task force serves until the member's successor is appointed.
(3) The members of the task force shall vote on a chair and co-chair of the task force to
serve for two years.
(4) (a) A majority of the task force members constitutes a quorum.
(b) The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes an action of the task force.
(5) A task force member may not receive compensation or benefits for the member's
service on the task force, but may receive per diem and reimbursement for travel expenses
incurred as a task force member at the rates established by the Division of Finance under:
(a) Sections 
63A-3-106
 and 
63A-3-107
; and
(b) rules made by the Division of Finance under Sections 
63A-3-106
 and 
63A-3-107
.
(6) The commission shall provide staff support to the task force.
(7) The task force shall meet at least quarterly on a date the task force sets.
Section 8. Section 
63M-7-804
 is enacted to read:
 63M-7-804.
Task force duties.
(1) The task force shall advise and make recommendations to the Office on Domestic
and Sexual Violence created in Section 
63M-7-703
.
(2) As part of the task force's duties under Subsection (1), the task force shall:
(a) research standardized procedures and methods for intimate partner and domestic
violence offender evaluation, intervention, treatment, and monitoring that prioritize physical
and psychological safety of victims; and
(b) identify best practices for intimate partner and domestic and sexual violence
evaluation, intervention, treatment, and monitoring applicable to the state's needs that:
(i) are based on scientific research to address an individual's intimate partner and
domestic violence risk factors; and
(ii) incorporate evidence-based trauma informed care to enhance the quality and
continuity of intervention and treatment.