Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 531 (2024GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Eliason, S.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/20/2024

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• amends the criminal offense of unlawful use of a laser pointer to include conduct concerning an aircraft or the aircraft's occupants;
• provides criminal penalties; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

LASER POINTER AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Steve Eliason
Senate Sponsor: 
 Don L. Ipson
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill concerns the criminal offense of unlawful use of a laser pointer.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ amends the criminal offense of unlawful use of a laser pointer to include conduct
concerning an aircraft or the aircraft's occupants;
▸ provides criminal penalties; and
▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
76-10-2501
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2001, Chapter 67
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
76-10-2501
 is amended to read:
76-10-2501.
Unlawful use of a laser pointer .
(1) As used in this section:
(a) 
"Aircraft" means the same as that term defined in Section 
72-10-102
.
(b)
 "Laser light" means light that is amplified by stimulated emission of radiation.
[
(b)
] 
(c)
 "Laser pointer" means any portable device that emits a visible beam of laser
light that may be directed at [
a person
] 
an individual
.
[
(c)
] 
(d)
 "Law enforcement officer" means an officer under Section 
53-13-103
.
(2) [
A person is guilty of
] 
An actor commits
 unlawful use of a laser pointer if the
[
person
] 
actor
 directs a beam of laser light from a laser pointer at:
(a) a moving motor vehicle or [
its
] 
the
 occupants 
of a moving motor vehicle
; [
or
]
(b) one whom the [
person
] 
actor
 knows or has reason to know is a law enforcement
officer[
.
]
; or
(c) an aircraft or the occupants of an aircraft.
(3) It is an affirmative defense to a charge under Subsection (2)(b) that:
(a) the law enforcement officer was:
(i) not in uniform;
(ii) not traveling in a vehicle identified as a law enforcement vehicle; and
(iii) not otherwise engaged in an activity that would give the [
person
] 
actor
 reason to
know [
him
] 
the law enforcement
 to be a law enforcement officer; and
(b) the law enforcement officer was not otherwise known by the [
person
] 
actor
 to be a
law enforcement officer.
(4) [
Violation
] 
(a) A violation
 of Subsection (2)(a) is an infraction.
(b)
 [
Violation
] 
A violation
 of Subsection (2)(b) is a class C misdemeanor.
(c) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (4)(c)(ii) or (4)(c)(iii), a violation of
Subsection (2)(c) is a class B misdemeanor.
(ii) Except as provided in Subsection (4)(c)(iii), a violation of Subsection (2)(c) is a
class A misdemeanor if the actor previously has been convicted of a violation of Subsection
(2)(c).
(iii) A violation of Subsection (2)(c) is a third degree felony if the actor's conduct
causes an aircraft to crash or perform an emergency landing.
(5) If the violation of this section constitutes an offense subject to a greater penalty
under another provision of [
Title 76, Utah Criminal Code,
] 
this title
 than is provided under this
section, this section does not prohibit the prosecution and sentencing for the offense subject to
a greater penalty.
Section 2. 
Effective date.
This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.