Sex offender rules could tighten

The House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee discussed two bills intended to strengthen the state's sex offender laws on Wednesday morning.

The first bill, HB29, sponsored by Rep. Richard Greenwood, R-Roy, targets what Greenwood called "predator" offenders — those who had been convicted of a sexual offense involving a child under the age of 14.

Greenwood's proposal would make it a Class A misdemeanor for this type of registered offender to ask any child under the age of 14 to go anywhere with them for any reason. It would make the action a crime even if the child refuses and flees or leaves the area.

The bill would allow exceptions if the offender is the natural parent of the child, if the offender obtains written permission from the child's parent or guardian and if there is an emergency situation and the offender is rescuing the child from danger.

During the meeting, Sanpete County Sheriff Kevin Holman said the Utah Sheriffs' Association "supports the bill wholeheartedly."

The other bill, HB42, sponsored by Rep. Ken Sumsion, R-Lehi, would require any convicted sex offender to register with local police if they move into the state after being convicted in another state, or if they leave the jurisdiction of the Utah correctional system by going off of probation or parole.

Sumsion said the bill is modeled on a system that is already in place and working successfully in California and other states.

Voting on both bills was delayed pending receipt of a fiscal note. However, given that no lawmakers or witnesses expressed any opposition to either bill, passage of both seemed all but certain.

E-mail: dservatius@desnews.com