House OKs unanimously anti-gang, murder bills

The Utah House passed two anti-crime bills Thursday, both "Lori's Law" and an anti-gang measure getting unanimous votes.

HB102 by Rep. Lorie Fowlke, R-Orem, increases the sentence for first-degree murder from five-years-to-life to 15-years-to-life. The bill is named after Lori Hacking, who was murdered by her husband July 2004 and her body dumped in a landfill.

Lori's family and the public were outraged when her husband, Mark, was sentenced five-to-life, believing that he could get out in five years.

In reality, the Board of Pardons and Parole keeps convicted first-degree murderers at least 15 years.

Fowlke said her bill really won't change how long convicted murderers serve, but will give the public more confidence that the criminal system is fair.

House members also passed HB220, which says a judge, in deciding whether the child can be returned to his parents from state custody, must take into consideration if the parents willfully encourage the child to be present at criminal gang activities.

"We are seeing a multi-generational" situation with criminal gangs, where parents may be encouraging their children to participate in the same criminal gang they themselves are active in, said sponsoring Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns.