Sex offender study program passes committee

Utah is a step closer to doing a pilot study on a more intensive way to treat sex offenders after their release from prison. A substitute version of HB109 was sent to the House floor by the House Law Enforcement Committee on Thursday.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper, would create a $495,000 one-year pilot study of a program in which sex offenders would be monitored every 16 weeks during their first year of release from prison. In following years, the offenders would be assesed every 12-26 weeks.It would require that the Department of Corrections accept proposals from the private sector to conduct the evaluations.

"We are asking to create an environment for change and innovation," Hughes said. "It's a great way to bring new ideas to the table that might not have been considered."

Rep. David Litvack, D-Salt Lake, the only dissenting vote, said he agreed with the idea but would like to see the pilot conducted over a longer 3-year period, so there would be solid data to base a decision on whether to implement the program state-wide.

Hughes responded that "it almost feels like a punt" to do the study over three years, because during that time frame, things could change and the program may fall by the wayside. The bill now moves to the House. Because it is a fiscal bill, it will need to be prioritized even if it wins the support of lawmakers.