'Craziest' school bill moves to House

A bill meant to deter criminals from running inside school buildings to elude police passed the Senate with a 21-4 vote Thursday.

HB244, sponsored by Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Salt Lake, is back in the House, where the Senate amendments will be considered.

An amendment proposed by Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, along with the lawmaker's snide remarks about the bill, resulted in some strong push-back from a few senators during Thursday's debate. The amendment failed to pass.

Jenkins has scoffed at the bill. "I think this is one of the craziest things I've seen up here," he told the Senate during debate on Wednesday, explaining that criminals aren't going to stop and think before hiding from police.

Jenkins also told the Senate, "I think this bill ought to receive the Boner of the Week award," referring to a local radio show that gives out "awards" for stupidity.

On Thursday, Jenkins put his opinions into action. His amendment would require schools to post signs stating it is school property, to notify criminals.

Other lawmakers said this adds a fiscal note to the bill and could get expensive for schools. Further, it would require schools to also post signs while on field trips or when using areas such as playing fields.

Sen. Pat Jones, D-Salt Lake, gave Jenkins a tongue-lashing over his amendment.

"It's gone through two bodies. If you don't like a bill, just vote against it," Jones said. "We've worked hard on this bill. It's wrong to do this kind of strategy. It's a good bill the way it is."

Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, noted that even the sponsor of the amendment called it "a stupid amendment."

The impetus for the bill was an incident last year, when a couple stole a car and then ran from police inside Jackson Elementary School in Salt Lake City.

The school had to go on lockdown as police searched the building to make sure fugitives weren't hiding there, according to Salt Lake School District Superintendent McKell Withers.

Sen. Jon Greiner, R-Ogden, co-sponsor of the bill, said the legislation provides consistency for school-zone law and is "another tool for prosecution to use."

The bill states it would be a class A misdemeanor to enter school property in order to evade law enforcement. Not knowing it is school property is no defense. And defendants must reimburse the school for costs of police responding to their presence on school property.

The legislation is supported by the Utah School Boards Association and the Utah Education Association.

E-mail: astewart@desnews.com