Comments about ‘Bill to criminalize possession of graffiti tools advances to final reading’

I read the bill, and the addendums to it. It seems that the state of Utah is in the process of starting to judge our "intent". if this is the case, one of my friends, who is an engine rebuilder can get in trouble for buying spray paint that he uses to paint the engines after he finishes building them. In doing this, anyone with a grudge against someone else could claim that they are in violation of this law, and file a complaint. I guess this just goes to show when someone says "There ought to be a law.." us common folk are just talking, but members of the legislature can actually make it happen!!

Waddoups: People who hide behind the moniker Anonymous "don't have very much respect from me."

Utah public: "Legislators who try to hide their actions and block freedom of information to the public (read HB477 last year) don't have any respect from citizens."

I spoke out publicly against a bill waddoups sponsored by contacting our representatives by email and he contacted my email server and tried to claim I was spaming. Of course my email serve took one look at what I was doing and did not buy his reasoning and I keep my email but it does speak to the real intentions behind his comment.

Utah State Senate, please defeat SB107!

While I hold grafitti and those who do it in very low regard, my concern is that SB107 will criminalize many legitimate activities by law abiding citizens, and could also lead to profiling. After reading this law it appears to me that law abiding do-it-yourself type citizens would be breaking the law when coming out of a home improvement store with a couple cans of spray paint. Would a Black or Hispanic youth, running errands for a father, be more suspect and more likely to be arrested by this law?

What about a chear leader squad that has paint and markers in hand to make banners for a pre-game rally? And what about many of our smaller communities where it is still tradition to "paint the town" prior to Homecoming? Or a PTA committee painting props for the next school performance?

Please go back to committee and work to develop a better bill that will not criminalize activities that should be legal.