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House passes bill requiring HIV testing for certain convicted offenders and victim-requested tests
Summary
House Bill 151, which mandates HIV testing for convicted sex offenders and makes testing available to victims at their request, passed the House after floor amendments assigning victim notification responsibilities to law enforcement. Sponsors cited federal grant consequences and a revised fiscal note.
The Utah House on Feb. 4 approved House Bill 151, requiring HIV testing for certain convicted sexual offenders and providing victims the option to request testing of offenders. Representative Bradshaw, sponsor of the bill, described it as a "victim's bill" that has been studied in multiple committees for six months.
Bradshaw explained that the bill requires convicted offenders to pay for their testing where they can afford it, with the State covering costs for indigent offenders. "We are told that 80% of those offenders can afford to pay for their own testing. 20% who are indigent will be covered by the State," he said. Bradshaw cited federal incentives: states that fail to adopt this legislation risk losing part of certain grants, and he said the state could forfeit about $350,000 in federal funds if the law is not in place and enforced by Oct. 1.
Floor amendments were adopted to move victim notification responsibility from a crime victims committee to law enforcement; Bradshaw said law enforcement had agreed to the change. The House also discussed the fiscal estimate for implementation, which Bradshaw said was revised from $15,000 to $8,000.
After brief discussion and no further lights, the transcript records the House vote on HB151 as '66 yes votes and 0 negative votes'; the bill passed and was forwarded to the Senate.
Next procedural steps: HB151 will be transmitted to the Senate for consideration. The bill requires administrative implementation by corrections and public health authorities for testing, counseling and victim notification as specified in the text.
