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House approves notice and due-process changes to child-abuse registry, adds penalty for malicious reporting
Summary
The House passed a bill requiring notification and due process before names are placed on the child-abuse registry and creating a criminal penalty for knowingly false reports; backers said it fixes cases where people learned years later that their names were listed.
The Utah House voted to pass House Bill 276 after extended debate over safeguards, mandated reporting and the risk of chilling legitimate reports. The measure requires that persons whose names would be placed on the child-abuse registry receive notice and an opportunity for due process before listing; it also includes criminal penalties for knowingly false or malicious reporting.
Sponsor (as introduced on the floor) explained the bill responds to cases where individuals found their names on the registry years later — sometimes only when a background check for employment revealed an entry. “People have been placed on this child abuse registry without their knowledge. They have had no due process,” the sponsor said, arguing the bill mirrors protections already in place for the elder-abuse registry.
Members pressed the sponsor about the risk that the bill could deter mandated reporters. Representative Walter Hill asked how difficult it would be to prove malicious intent; opponents warned that fear of criminal exposure could reduce reports of suspected abuse. The sponsor responded that malicious reporting is distinct from good-faith reporting and that the bill targets bad-faith actors rather than bona fide reporters.
After debate and amendments to clarify language, the House approved HB276 (52 yes, 15 no) and forwarded it to the Senate.
