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House approves bill expanding public offender-registry information and petition process
Summary
House Bill 15 passed the Utah House 65-0; the bill expands the offender registry to include physical descriptions, vehicle information, photos and permits written petitions to the Department of Corrections for information on known offenders, subject to departmental discretion.
The Utah House passed House Bill 15 on a unanimous vote after floor debate over privacy safeguards, fiscal costs and agency administration.
Representative Brian Allen, sponsor of the bill, said the measure would add physical descriptions, types of vehicles, probation or parole conditions and a current photo to the offender registry, and would allow private citizens to petition the Department of Corrections in writing for information on known offenders living in their neighborhoods. Allen said the Department of Corrections helped develop the fiscal note and would have discretion to deny petitions if the department concluded the information could be misused.
Why it matters: Sponsors framed the bill as a public-safety measure to give residents and victims improved access to relevant registry information. Critics raised concerns about misuse of neighborhood notifications and whether the modest fiscal note would be adequate to run the program. Allen said the fiscal note provided for a clerical hire to administer the registry and the department believed the funding would be sufficient.
The House conducted a roll-call vote and the Speaker announced House Bill 15 received 65 yes votes and 0 no votes. The bill will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration.
Next steps: The measure heads to the Senate; members requested department procedures to prevent misuse and the clerk recorded the roll-call vote.
