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House passes bill criminalizing certain registered offenders’ contact with children under 14
Summary
The House passed HB29 to make it a Class A misdemeanor for registered offenders (whose registry entry is for conduct with a child under 14) to solicit or accompany such children without parental permission; the measure extends registration by five years on conviction and passed 73–0.
The Utah House approved HB29 on Feb. 10, a bill aimed at restricting certain registered offenders from contacting children younger than 14 without parental permission.
Representative Richard Greenwood, sponsor of HB29, told colleagues the bill targets registered offenders whose listing is based on conduct with a child under age 14. Greenwood said the measure makes it a Class A misdemeanor ‘‘for this individual to request or solicit a child younger than 14 years of age’’ without written or verbal permission from the parent or legal guardian, and that a conviction would extend the offender’s registration period by five years.
During floor debate, members questioned enforceability, particularly whether reliance on verbal permission would create non-tangible evidentiary challenges. Representative Johnson asked whether abusive scenarios or disputes about permission could undermine enforceability; Greenwood acknowledged imperfections and said the sponsors had weighed alternatives and accepted verbal permission as part of the compromise after consulting stakeholders and law-enforcement groups.
Greenwood said law-enforcement organizations such as the Utah Sheriffs' Association and chiefs of police support the bill; he said the Attorney General’s Office had indicated support through direct contact with him.
The House opened and closed voting on HB29 the same day; the bill passed 73–0 and will be transmitted to the Senate.
