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House approves process for courts to address inmates who refuse food or water
Summary
The House passed second substitute House Bill 194 to create a judicial petition-and-hearing process for inmates who refuse nutrition or hydration; sponsor said the measure fills a gap exposed by a recent Salt Lake County death, while supporters stressed mental-health evaluation and opponents sought resources and safeguards.
Representative Derrick Brown, sponsor of second substitute House Bill 194, told the House that the bill responds to a recent Salt Lake County case in which an inmate who refused food and water died and that the measure establishes a consistent procedure ‘‘for when a correctional facility discovers a prisoner refusing food or water’’ and allows a facility to file a petition with the district court for a hearing within two days. Brown said the bill requires a mental-health evaluation before a petition and provides a roadmap that…
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