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Senate advances revised child-protection registry after debate over privacy, payment incentives
Summary
A second substitute to SB206 passed through substitution after lengthy debate. Sponsors expanded the registry to include mobile contact points and revised vendor payment and fee structures to incentivize enrollment, while senators raised security and implementation concerns.
Senators on the Utah Senate floor debated and advanced a second substitute to Senate Bill 206, revisions to the state's child-protection registry, after extended discussion about privacy risks and vendor incentives.
Senator Chris Stevenson (floor sponsor) said the substitute broadens the registry to include mobile telephone contact points and changes vendor payment so it is based on the number of names on the registry rather than the number of vendor queries. Stevenson described the payment change as an effort to incentivize promotion of the registry to parents, noting the registry had only about 2,000 names and that low enrollment threatened the program's viability.
Supporters and critics focused on two competing risks: too few names on the registry would leave vendors undercompensated and the service unsustainable; by contrast, an open query system could allow bad actors to "scrub" large lists against the registry to identify protected contact points. Senator Stevenson said the revised structure includes much higher fees for any detected, improperly identified names (a punitive multiplier discussed as 100x the usual rate) to deter gaming of the system.
Senator Howard Bell and others questioned whether the vendor and the department endorsed the substitute. Stevenson said the vendor and some officials had concerns and that the bill likely would be amended further before third reading; he favored taking time to ensure the technical and legal issues were addressed.
Senators also pressed legislative counsel and staff to assess whether the prior law or related provisions were subject to ongoing litigation; Senator Aaron asked about litigation status, and Stevenson said he did not believe Utah currently faced litigation over the registry.
The Senate substituted the bill (moved to a second substitute) and then moved to read it for third; the second substitute passed substitution on the floor and was placed for third reading. The sponsor said he intended to hold the item for additional review before a final third-reading vote to ensure vendor, privacy and enforcement issues are resolved.
The Senate record shows the measure advanced procedurally; further technical changes and vendor hearings were expected before final enactment.
The Senate will take up further amendments and the third reading in subsequent consideration.
