H.B. 551
LEGISLATIVE GENERAL COUNSEL
6 Approved for Filing: S. Larson 6
6 02-22-23 2:36 PM 6
H.B. 551
1 BIAS INCIDENT REPORTING
2 2023 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Doug Owens
5 Senate Sponsor: ____________
6
7LONG TITLE
8General Description:
9 This bill creates the bias incident hotline program.
10Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 <directs the Department of Public Safety to create the bias incident hotline program;
13and
14 <makes technical and conforming changes.
15Money Appropriated in this Bill:
16 None
17Other Special Clauses:
18 None
19Utah Code Sections Affected:
20AMENDS:
21 53-1-304, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1993, Chapter 234
22ENACTS:
23 53-1-305, Utah Code Annotated 1953
24REPEALS:
25 53-1-301, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1993, Chapter 234
26
27Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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28 Section 1. Section 53-1-304 is amended to read:
29 53-1-304. Division duties.
30 The division shall:
31 (1) provide technical support for the department's various computer systems, including
32computer software, hardware, and networking support;
33 (2) provide access to the National Crime Information Center, National Law
34Enforcement Telecommunication System, which provides electronic mail messaging
35capabilities to law enforcement agencies throughout the nation, and to National Commercial
36Driver License Information;
37 (3) create information systems for public safety information;
38 (4) provide programming support as required by the department;
39 (5) design systems and programs to maximize the efficiency of the department;
40 (6) provide law enforcement officers and criminal justice agencies access to public
41safety information that will assist in protecting the public;
42 (7) operate the bias incident hotline program described in Section 53-1-305; and
43 [(7)] (8) other duties as assigned by the commissioner.
44 Section 2. Section 53-1-305 is enacted to read:
45 53-1-305. Bias incident hotline program.
46 (1) As used in this section:
47 (a) "Bias incident" means a hostile expression of animus by an individual toward
48another individual that:
49 (i) does not rise to the level of a criminal offense; and
50 (ii) is motivated by a bias against a race, religion, ethnic or national origin group,
51sexual orientation group, or disability.
52 (b) "National Incident-Based Reporting System" means the system operated by the
53Bureau of Justice established in 34 U.S.C. Sec. 10132.
54 (c) "Utah 211" means the designated 211 service provider created in Section
5562A-17-104.
56 (2) The department shall:
57 (a) coordinate with Utah 211 to establish a hotline for the reporting of a bias incident;
58 (b) create an online form for the reporting of a bias incident that: 02-22-23 2:36 PM H.B. 551
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59 (i) follows the format used by the National Incident-Based Reporting System; and
60 (ii) refers an individual who completes the form to Utah 211; and
61 (c) collect and publicly report anonymized data collected under this section.
62 Section 3. Repealer.
63 This bill repeals:
64 Section 53-1-301, Short title.