Utah 2025 Regular Session

Utah House Bill HB0033 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	~~Enrolled Copy~~ H.B. 33
	1	+	12-18 16:59 H.B. 33
2	2		1
3	3		Child Welfare Reporting Amendments
4	4		2025 GENERAL SESSION
5	5		STATE OF UTAH
6		-	Chief Sponsor: Christine F. Watkins
7		-	Senate Sponsor: John D. Johnson
	6	+	Chief Sponsor: Kera Birkeland
8	7		2
9	8
10	9		3
11	10		LONG TITLE
12	11		4
	12	+	Committee Note:
	13	+	5
	14	+	The Rules Review and General Oversight Committee recommended this bill.
	15	+	6 Legislative Vote:8 voting for 0 voting against2 absent
	16	+	7
13	17		General Description:
14		-	5
	18	+	8
15	19		This bill amends provisions concerning false reports of child abuse or neglect.
16		-	6
	20	+	9
17	21		Highlighted Provisions:
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	22	+	10
19	23		This bill:
20		-	8
	24	+	11
21	25		▸ requires the Division of Child and Family Services to notify law enforcement when the
22		-	9
	26	+	12
23	27		division determines that a person knowingly made a false report of child abuse or
24		-	10
	28	+	13
25	29		neglect; and
26		-	11
	30	+	14
27	31		▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
28		-	12
	32	+	15
29	33		Money Appropriated in this Bill:
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	34	+	16
31	35		None
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	36	+	17
33	37		Other Special Clauses:
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	38	+	18
35	39		None
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	40	+	19
37	41		Utah Code Sections Affected:
38		-	17
	42	+	20
39	43		AMENDS:
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	44	+	21
41	45		80-2-611, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2022, Chapter 334
42		-	19
	46	+	22
43	47
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	48	+	23
45	49		Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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	50	+	24
47	51		Section 1. Section 80-2-611 is amended to read:
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	52	+	25
49	53		80-2-611 . False reports -- Investigation -- Notice of penalty.
50		-	23
	54	+	26
51	55		(1) The division may conduct an investigation to determine whether a report under Section
52		-	24
	56	+	27
53	57		80-2-602 or 80-2-603 is false.
54		-	25
	58	+	28
55	59		(2) The division shall send a certified letter to a person who makes a report of abuse or
56		-	26
	60	+	29
57	61		neglect that is placed into or included in any part of the Management Information
58		-	27
	62	+	30
59	63		System, if the division determines, at the conclusion of the division's investigation, that:
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61		-	(a) the report is false; H.B. 33 ~~Enrolled Copy~~
62		-	29
	64	+	31
	65	+	(a) the report is false; H.B. 33 12-18 16:59
	66	+	32
63	67		(b) it is more likely than not that the person knew the report was false at the time that
64		-	30
	68	+	33
65	69		person made the report; and
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	70	+	34
67	71		(c) the reporting person's address is known or reasonably available.
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	72	+	35
69	73		(3) The certified letter described in Subsection (2) shall inform the reporting person of:
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	74	+	36
71	75		(a) the division's determination made under Subsection (2);
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	76	+	37
73	77		(b) the penalty for submitting false information under Section 76-8-506 and other
74		-	35
	78	+	38
75	79		applicable laws; and
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	80	+	39
77	81		(c) the obligation [or ability ]of the division under Subsection (4) to inform law
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	82	+	40
79	83		enforcement and the person alleged to have committed abuse or neglect[:] .
80		-	38
	84	+	41
81	85		[(i) in the present instance if the division considers an immediate referral of the
82		-	39
	86	+	42
83	87		reporting person to law enforcement to be justified by the facts; or]
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	88	+	43
85	89		[(ii) if the reporting person submits a subsequent false report involving the same
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	90	+	44
87	91		alleged perpetrator or victim.]
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	92	+	45
89	93		(4) The division:
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	94	+	46
91	95		(a) [may] subject to Subsection (4)(b), shall inform law enforcement and the alleged
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	96	+	47
93	97		perpetrator of a report for which a certified letter is required to be sent under
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	98	+	48
95	99		Subsection (2)[, if an immediate referral is justified by the facts]; and
96		-	46
	100	+	49
97	101		[(b) shall inform law enforcement and the alleged perpetrator of a report for which a
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	102	+	50
99	103		certified letter is required to be sent under Subsection (2) if a second letter is sent to
100		-	48
	104	+	51
101	105		the reporting person involving the same alleged perpetrator or victim; and]
102		-	49
	106	+	52
103	107		[(c)] (b) shall determine, in consultation with law enforcement:
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	108	+	53
105	109		(i) what information should be given to an alleged perpetrator relating to a false
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	110	+	54
107	111		report; and
108		-	52
	112	+	55
109	113		(ii) whether good cause exists, as defined by the division by rule made in accordance
110		-	53
	114	+	56
111	115		with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, for not
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	116	+	57
113	117		informing an alleged perpetrator about a false report.
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	118	+	58
115	119		(5) This section does not require the division to conduct an investigation beyond what is
116		-	56
	120	+	59
117	121		described in Subsections (1) and (2), to determine whether a report is false.
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	122	+	60
119	123		Section 2. Effective date.
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	124	+	61
121	125		This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025.
122	126		- 2 -