SALT LAKE CITY -- A bill sponsored by a local lawmaker would protect the rights of a minor who is unlawfully detained by an older boyfriend.
House Bill 159 creates the offense of unlawful detention of a minor when a person 18 or older coerces a minor to stay with them without the consent of a parent or guardian for what is termed an "unreasonable time."
Sponsored by Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, the bill addresses a situation in which a minor is unlawfully detained, but there is no sexual activity involved. Under existing law, if the minor does not ask to be taken home, the older person cannot be charged.
The bill passed the House by a unanimous vote Monday and now goes to the Senate for further consideration.
Wilcox said the bill was initiated at the behest of a Weber County attorney and the Children's Justice Center after an incident in which a 14-year-old girl was held against her will by a 26-year-old man. The bill actually stipulates that against the will of the victim means acting without the consent of the legal guardian or custodian of the victim.
"In the end, we're comfortable with this particular solution," Wilcox said, adding that the bill particularly looks after the interest of 14- and 15-year-olds, who may have an older boyfriend.
Sen. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, will co-sponsor the measure in the Senate.
Senate panel backs lift between resorts
SALT LAKE CITY -- A proposed gondola connecting a Park City ski resort with another nearby resort is receiving the backing of a Utah Senate panel.
Republican Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, of Sandy, says the gondola would provide an economic boost to the area with minimal environmental impacts.
Niederhauser is sponsoring Senate Concurrent Resolution 10, which passed a Senate committee 4-2 Monday. It now moves to the Senate floor for debate.
The eight-passenger tram would take skiers on an 11-minute ride over the spine of the Wasatch Range to connect The Canyons resort with Solitude Mountain Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
The ski areas say it would cut down on canyon traffic and put Utah on the map as an even better ski destination. Opponents complain it would mar the alpine backcountry.
-- The Associated Press
Comments