Lawmakers are looking to protect children and ramp up the sex-offender registry through a pair of bills.
HB41 would require offenders to register with local law enforcement agencies rather than the Department of Corrections.
Sponsor Rep. Ken Sumsion, R-American Fork, said his measure would give a sheriff's office or police department a chance to meet with offenders living in their communities, and would ensure out-of-state sex offenders register when they move to Utah.
Law enforcers supported his measure Wednesday.
"The local agency needs to know first," said Saratoga Springs Police Chief Gary Hicken. "We check on sex offenders every 90 days, but there would be no requirement to do that. It's just a wise thing to do."
A second proposal -- HB29 -- would require offenders to remain on the registry for at least 10 years, five more than the current minimum. Offenders could not defend themselves by saying they didn't know a minor's age.
The bill also would make it a class A misdemeanor for registered offenders to be with a child away from the juvenile's home without written permission from a parent or guardian, and an offender would need a parent's verbal consent to be with a child at the juvenile's home.
Sponsor Rep. Richard Greenwood, R-Roy, said Wednesday that police are frustrated that predatory sex offenders can entice children to accompany them without facing any penalties. Officers can do nothing until a kidnapping occurs.
"Now the law could do something -- even if the child runs," he said.
HB41 passed the House last year, but the Senate did not hear the bill before the session ended. Both bills got stuck in committee Wednesday morning while analysts determine their fiscal impact.
