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SALT LAKE CITY — A bill creating a white-collar crime registry, comparable to a sex offender registry, flew through the Utah Legislature on Wednesday.
HB378 would allow the Utah Attorney General’s Office to create a website to help individuals more easily access a list of people who commit white-collar crimes.
The bill’s Senate sponsor, Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, said the registry would include criminals such as William Hammons, a former bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who was charged in 2009 with fraud and other violations in connection with a Ponzi scheme that cost investors more than $50 million.
Fox Business anchor Adam Shapiro told Grant and Amanda on KSL Radio that Utah is leading the country with this law.
Shapiro said the registry is important because people convicted of insurance fraud, mortgage fraud or other financial crimes can go back to work in the financial industry after getting out of jail. This will now give people a place to check on the background of a financial worker before handing over investment money.
People on the registry will be listed for 10 years. The list will include what crimes were committed.
Bramble said the attorney general’s office considers the bill to be a “top priority” because Utah has a high level of vulnerability to affinity fraud.
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes stated in a news release that “Utah’s unique personal interweavings and close relationships offer a rich environment for predatory behavior and financial crimes.”
“This tool will hopefully curtail some of the billions of dollars lost in Utah to investment fraud and other financial crimes,” Reyes said in the release.
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The Senate rushed approval of the bill with less than two days left of the Legislative session, allowing it to skip a second and third reading and be considered for final passage.
Senators voted unanimously to pass the bill with no debate. It now goes to Gov. Gary Herbert for consideration.
Contributing: Randall Jeppsen
