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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Utah Senate passed a bill that aims to deter criminals from running inside school buildings to evade police.
House Bill 244 now returns to the House, which will consider Senate amendments to the measure.
The bill would make it a class A misdemeanor to enter school property to elude law enforcement. Not knowing it's school property is not a defense and offenders would have to reimburse the school for the costs of the police response.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Salt Lake City, passed the Senate with a 21-4 vote.
Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, called the bill one of the craziest things he's seen on Capitol Hill. He said criminals won't stop and think before hiding from police.
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Information from: Deseret News
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
