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Sex offender registryThe House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would allow some sex offenders to be taken of the state's registry after five years.
HB13 proposes that some people who have committed "unlawful sexual conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old," and a slightly different offense, "Unlawful sexual activity with a minor," could be taken off the sex offender registry after five years if they met requirements like court ordered treatment, lack of subsequent convictions, approval from the victim or the victim's parents. A judge must also find that they are no longer a threat to society.
Some legislators were concerned that more serious offenders who had their charges reduced in plea agreements might be allowed off the registry, and that victims may be re-victimized.
Harvard business professor and Utah native Clayton Christensen to the Higher Education Appropriations Committee Tuesday that universities and colleges must adapt to the changing situation in higher education.
"Online learning changes the whole equation," he said.
Christensen stressed the importance of "disruptive innovation" as it applies to Higher ed, and cited MIT as an example of the best way to adapt. MIT made its online courses available to anyone, and more than 5 million have taken the physics course so far.
Christensen is also a member of the Deseret News Editorial Advisory Board.
The Senate passed a bill that would require require all high school students in the state to take a college entrance exam like the ACT, rather than the Utah Basic Skills Competency test. This would cost and extra $700,000 a year. The bill now goes to the House.
Nursing home 'emotional abuse' redefined
The House unanimously approved a bill that would redefine 'emotional abuse' so that it does not include minor incidents like residents yelling at or swearing at one another. Currently, workers must file many reports for such minor incidents. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
About 1 in 20 patients will leave the hospital with an infection they got while being treated there. HB55 would require hospitals to publicly report the rate of infections in their facilities. Currently they are required to report only to federal agencies like the CDC. The cost of reporting would be about $181,000. HB55 was endorsed by the Health and Human Services Standing Subcommittee.
Get off the phone!
A Senate bill would give those under 18 years old a $50 fine for using a cell phone while driving.
Breast density on mammogram data
SB32 would require doctors to include information on breast density. Mammograms are less reliable in detecting cancer in women with denser breasts, but that information is not currently included in reports which only explain whether cancer was found or not. The bill was amended so that density disclosure would not be mandatory. The bill hill be sent to the Senate floor after unanimous support in committee.
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Written with contributions from Ladd Brubabker, Molly Farmer, Marjory Cortez and Mike Anderson.
