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SALT LAKE CITY — Republican lawmakers last week passed a bill requiring the Salt Lake County district attorney to report billed time in 15-minute increments to a legislative committee that opponents say puts an undue burden on an independently elected official.
The bill, SB273, passed late on the final day of the legislative session after heated debate, with Republicans arguing it provides insights into the office of District Attorney Sim Gill, a Democrat, whom they accused of inadequately prosecuting crime in downtown Salt Lake City. SB273 was sponsored by Davis County lawmakers — Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, and Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, R-Clearfield.
After lawmakers approved a pair of bills to invest in a potential new hockey arena and Major League Baseball stadium in the capital city, Rep. Kera Birkeland, R-Morgan, said the oversight of Gill's office is "protecting that investment."
"One of the biggest complaints I've heard from business owners and citizens in this area is that there are many people walking around Salt Lake City who are criminals and they're not being prosecuted," she said.
Birkeland proposed an amendment to the downtown revitalization bill that would have allowed the Revitalization Zone Committee to recommend that the Utah Supreme Court appoint a special prosecutor to investigate crimes in the area if the committee believed the district attorney had "failed or refused to adequately prosecute crimes within the project area."
Similar language was approved in SB273, which allows the governor or the revitalization committee to make a similar recommendation to the state's top court.
"There needs to be some level of accountability in our capital city for the prosecution of crime when it is not appropriately prosecuted," Rep. Brady Brammer, R-Highland, said.
Democrats were outraged by the bill, with Salt Lake City Rep. Brian King calling it "vindictive" and Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, viewing the bill as an attack on elected officials from Salt Lake City.
"You talk about not playing politics. We're playing politics right now," she said.
Others argued the requirement to report time spent on cases will add a heavy burden to prosecutors in the district attorney's office and could hurt retention.
Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, condemned Republican colleagues for taking the steps outlined in the bill against Gill, while letting another elected official — State School Board member Natalie Cline — off with only a censure after Cline shared a social media post in which she appeared to question the gender identify of a 16-year-old student athlete.
The Legislature passed a resolution to censure Cline, but many called on lawmakers to take the further step of impeaching the school board member.
"I think we ought to be ashamed of ourselves, trying to go after an elected official ... yet we stood on this body floor and let another elected official get away with going after a child," Hollins said. "This is a disgrace."
Gill's office declined a request for an interview Monday, but issued a statement saying, "We are looking into the effects of the bill. It is not law until the governor signs it."
Gill told a Senate committee last week that his office is short staffed, and questioned the need for the information that would be gathered through the reporting.
"Is this body then going to act upon it and fill that deficit?" Gill asked. "Is this body going to direct the counties to fill that deficit appropriately? Because I would support that effort from this body."
"The lack of resources in any area could be covered by maybe a little more efficiency, and I think that's what I'm asking for here," Stevenson said.
Lisonbee told House colleagues on Friday, "We should not be afraid of data or sunlight or transparency, and those who view this bill as an attack are showing that they are afraid of transparency."
SB273 passed the House 46-24 and was approved by the Senate an hour before midnight on the last day of the session Friday. Gov. Spencer Cox has until March 21 to sign or veto the bill.
Contributing: Daniel Woodruff
