House kills bill to give protective orders for dating violence

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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A state lawmaker from rural Kane County said Friday he's concerned about the safety of men whose guns are taken away for threatening someone they've dated and suggested that vigilantism would be a proper way to deal with those who beat up women.

"In Kane County we have a way to deal with those people. It's not very pretty," said Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab. "Usually the father handles it first and then there is a posse that goes out and takes care of the rest of them as we drag them across the sagebrush."

The comments came on the House floor during debate over a bill killed Friday that would have granted protective orders to victims of dating violence.

Utah law says protective orders can only be given to victims of domestic violence. To qualify, a victim has to show that he or she lives with the other person.

Bill sponsor David Litvack, D-Salt Lake City, says that leaves a lot of people who are in dating relationships fearing for their lives. His bill would have allowed anyone 18 and older to seek a protective order.

Noel opposed the bill because he said he doesn't think people accused of dating violence should have their gun taken away until without due process.

"Taking a firearm away from an individual that hasn't had a due process puts them in a situation where his own self -defense would be in jeopardy," he said. Noel said that immediately after the Litvack told him that wouldn't happen with a dating violence protective order.

"With the dating violence protective order, the court, the judge, would have to find in the affirmative to put the firearm restriction there. That is not automatic," he said.

Litvack has unsuccessfully tried to push through a bill like this for the past three years.

"This is something that our youth are going through. We see it in our high schools ... we see it in our college campuses," Litvack said. "We can't just turn our heads to the protective needs of our victims."

House Bill 247 died with 37 opposed and 32 in favor.

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