Senate Bill 124
If passed, SB 124, which is being considered by the Utah Senate, will make it a Class C misdemeanor to leave a child under 9 in an enclosed compartment of a car, who is not supervised by a person who is 12 years or older. The attendant conditions of leaving the child in the car must also present a risk to the child’s health or safety.
The language of this bill seem ambiguous. What exactly is an “enclosed compartment” and how will a law enforcement officer decide whether the conditions present a risk to the child’s health and safety?
Obviously there are situations when a parent should not leave a child alone in a car (e.g., mid-July in Phoenix with the car off and the windows rolled up), but this bill could result in the police getting called when a mom runs in to pick up a pizza or drop off library books.
Parents generally know what is best for their children, and for those parents who don’t, there are sufficient safeguards and laws already in place.
