Senate adopts protections limiting release of minors’ names to media in victim identification bill

Senator Escamilla presented a second substitute to First Substitute House Bill 511 clarifying the definition of a media representative to align with current GRAMA rules and directing law enforcement entities to secure parental or guardian consent before releasing a minor’s name to the media, except when the parent is the alleged perpetrator. Escamilla said the change arose from a constituent-driven concern after families in West Valley learned their children’s deaths from media reports without prior notice; he described cases where a shooter’s name—because the shooter was a minor—was kept private while victims’ names were released.

Escamilla explained the second substitute would standardize current best practices into statute so law enforcement would be required, in many instances, to obtain consent before releasing a minor’s identity to media representatives. He emphasized this would not apply when the parent is the alleged perpetrator. After the sponsor explained the substitute and called the question, the Senate adopted the substitute and then, under suspension of the rules, passed Second Substitute House Bill 511 on a roll-call vote (26 yea, 0 nay, 3 absent). The bill will be returned to the House for further consideration.

The bill’s floor record focuses on statutory alignment with GRAMA and victim-privacy protections for minors; implementation details (training for officers, reporting, or penalties) were not laid out during the recorded presentation.