Senate adopts bill requiring parental consent before releasing minors’ names to media

The Utah Senate approved second substitute House Bill 511, a measure explained on the floor by Senator Escamilla that clarifies when law enforcement may release a minor's name to media.

Senator Escamilla described the substitute as aligning the definition of "media representative" with state GRAMA (Government Records Access and Management Act) rules and said the bill directs law enforcement entities to obtain permission from a minor's parent or guardian before releasing the minor's name to the press. He said the change responds to constituent concerns after families learned their children's names had been released in a media report: "What we're doing with this bill is simply directing law enforcement entities to get permission from a minor's parent or guardian before releasing their name to the media."

Escamilla emphasized the bill does not apply when the parent of the child is the alleged perpetrator. He said the bill formalizes a practice many agencies already follow and aims to make it a consistent standard across jurisdictions.

The Senate adopted the second substitute and, under suspension of rules, ordered a roll-call vote. The clerk reported the measure had received "26 yay votes, 0 nay votes, 3 being absent," and the bill will be returned to the House for further consideration.

The sponsor offered to answer questions but there was no extended floor debate after the substitute was explained. The next steps include signature by the Senate president and return to the House for the speaker's signature.