Excerpts from article:
...A bill that would effectively decriminalize polygamy among consenting adults in Utah was unanimously endorsed by a state Senate committee this week, sending the legislation to the full chamber for a vote, The Salt Lake City Tribune reported.
...The Utah Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee pushed the bill through after hearing testimony from those who said current state law labels law-abiding citizens as criminals.
...The bill's sponsor, Utah Sen. Deidre Henderson, said laws on the books make victims of abuse or fraud within polygamist families feel scared to come forward for fear that they would arrested.
...Current state law makes polygamy a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, with an additional 15 years possible if the defendant is also convicted of fraud, child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic abuse or human smuggling or trafficking.
...In 2017, the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from star and his four wives - one of whom he's legally married to and the other three he's "Spiritually married" to and refers to as his "Sister wives" - challenging current Utah law.
Submitted 1556 days ago
