Utah Senate committee unanimously approves bill to decriminalize polygamy
A bill aiming to decriminalize polygamy among consenting adults in Utah received unanimous approval from a state Senate committee this week. The legislation has been forwarded to the full chamber for a vote, as reported by The Salt Lake City Tribune.
The Utah Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee advanced the bill following testimonies highlighting how the current state law on polygamy unjustly categorizes law-abiding citizens as criminals.
The sponsor of the bill, Utah Sen. Deidre Henderson, emphasized that the existing laws criminalizing polygamy create barriers for victims of abuse or fraud within polygamist families, preventing them from coming forward due to fear of arrest.
Henderson stressed, "The indiv...