SALT LAKE CITY — A bill that declares an unconscious person cannot consent to sex has passed the state legislature, with no comment from any lawmaker during floor debates.
House Bill 74 passed the Senate unanimously on Friday without any comment from lawmakers. It now goes to Governor Gary Herbert for his signature.
It appears the controversy surrounding Rep. Brian Greene, R-Pleasant Grove, drove the silence. During a committee hearing for House Bill 74, he questioned questioned if it was rape if someone had sex with their spouse while unconscious.
The remark, which he later apologized for, triggered nationwide backlash. On the House floor, there was an awkward silence as the bill passed unanimously.
