- (1) Upon the request of the victim or victim's family member, a certifying official from a certifying entity shall certify victim helpfulness on the Form I-918 Supplement B certification, if the certifying entity determines the victim was a victim of a qualifying criminal activity and has been helpful, is being helpful, or is likely to be helpful to the detection, investigation, or prosecution of that qualifying criminal activity.
- (2) A certifying entity shall determine helpfulness as described in Subsection (1) in a manner consistent with federal guidelines.
- (3) A certifying entity shall process a Form I-918 Supplement B certification within 90 days of request, unless the noncitizen is in removal proceedings, in which case the certification shall be processed within 14 days of request.
- (4) A current investigation, the filing of charges, a prosecution, or a conviction are not required for the victim to request the Form I-918 Supplement B certification from a certifying official.
(5) A certifying official may withdraw a Form I-918 Supplement B certification if:
- (a) the victim refuses to provide information and assistance when reasonably requested; or
- (b) the certifying entity determines that the individual is not a victim of a qualifying criminal activity.
- (6) A certifying entity is prohibited from disclosing the immigration status of a victim or person requesting the Form I-918 Supplement B certification, except to comply with federal law, or if authorized by the victim or person requesting the Form I-918 Supplement B certification.
(7)
(a) Each certifying entity shall maintain records of the following information related to each request for a Form I-918 Supplement B certification:
- (i) the number of victims that requested Form I-918 Supplement B certifications from the entity;
- (ii) the number of those Form I-918 Supplement B certifications that were signed; and
- (iii) the number of Form I-918 Supplement B certifications that were denied.
- (b) Each certifying entity shall report the information described in Subsection (7)(a) to the department before June 30, 2021, and each year thereafter.
- (c) The department shall report the information received in accordance with Subsection (7)(b) to the Judiciary Interim Committee of the Legislature on or before November 30 of each year.
(8)
(a) A certifying entity may not disclose personal identifying information, or information regarding the citizenship or immigration status of any victim of criminal activity or trafficking who is requesting a certification unless:
- (i) required to do so by applicable state or federal law or court order; or
(ii) the certifying agency has written authorization from:
- (A) the victim; or
- (B) if the victim is a minor or is otherwise not legally competent, from the victim's parent or guardian.
- (b) Subsection (8)(a) does not modify legal obligations of a prosecutor or law enforcement to disclose information and evidence to a defendant.
Amended by Chapter 291, 2026 General Session