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Paris Hilton returns to Utah for ceremonial bill signing

By: The Associated Press

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Tuesday, April 6, 2021 1:52 PM

Paris Hilton, who has spoken out about the abuses she said she experienced at Provo Canyon School, center, was an advocate for the new law along with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson. Activists and supporters gathered in the Capitol rotunda in Salt Lake City, Tuesday, April 6, 2021, for a ceremonial bill signing of SB127 that will bring more oversight to the state's so-called troubled-teen industry. (Leah Hogsten/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)

The Associated Press

Paris Hilton, who has spoken out about the abuses she said she experienced at Provo Canyon School, center, was an advocate for the new law along with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson. Activists and supporters gathered in the Capitol rotunda in Salt Lake City, Tuesday, April 6, 2021, for a ceremonial bill signing of SB127 that will bring more oversight to the state's so-called troubled-teen industry. (Leah Hogsten/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)

The Associated Press

Paris Hilton, center, who has spoken out about the abuses she said she experienced at Provo Canyon School, center, was an advocate for the passage of SB127 along with fellow activists Jeff Netto, who spoke to Utah legislators and Caroline Lorson, with the advocacy group Breaking Code Silence. Activists and supporters gathered in the Capitol rotunda in Salt Lake City, Tuesday, April 6, 2021, for a ceremonial bill signing of SB127 that will bring more oversight to the state's so-called troubled-teen industry. (Leah Hogsten/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)

The Associated Press

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox Cox, right and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, left, were joined by activists and supporters of SB127 in the Capitol rotunda in Salt Lake City, Tuesday, April 6, 2021 for the ceremonial bill signing that will bring more oversight to the state's so-called troubled-teen industry. Rear from left, state Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, activist Jeff Netto, activist Paris Hilton, activist Caroline Lorson and Rep. Brady Brammer, R-Highland, look on. (Leah Hogsten/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP)

The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Paris Hilton returned to Salt Lake City Tuesday for a ceremonial bill signing for a law that regulates treatment centers for troubled teens in Utah.

The legislation for facilities that treat teens with behavioral and mental health issues gained final approval in the Legislature in early March, about a month after Hilton gave emotional testimony in support of the bill. Gov. Spencer Cox signed the bill last month but held a ceremonial signing with Hilton on Tuesday.

The new law will require more government oversight of youth residential treatment centers and documentation for when they use restraints. It will also prohibit treatment centers from using sedation or mechanical restraints without prior authorization.

Hilton testified she was abused mentally and physically at a Utah boarding school, where she said staff members would beat her, force her to take unknown pills, watch her shower and send her to solitary confinement without clothes as punishment.

The socialite and reality TV star also spoke about the abuse in a documentary titled This is Paris that was released this fall.

Since the documentary was released, other celebrities have spoken out about their experiences at the school or others like it, including Michael Jacksons daughter Paris Jackson and tattoo artist Kat Von D.

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