Following the Utah Legislature 2/11/09

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY

Today standing committees will consider bills from 8 to 10 am and appropriations subcommittees will consider budgets from 2 to 5 pm. Floor debate will be from 10 to noon.

THIS MORNING

HOUSE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE will debate HB 140, which increases motor vehicle registration fees by $2 on cars, trucks, motorcycles and trailers. The fees will go into a Public Safety account to pay part of the costs of employing highway patrol officers. The new total fees would range from $10.50 to $51.50. HB 100 would require prison inmates to pay for medical, dental and postsecondary education services. Payment could be deferred but would have to be paid by the time of release for parole. Only inmates who are legal residents of the US could participate in the postsecondary education services. HB 220 and HB 221, two bills concerning the way the state reimburses county correctional facilities for housing state prisoners, are also in committee today. The question of fair reimbursement comes up every year.

HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT will consider HB 205. It limits the requirement to adopt a water source protection ordinance to counties of the first and second class and municipalities within those larger counties. The ordinances are meant to keep hazardous materials out of groundwater that supplies drinking water. Substitute SJR 1 was tabled by the committee last time. But it has been reworded and could be reconsidered today. It directs the State Energy Program to assess the need for local government solar and geothermal ordinances, then report to the Legislature.

SENATE REVENUE AND TAXATION also has a tabled bill. Second Substitute SB 114 would raise the cigarette tax to $1.30 a pack to raise money for smoking prevention, cancer research and medical education at the University of Utah.


THIS AFTERNOON

The ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REVENUE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE plans to discuss the budget for USTAR. USTAR aims to draw outstanding science and technology programs to Utah institutions of higher learning as a way to increase economic development. Budgets for the Leonardo and Thanksgiving Point are also on the agenda.


WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

HR 3 a Resolution on Energy Policy that urges Utah to withdraw from the Western Climate Initiative WCI, was not presented by sponsor Rep Noel in HOUSE PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY yesterday. The WCI enables Utah, Western States and Canadian provinces to participate in decisions to reduce climate change emissions. The WCI consists of Manitoba, Quebec, Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.

Legislators' objections to Utah's participation in WCI seem to be based mostly on a desire to continue the use of Utah coal as an electric power source for economic reasons, and an irritation with Governor Huntsman for joining WCI without their approval. More bills addressing those issues, such as HB 90 and HB 91, will be coming along.

IN THE HOUSE

The House passed Substitute HB 49, sponsored by Rep Hansen by a vote of 42-31. It deals with challenging the right to vote. The most frequent challenge is that the voter has moved out of his or her old precinct. Many voters don't realize they need to re-register after they move. The impetus for HB 49, however, was an Ogden incident where 300 were challenged a week before the election with no time to respond, in an organized effort to elect a particular candidate. Under HB 49, challengers will have to sign an affidavit and back up their challenge with evidence.

HB 76, an income tax credit of up to $500 for retired military personnel passed. Sponsor Mascaro calmed budget worries by pointing out that the $7.25 million fiscal note will not kick in until July of 2011. By that time the economy should have improved - we hope. Rep Dougall commented the bill addressed two of his passions - honoring the military and letting citizens keep their own money and prioritize how they spend it.


HB 278 passed the House 53-20. It would allow up to 30 percent of class B, C and D secondary road construction funds to be used to pay for lawsuits over who owns R.S. 2477 roads in wilderness study areas. Rep Noel says the roads are needed to develop oil and gas and water. Rep Allen wanted to know whether transportation funds had been used for litigation before and was told that the Utah Department of Transportation had done so when the Legacy Highway was built near the Great Salt Lake. Opponents of the bill have two objections: 1) The funds were allocated to counties and municipalities for road maintenance and repair. They should not be used for litigation. 2) A large percent of the taxpayers of Utah are not in agreement with the rural counties that want to fight for unreasonable R.S. 2477 designation in order to prevent creation of more wilderness areas in Utah. They should not be asked to finance this legal campaign.

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