Following the Utah Legislature 2/18/09

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY

Legislators are starting off with standing committee meetings from 8 to 10 today, followed by two floor sessions from 10 to noon and from 2 to 4 PM, and Executive Appropriations at 4.

THIS MORNING

At 9:15 HOUSE JUDICIARY will consider HB 160. It provides legal guidelines for the creation of a Declaration of Joint Support, which would be available to two people who share a common residence and have commingled assets and shared liabilities. They would have to be at least 18 and not incapacitated. One party to a Declaration of Joint Support could inherit from the other party and make health-related decisions if the other party were incapacitated. The Declaration of Support would be ended by the death or marriage of either person or by filing with the county recorder a notarized statement that the Declaration was terminated.

HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT will look at HB 283, which lays out penalties for off-highway vehicle operators who violate restrictions on public or private land, including tearing down signs and previous convictions for harassing wildlife or livestock. A bill to create a Snake Valley Aquifer Research Team and Advisory Council, Substitute HB 120, is also on the agenda. They would look at the impact of water use in this aquifer shared by Utah and Nevada, including impact on vegetation, agriculture, soils, air quality, wildlife, geologic integrity and socioeconomic conditions.
HB393 authorizes the state Air Quality Board to regulate siting of electric power plants that burn fuels such as petroleum coke, proposed by Consolidated Energy Utah in Davis County, and loudly opposed by citizens. Consolidated Energy announced just yesterday that it will put the project on hold while they design a cleaner system.

SB 69, requiring proof of citizenship to register or vote is #4 on the agenda of the SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERTIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS COMMITTEE. Voters registering in Utah for the first time would need to show a valid drivers license, birth certificate, passport, naturalization papers or documentation of membership in a Native American tribe either when registering or when voting.

THIS AFTERNOON

At 4 the Executive Appropriations Committee will begin hearing reports from subcommittees. Capital Facilities and Government Operation, Natural Resources, Economic Development and Revenue, and Executive Offices and Criminal Justice will be heard today.


WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

The HOUSE BUSINESS AND LABOR COMMITTEE defeated Substitute HB 267. It would prohibit discrimination in housing and employment that is related to sexual orientation and gender expression or identity. The vote was 5-8. Voting for the bill: Biskupski, Duckworth, Hansen, King, and Wallis. Voting against: Dunnigan, Froerer, Garn, Gibson, Kiser, Morley, Painter, and Webb. According to the Deseret News, sponsor Rep. Chris Johnson cited public polls that favor protection against being fired or denied housing because of sexual orientation. Public testimony against the bill came from Eagle Forum president Gayle Ruzicka who said "sexual choice" should not be protected in the law. LaVar Christensen, a leader against same sex marriage, used the argument that Utah's "at-will" employment status which gives employer's discretion in hiring would be threatened. Public testimony in favor of the bill came from victims of discrimination. Rep. Johnson said she would continue to sponsor needed legislation.

HR 4 passed the HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE. This was a resolution opposed to implementing a national identification card, as embodied in Title II of the federal REAL ID Act. That title requires uniform information on every state's driver license in a machine readable format to be required for any federal purpose, including air travel. The resolution says this will create a massive public sector database accessible to every state and federal law enforcement officer, making the personal information of all Americans, including name, date of birth, gender, driver license or identification card number, digital photograph, address, and signature accessible from tens of thousands of locations. HR 4 urges the repeal of Title II. It says the campaign against terrorism should not be waged at the expense of essential civil rights and liberties protected in the US Constitution, including the Bill of Rights.


SJR16, a Joint Resolution Supporting Nuclear Power, passed the SENATE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE. A substitute was made to remove appreciation to nuclear power industry developers for "not requesting taxpayer subsidies" and references to "highly subsidized" renewable resources, since all forms of power are subsidized. Aaron Tilton, former legislator and president of Transition Power, which is developing plans for a nuclear power plant near Green River Utah, spoke debunking myths about nuclear power, such as high cost, radiation hazards and waste disposal. Public testimony was taken, with at least 15 testifying, only 3 in favor. Those testifying against brought many facts to contradict Mr Tilton's 'myth' debunking. The vote: Yeas - 4 (Hinkins, Killpack, Knudson, Urquhart) Nays - 2 (Goodfellow, Van Tassell,) Absent - 1 (Mayne).

Sen Van Tassell says he's not opposed to nuclear, but wants to see a business plan.

Sphere: Related Content