Following the Utah Legislature 3/02/09

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Monday, March 2, 2009

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY

THIS MORNING

SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS considers SB 248. It would allow first and second-class cities with airports to impose a sales tax of .70% or less beginning October 1, 2009. The purpose of the tax would be to fund a system for public transit, a local highway of regional significance or other infrastructure that benefits city residents or people traveling to the city. Presumably the TRAX line to the Salt Lake Airport could benefit.
Also in committee, Substitute HB 126 would require voters to present ID when they vote on Election Day. The purpose of the bill is to head off voter fraud although no fraud, including voting by non-citizens, has occurred in Utah. Voters least likely to have ID are seniors and people with disabilities – especially those not living in their own homes, African-Americans, Native Americans, and people with low incomes.
The committee also will consider SB223. It would allow cities and counties to seek and sell carbon credits when they capture carbon by converting their waste and garbage to charcoal or biochar (a soil improver).

SENATE REVENUE AND TAXATION will hear a recycling bill also. SB 224 would allow the Department of Transportation to reuse industrial by-products in their projects. By-products could include construction debris, residuals from processing ores or minerals, flue gas emission residuals, fly ash, slag, and cement kiln dust. Material that causes a public nuisance or health hazard and hazardous wastes could not be used.

HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT may discuss HB 379 – Environmental Litigation Bond. Anyone asking for the government to delay an environmental action through a preliminary injunction or administrative stay would have to post a bond. And if unsuccessful they would have to pay damages to defendants harmed by the delay. Similar bills proposed in the past have raised questions of requiring money (the bond) to petition the government and singling out environmental actions.

IN THE AFTERNOON

SENATE EDUCATION will consider SB 113. It would delay the effective date of SB 81, last year’s immigration bill, by one year until July 1, 2010.
SB 74 requires local school board or charter schools to enact detailed gang prevention and intervention policies. Faculty and personnel would report gang activities to the administrator. Students who participated would be excluded from extracurricular activities, including interscholastic athletics, and restitution would be required for gang-related graffiti or damage to school property.

Monday, March 2, 2009

WHAT HAPPENED FRIDAY

Friday lunchtime committees were busy last week.

The HOUSE RETIREMENT COMMITTEE approved a bill to cut legislators’ daily pay by 10 percent to $117 a day through 2010. The reduction would apply to general and special sessions and authorized legislative meetings, HB 410 passed by a vote of 4-2. HB 96, giving a charter school that had opted out of participation in the state retirement system a one-time opportunity to opt back in, was also approved.

The HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE made some progress. It passed SB 162, prohibiting the personal use of leftover campaign funds by elected officials after they leave office. Candidates and incumbents already must use campaign funds only for political purposes. SB 156 also passed. It increases the reporting of gifts by lobbyists to public officials, adding meals that cost more than $25 and admission to sporting, recreational or artistic events. HB 213, a bill banning gifts worth more than $5 from lobbyists to public officials and their immediate families, with some exceptions, was approved as well.

A bill to allow direct nonpartisan election of State Board of Education members was squashed in the SENATE EDUCATION committee. HB 150 would have repealed the current system whereby a committee made up of education and business representatives choose three candidates who have filed for the office in each district. The list goes to the Governor, who then picks two to go on the ballot. This system grew out of concern on the part of business that our schools were not educating in ways that would contribute to Utah’s growing and changing economy. But it does allow the voices of special interests to limit choices for all parents and voters.
When HB 150 passed the House, it was opposed by many Republicans who thought direct election was a good idea but the election should be on a partisan basis. Rep Sumsion said if candidates had to work with convention delegates throughout their large districts they would become better known. And partisan backing would be a source of funding for candidates, giving them a way to make themselves known to the voters. Also voters could be assured that candidates represented the philosophy of their parties, (particularly about sex education apparently since that was the subject of the examples given.)
Opponents argued that Board members should focus on education issues, and not be distracted by the many non-education issues political parties are concerned with.
On the subject of candidates making themselves known to voters (so that voters don't have to resort to voting for whoever is listed first on the ballot, mentioned by Rep Hughes), I should say that the League of Women Voters e-Voter Guide on lwvutah.org last election received excellent responses from school board candidates answering questions about education, in higher percentages than from Congressional or legislative candidates. And it was free. No campaign contributions required.

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