Following the Utah Legislature 3/03/09

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY

This morning legislative standing committees meet from 8 to 9 – except House Business and Labor begins at 7:30 - and from 4 to 5 this afternoon. The last committee hearings of the session will be tomorrow morning. Floor debate is scheduled for 9 to noon and 2 to 3:50 today. All lunches this week are caucus lunches.


THIS MORNING

HOUSE BUSINESS AND LABOR will consider HB 171. A new provision of the federal Children's Health Insurance Program allows states to lift the 5-year waiting period on Medicaid and CHIP eligibility for legal immigrant children. A significant number of these children lack coverage because their parents work one or more jobs that do not offer employer-based coverage. HB171 and a similar Senate Bill, SB225, would implement the new option in Utah. Around 800 uninsured children could be covered for preventive diagnosis and care, immunizations and other services at a cost of up to $487,000.

HB 454, Small Group Reinsurance, is also in committee. It creates the Utah Reinsurance Pool as a non-profit entity within the State Department of Insurance for small employer group health insurers and defined contribution health plans. As explained by the Commonwealth Fund, reinsurance – insurance for insurance companies - can relieve health insurers of the risk of "adverse selection" (that is, disproportionate enrollments of individuals with extraordinarily high medical costs). Then insurers may be able to significantly lower premiums, making health coverage affordable for more people.


SENATE TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY WILL continue to discuss Second Substitute SB 41, which is about deciding where to put high voltage power lines. More lines will be needed to distribute electricity generated by new sources, including wind power.


THIS AFTERNOON

SENATE REVENUE AND TAXATION takes on SB 5, which describes ways for state agencies and universities to fund capital facilities. They include: Revenue bonds (borrowing that is paid back by revenue generated by the facility after it’s built instead of by taxpayers); using agency, institutional or donated funds; or leasing or disposing of real property.
Property in Salt Lake for an alcoholic beverage control warehouse, a University of Utah south campus housing project, a Utah Valley University Business Resource Center, and expansion of the University Neuropsychiatric Institute are some of the projects that need funding.

SENATE WORKFORCE SERVICES WILL HEAR HB 412, an energy policy bill that discusses what energy sources should be used in the future and how they would affect economic development in Utah.


WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS passed SB 248 on a 4-2 vote. It would allow first and second-class cities with airports to impose a sales tax of .7% or less beginning October 1, 2009. Its purpose would be to fund a public transit systemm a local highway of regional significance or other infrastructure that benefits city residents or people traveling to the city. One project that backers have in mind is a Salt Lake City – Davis county streetcar or light rail system.

Jim Olsen of the retailers association said the tax would put Salt Lake City retailers at a disadvantage. Lincoln Shurtz of the Utah League of Cities and Towns explained that the resort community tax allows tourists who don’t pay property taxes to help pay for the daytime services they use. Salt Lake City’s daytime population is twice its nighttime population. Salt Lake City government spokesmen assured the committee that the city is committed to hearings and transparency on the decision.

SB 223 also passed 4-2. It allows 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). Senator Jenkins was strongly opposed. He said that human-caused CO2 isn’t close to being proven. Sponsor Senator Romero pointed out that regardless of the science, communities would benefit by saving landfill space and restoring the soil while earning carbon tax credits if the market develops. A member of the public, Jerold McDonough, has been studying carbon dioxide emissions. He said the many decaying trees from the pine bark beetle infestation that release carbon into the air could instead be converted to charcoal or biochar.

SHB 126, requiring voter ID on Election Day passed 4-2 as well. Cost questions were raised, such as the need to train election judges to recognize various forms of ID. Utah County elections director Scott Hogenson thought that could be incorporated into the regular training. Jason Yocum of Salt Lake County Elections said Indiana and Georgia needed costly voter education campaigns to help meet the new ID requirements, and Utah voters would need help, too. Sponsor Daw said that information would be in the State Elections Voter Information pamphlet.

SENATE EDUCATION voted down SB 113 on a 3-3 tie vote. SB 113 would delay the effective date of SB 81, last year’s immigration bill, by one year until July 1, 2010. Sponsor Senator Jones said the timing was right. Immigration has been reduced by the slowing economy and the $1.8 million fiscal note could be used in a more positive way. Other bills already address costs and criminal behavior related to illegal immigration.

Several urged a comprehensive federal solution instead of a piecemeal approach. Senator Jenkins said he hadn’t heard President Obama mention immigration reform since 6 weeks before the election. But an immigration lawyer cited statements by Obama in February saying reform is a priority. He intends to introduce a bill by summer and pass it by fall. Other opponents said identity theft, competition for jobs, and human trafficking are urgent problems. Senators Goodfellow, Morgan and Stephenson voted aye. Senators Bramble, Dayton and Jenkins voted no. Senator Hillyard was absent.

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