Thursday, February 12, 2009

WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY

Standing committees meet from 8 until 10 today, Appropriations
Subcommittees meet from 2 to 4, floor time is from 10 to 12, and Caucus
lunch is at noon.

THIS MORNING

HB 126 - Voter Identification for Elections, is in HOUSE WORKFORCE SERVICES
AND COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT at 9:00. It would require voters to
present valid photo ID at the polls instead of the two proofs of name and
address such as utility bills now required for all except first-time
voters.  The photo ID could be a drivers license, an ID card issued by the
state or the United States, a concealed carry permit, a US passport or a
tribal identification card.  Absentee voters voting by mail would need to
enclose a copy of their photo ID when they mail in their ballots if
requested.
       The sponsor is working with county election clerks, who believe the bill
is unnecessary. Only a handful of voter impersonation fraud cases have
occurred in the U.S. Other groups, such as the ACLU, League of Women
Voters, AARP and Disability Law Center, agree and  are concerned that as
many as 12% of eligible voters do not have photo ID.  That percentage is
even higher for seniors, people of color, people with disabilities,
low-income voters and students.
       A major concern is that undocumented residents will be able to vote.
However, driver license or state identification card numbers, or 4 digits
of social security numbers are required and checked electronically on a
state database when voters register. The penalty for fraudulent voter
registration is up to one year in jail with a fine of up to $2,500.

HOUSE REVENUE AND TAXATION will discuss Substitute HB 246, which would
reduce the amount of the property tax residential exemption for some
properties that are worth $1.5 million or more.
       HB 133 enacts a state refundable earned income tax credit that would be
equal to 10 percent of the existing Federal earned income credit.  Non Utah
residents or part-year residents could claim only part of the credit, though.

HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS will debate HB 141, which could change
billboard placement policy along interstates and limited access highways
like the Legacy Highway.
       SJR 11, urging a national college football playoff, is also before the
committee.  It urges abandonment of the Bowl Championship Series, which
many feel was unfair to the undefeated University of Utah team and does not
lead to crowning a true national champion.  A copy of SJR 11 would be sent
to the NCAA, the BCS, the U football team, and (as amended on the Senate
floor) to President Barack Obama.  The president has spoken in favor of a
playoff.

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

Two bills that had been discussed and discussed and substituted and
substituted and tabled in committee were acted on yesterday.

Sen Jones' Renewable Energy System Resolution Second Substitute SJR 1,
directing the State Energy Program to assess the need for local government
solar and geothermal ordinancesand report to the Legislature, sat at the
end of the House Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment Committee
agenda.  Rep Barrus went to some length to explain the procedure for a
tabled bill. If not lifted, it went to Rules to be filed (dead) if a motion
was made to lift, proponents and opponents would have 5 min each to make
their arguments, then the bill's sponsor would have 1 minute to sum.  A
lifted bill can be heard at a subsequent meeting.

Rep Brown moved to lift, and Rep Draxler spoke in support, saying that the
reworked language had implied traditional energy sources were somehow
objectionable, expensive, and polluting.  Rep Noel said Sen Jones had
worked with him, and the new language was no longer disparaging of
traditional energy. The vote was unanimous, 13-0.  Rep Barrus implied that
it would be heard at the next (Friday) NRAE meeting.

A second tabled Bill, Second Substitute SB 144, which 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, was not lifted
from the table in SENATE REVENUE AND TAXATION.  Now it will be up to the
House to decide whether to raise the tax by advancing a similar bill.

ON THE SENATE FLOOR

SB 87, Senator Christensen's bill that is expected to save Medicaid $2
million by using a preferred drug list of less costly medications, passed
unanimously.  The effect of the law had been diluted by physicians being
able to automatically prescribe a costlier drug.  Now they will need to get
prior authorization from the health department.  An amendment spelled out
how to do that by phone or fax.

HB 27, which provides that "agricultural operations are not nuisances and
removes the protective language "substantial adverse effect on the public
health and safety" was debated.  Senator McCoy wondered whether the bill is
needed.  Had any operation been closed because of a substantial adverse
effect on public health?  Was agriculture under siege? He thought the law
already says sound agricultural practices are presumed not to be a
nuisance.  And the language guarding against substantial adverse health
effects struck a good balance and should stay in.  Senator Valentine noted
that the bill might be a "sacred cow" but he had questions of how to define
normal agricultural practices.  Floor sponsor Senator Dayton, exasperated
by questions from attorneys "on both sides of the aisle" finally gave up
and decided to circle the bill and return to it at a later date.

You can watch, listen in, or contact your legislator on line at Utah's
award winning legislative website le.utah.gov/   And for more information,
visit the League of Women Voters at lwvutah.org/

Sandy Peck
League of Women Voters

Friday, February 12, 2009

WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY

Lots of new bills will be heard in committee today from 8 to 10 and from 2
to 4.  Floor time is from 10 to noon.

THIS MORNING

HOUSE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES will consider some bills that came out of
the Health Care Reform Task Force. HB 188,  Health System Reform-Insurance
Market,  is designed to expand access to the health insurance market,
increase market flexibility, and provide greater market transparency.
       HB 165 Health System Reform-Administrative Simplification sets standards
for the exchange of payment information between health care providers,
insurers and patients.
       HB 331 says some state departments, including DEQ and the Department of
Transportation, would have to require contractors to offer health care to
the contractors'  employees and their families. The policy would apply only
if the contract was for $500,000 or more.

HOUSE EDUCATION will consider HB 150, which requires the direct,
nonpartisan election of members of the State Board of Education.  It
repeals the current involvement of the Governor and the nominating and
recruiting committee in candidate selection . In case of a primary
election, the primary winner would be listed first on the general election
ballot.  Without a primary, the order of names on the ballot would be
determined by a lottery conducted by the Lt. Governor.

AT HIGH NOON

 the new HOUSE ETHICS STANDING COMMITTEE meets in Capitol room 250 to
consider HB 345, which prohibits elected state officials from acting as
lobbyists for one year after leaving office. The prohibition would apply to
the governor, lieutenant governor, state auditor, state treasurer, attorney
general and members of the Legislature.  The restriction doesn't apply if
the person is lobbying for himself or a business he's associated with,
unless the primary activity of the business is lobbying or governmental
relations.
       HB 346 is in the Ethics Committee also.  It requires state office
candidates to report contributions within 5 business days after they are
received.

IN THE AFTERNOON

SENATE REVENUE AND TAXATION will consider a school property tax bill, SB46.
By eliminating a county-wide pool of capital outlay property tax revenues,
this bill could  increase or decrease the amount of capital outlay property
tax revenues a school district in Salt Lake County, such as Salt Lake City
or Jordan, receives.

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

A substitute version of HB 126 - Voter Identification for Elections passed
the HOUSE WORKFORCE SERVICES AND COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Committee yesterday.
       The original bill would have required voters to present valid photo ID at
the polls instead of the two proofs of name and address now required for
all except first-time voters. The photo ID would have to be a drivers
license, an ID card issued by the state or the United States, a concealed
carry permit, a US passport or a tribal identification card.
       When bill critics pointed out that 12 per cent or more of seniors, people
of color, people with disabilities, low-income voters and students do not
have a photo ID, Rep Daw responded by restoring some 16 alternatives now in
the law, such as utility bills, that can be used to identify a voter's name
and address. Andrew Riggle of the Disability Law Center testified that
people with disabilities who live in institutions or under guardianship
would have trouble presenting even these secondary forms of ID.
       Substitute HB 126 also eliminated the requirement that absentee voters
return a photocopy of their picture ID with their ballots.  It was
recognized that signatures on the application and on the ballot can be
compared under current law, and that photocopies would present a danger of
identity theft.
       However if the substitute bill passed ,all voters would still have to
present some form of ID, so discussion by the committee and the public
continued.

       The main arguments against requiring any ID at all were that it encourages
an undemocratic atmosphere of mistrust, based only on anecdotes, not on
proven fraud - which is almost nonexistent in the U.S.-that would
discourage voter participation.  Supporters of the substitute advocated a
trust, but verify attitude.  They cited the common use of photo ID overseas
and a Carter-Baker Commission recommendation that every voter have a (free)
voter ID card.  The committee vote was 7-3, with Herrod, Lockhart, Sumsion
and Mascaro voting aye and Litvack, Seegmiller and Watkins voting no.

HOUSE REVENUE AND TAXATION passed HB 133 yesterday, which enacts a state
refundable earned income tax credit that would be equal to 10 percent of
the existing Federal earned income credit.

HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS passed HB 141, which could change billboard
placement policy along interstates and limited access highways like the
Legacy Highway.  And needless to say, they also approved SJR 11, urging a
national college football playoff instead of the BCS bowl series.
President Barack Obama will be receiving his copy of the resolution soon.

Sandy Peck
League of Women Voters