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Tuesday, February 17, 2009
This week new state revenue estimates are due, so a good deal of time will
be spent working on the 2010 budget. Today standing committees will debate
bills from 8 to 10 and from 2 to 5. Floor time is from 10 to 12, and
caucus lunch is at noon.
THIS MORNING
SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES will hear Senate Concurrent Resolution 4.
It designates April 2009 as Obesity Awareness Month and urges health care
and health insurance providers to increase coverage of overweight and
obesity procedures as a way to prevent future health care costs. The
resolution notes that half of American adults are overweight and over
280,000 die each year from obesity related diseases such as high blood
pressure, diabetes, arthritis and gallbladder disease. SCR 4 emphasizes
specific surgical treatments rather than preventive measures such as diet
and exercise that are generally more affordable.
Second Substitute HB 121 makes rules for health care providers who want to
volunteer their services at clinics, hospitals, churches or other charities
that help people unable to pay for health care services. The volunteers
would need to be licensed and supervised and would be entitled to qualified
immunity.
SB 82 proposes that counties levy a property tax of .0004 cents per dollar
of taxable value and earmark it for local health departments. Counties
could not allocate general fund money to health departments unless they
levied the property tax.
SENATE EDUCATION will consider SB 199. It requires schools to allow all
parent groups equal access to school facilities, resources and staff
assistance, and equal access to invitations to serve as parent
representatives on school committees. But schools could not work with
groups that charge dues.
THIS AFTERNOON
HOUSE BUSINESS AND LABOR will debate Substitute HB 267, which prohibits
discrimination in housing and employment related to sexual orientation and
gender expression or identity. Utah law already bans discrimination on the
basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political
affiliation, age, and disability.
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HOUSE EDUCATION WILL HEAR HB 328. It establishes grants to school
districts and charter schools for developing performance based pay plans
for elementary teachers. HJR 13 recommends standards that such pay plans
should meet.
WHAT HAPPENED FRIDAY
On Friday the HOUSE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE passed unanimously
substitute versions of some long awaited health system reform bills.
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 makes easier 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 their 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.
The new HOUSE ETHICS STANDING COMMITTEE met for the first time this
session. They passed on an 8-0 vote 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 also passed 8-0. It requires state office candidates to report
contributions within 5 business days after they are received.
SENATE REVENUE AND TAXATION tabled SB 46 on a motion by Senator Stephenson
and 4-2 vote. Senators Bramble, Niederhauser, Stephenson and Stowell voted
to table, and Senators Romero and Good fellow voted no. SB 46 would repeal
a bill passed last year that collects a pool of capital outlay property tax
revenue from all districts in Salt Lake County to help deal with the
expense of splitting the Jordan district and creating the Canyons District.
Sponsor Karen Morgan protested that this is taxation without
representation, giving no voice to taxpayers about how the money will be
spent.
Senator Bramble moved to go to the next agenda item without voting and
leave the law as it is because the consequences of the Jordan District are
not yet settled. Senator Romero made a substitute motion to pass SB 46,
citing the need to spread the burden on districts in a fair way. Several
Senators said equalization plans need to be statewide. A bill to do that is
currently in progress, HB 66 by Rep Newbold.
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
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.
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 |
