September 16, 2009

 In MORNING COMMITTEES

 This morning the HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES is considering legislation on substance abuse, especially prescription drug abuse, as well as a “Dementia Awareness Concurrent Resolution” suggested by Rep. Karen Morgan. (Capitol room 250)

 The ETHICS Committee will look at the 2008-2009 Legislative Rules that govern how legislative ethics complaints should be adjudicated. Then they’ll discuss ideas for possible legislation.  (Capitol room 450)

 EDUCATION will begin with annual reports on the Permanent State School Fund and strategies to recruit and retain qualified teachers.   Then they’ll discuss a pilot program for the U_PASS high school student assessment program that incorporates online adaptive testing, online writing assessments and college readiness assessments.

          They’ll hear the results of a study on decentralizing school district budget and management decisions by shifting greater authority to individual schools, plus an update on criminal background checks of school personnel. (Capitol room 445)

 GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS will get an annual report from the Quality Growth Commission. That Commission assists local governments and advises the Legislature and the Governor on quality growth issues and administers the LeRay McAllister Critical Land Conservation program.

          Kirk Jowers of the Hinckley Institute of Politics will brief the committee on the Governor’s Commission on Strengthening Democracy.  That Commission is charged with recommending changes in Utah law concerning lobbyist gifts, legislative conflicts of interest, an independent ethics commission, campaign finance, redistricting, lobbying and elections.  The Commission recently decided to leave ethics and redistricting changes up to the legislature.   (Room 30 House)

MORE MORNING COMMITTEES

 PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY (Room 20 House) will consider

Report: Delivery of emergency services via the state E911 system
Report: State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) projects: networks, security and   provisioning of technology services
Legislative Audit:  Results of consolidating services in the Department of Technology Services
Follow-up Report:  Development of natural gas vehicle refueling stations across the state

BUSINESS AND LABOR (Room 210 Senate)

Consider Draft legislation:  Construction and Fire Code Amendments
Hear Recommendations: regarding the State Construction Code and Adopting a State Fire Code
Hear a Progress report: on Alcoholic Beverage Control Act recodification and other ABC issues
Consider Draft Legislation:  Health Insurance Risk Amendments (Rep Biskupski)
Discuss and consider potential legislation:  on the impact of residential foreclosures on renters

 AFTERNOON COMMITTEES (2-5)

In NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT the Division of Wildlife Resources will discuss land purchase protocols and grazing permits, and the Utah State Energy Program will describe how they’re using federal stimulus funds.  The Recycling Coalition of Utah will report on recycling Electronic Scrap, and the Public Lands Policy Coordination Office
will outline their activities and expenditures. A Snake Valley water agreement update is on the agenda, too.

TRANSPORTATION won’t meet at the Capitol but will visit UDOT’s Traffic Operations Center, which monitors traffic, accidents and weather, and inspect the I-15 interchange under construction at 11400 South.

MORE AFTERNOON COMMITTEES

REVENUE AND TAXATION (Capitol room 445)

Working Group Reports on Property Tax, Local Option Transportation Sales Tax, Tax    Penalties and Credit Apportionment
Hear: Overview of an Insurance Premium Tax on Utah Variable Life Insurance Premiums
Review:  the imposition of property taxes by local entities with non-elected boards

JUDICIARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (Room 30 House)

          Consider drug law amendments (Rep Beck)
          Be briefed on issues of evidence-based sentencing
          Consider Constables Amendments and Parent-time Amendments
          Discuss amount and use of concealed weapons fees
          Hear Performance audit of conversion of Justice Courts to CORIS (?)
          Hear reports from the Office of the Courts on a mandatory education course for divorcing           parents and expedited parent-time enforcement

HEALTH SYSTEM REFORM TASK FORCE (Capitol Room 250) will hear

Reports from the various advisory and work groups of the Task Force (including Affordability and Access, Administrative Simplification, Wellness and Health Behaviors, and Public Programs Outreach)

Reports from the Utah Health Insurance Exchange and Utah Defined Contribution Risk Adjuster Board

WORKFORCE SERVICES AND COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (Capitol Room 450) will discuss proposed legislation on “Unemployment Insurance Amendments” and “Amendments to Programs for People with Disabilities.”  They’ll hear comments on the Unemployment Compensation Social Security offset from the Employment Advisory Council and the Department of Workforce Services, then hear a presentation by the Sundance Institute.

For more information, watch, listen in, or contact your legislator at Utah's legislative website le.utah.gov/   or visit the League of Women Voters at lwvutah.org/

Sandy Peck
League of Women Voters