Monday, January 25, 2010

Today is the 4th Monday in January. That means the 2010 General Session of the Utah Legislature opens on Capitol Hill this morning. Legislators will begin 45 days of work on legislation and state budgets. Budgets will get special attention in this second year of recession. A deficit of $920 million is projected and the budget must be balanced. The choices before legislators are a second year of program cuts, tapping $520 million in Rainy Day funds, bonding for roads and buildings, and/or raising taxes.

After opening ceremonies this morning, both the Senate and the House will get right down to business, introducing bills and assigning them to committees. In Utah, every bill must have at least one committee hearing before becoming law. Those hearings begin tomorrow.

The League of Women Voters will be following committee hearings and House and Senate action. Important issues this year are legislative ethics including campaign finance limits and an independent ethics commission, how to fairly fund public and higher education, and tax policy – especially sales tax on food, a tobacco tax increase, and income tax changes. Legislators will also address health care reform in Utah and how it meshes with national health reform, sex education in the schools, nuclear and renewable energy, clean air, protecting the state’s water supply and much more.

During the summer and fall, legislators met once a month from April to November in Interim Committees, where they approved several bills, which could be voted on as early as this afternoon. Also this afternoon, the House and Senate will meet jointly at 2:15 to hear about the State of the Judiciary. This update on the courts is usually presented by a Utah Supreme Court Justice.

Last week Legislators also got a head start on budgeting. They met in Appropriations Subcommittees to discuss proposed cuts of 5 percent. Every legislator serves on an Appropriations Subcommittee. Those committees will continue their work throughout the session, beginning Wednesday and Thursday afternoon this week

You can join the League at the Legislature by watching, listening in, or contacting your legislator on line at Utah’s award-winning legislative website le.utah.gov

Call your House member at 801.538.1029 or your Senator at 801.538.1035

Sandy Peck