Thursday, January 28

This morning standing committees meet between 8 and 10 AM, floor debate is from 10 to noon, and caucus lunch is from noon to 2 PM. Appropriations Subcommittees examine state budgets this afternoon from 2 to 5. Today at 4:00 PM the House Rules Committee meets to review HR 3, a comprehensive revision of House Rules.

MORNING COMMITTEES

The HOUSE REVENUE AND TAXATION Committee is considering HB 54 and constitutional amendment HJR 2, Property Tax Exemption for Water Facilities, bills that expand the property tax exemption in the Utah Constitution for water facilities privately owned by an individual or corporation. They propose to add an exemption for non-profit entities, including the water facilities, other water infrastructure, and land they own that’s needed to operate those facilities and provide domestic water.

The state Constitutional Revision Commission has recommended HJR 2. An underlying issue is finding stable and equitable funding for water facilities. HB 54 could result in reallocating about $500,000 in property tax.

HB 95, Certification of Voting Equipment, will be discussed in HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. Rep Aagard’s bill requires Utah election officers, including the Lieutenant Governor, to have Utah voting equipment certified to meet Voting System Guidelines established by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. The requirement applies to automatic tabulating equipment, electronic voting systems, voting devices and voting machines. The EAC certification program uses laboratories recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. State participation is voluntary.

THIS AFTERNOON

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES APPROPRIATIONS will review Medicaid programs, and discuss ideas to reduce Medicaid costs. Reorganization of the Health Department and SB 44, Health Amendments for Legal Immigrant Children, are also on their agenda.

NATURAL RESOURCES APPROPRIATIONS will review the budget for SITLA (the State Institutional Trust Lands Administration) including bonuses paid to employees. SITLA manages and sells land granted to Utah at statehood. Most proceeds benefit a public school trust fund, but sometimes sales are complicated by environmental considerations.

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

From Jenn Gonnelly

Representative Daw's bill regarding controlled substances made progress in both the House and the Senate.

H.B. 28 - Controlled Substance Database Amendments and H.B. 35 - Reporting for Overdose of a Prescribed Controlled Substance were both introduced in the senate after passing house. They have both been sent to Senate Rules Committee.

H.B. 36 - Reporting for Overdose of a Prescribed Controlled Substance was passed in the house with a vote of 73 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent. Next it will be read in the senate possibly as early as today.

H.B. 12 - Abortion Amendments is currently number 20 on the third reading calendar in the house. It may be read as early as today and will likely be voted on at that time.

H.B. 206 - Ban on Sale of Smoking Paraphernalia to Minors is also on the third reading calendar of the house, position 23. It may be read as early as today and will likely be voted on at that time.

The advocacy group Utah Medicaid Partnership (UMP) had their weekly meeting yesterday. While budgets have not yet been approved, there is a great deal of concern about cuts that will be made in this area.

A bit of background for those who may not know the details. Medicaid, unlike Medicare is run by the state and is not a full federal mandate. For every dollar the state of Utah spends on Medicaid it is matched by the federal government from 50 percent to 72 percent. Yet a Utah Representative on the Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee said yesterday something to the effect of remembering that this wasn't a federal mandate, but if we take the money then we have the feds breathing down our necks and please remember that Utah is a sovereign state and we want to keep the feds out.

Some of the expected cuts are to dental and vision programs for the disabled and pregnant women, as well as to independent living programs throughout the state. In the State of State speech Tuesday night the Governor alluded to the desire to hold Medicaid harmless in budget cuts but UMP is not convinced that this will be the case. UMP is looking for people with personal stories of the help that has been received through Medicaid. If you have such a story that you are willing to share please contact me. Jenn Gonnelly www.gonnelly.com (801) 448-6536

from Sandy Peck:

SB 78, Constitutional Revision Commission Duties, sponsored by Senator Valentine passed Second Reading in the Senate yesterday.

The bill modifies a current prohibition against the Utah Constitutional Revision Commission making a recommendation on a proposed constitutional amendment after final legislative action. The modification would allow the commission to make a recommendation if requested by the governor, the president of the Senate, or the speaker of the House of 18 Representatives.

The Commission is made up of legislators, judges and other experts on Constitutional law who meet during the session to discuss proposed Constitutional amendments. I invite you to attend their meetings – most informative!

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