Tuesday, February 1, 2011

THIS MORNING

Four APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEES are continuing efforts to cut state programs by 7 percent to deal with a $313 million difference between expected expenses and revenue.
Meeting from 8 to 10 AM are BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND LABOR; EXECUTIVE OFFICES AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE; INFRASTRUCTURE AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT, and SOCIAL SERVICES.

FLOOR DEBATE is from 10 to 12 today. Then legislators caucus for lunch from 12 to 2. Caucuses are usually open to the public.

THIS AFTERNOON AT 2 PM

The SENATE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE will consider SB 47. It sets rules for issuing driver licenses and identification cards to conditional permanent resident aliens, in the US as refugees or seeking asylum, for limited 4-year terms. Resident aliens could take initial license exams in their native languages but would take renewal exams in English.

HOUSE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES will look at HB 231. It says that judges in divorce cases, who determine when children can visit non-custodial parents, can take into consideration a parent’s willingness to allow the child’s continued participation in religious services and consider whether the custodial parent was a stay-at-home spouse during the marriage.

Also in committee is HB 13, which would allow a person 18 years of age or younger who is pregnant or parent of a child to consent to limited health exams and immunizations.

THIS AFTERNOON AT 4 PM

HB 75 in HOUSE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE would narrow the definition of “on or about school premises” in regard to using or threatening to use firearms and other dangerous weapons. Primary and secondary school buildings and grounds would still be off limits. However, the ban would no longer apply to school activities at parks or stadiums, or to public or private vocational schools, post-secondary institutions, or child care centers.

On the agenda in HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT is Substitute HB 51, which modifies the process state managers use to acquire and dispose of School and Institutional Trust Lands. HB 246 would repeal the limit on phosphorus in dishwashing detergent.

ALSO IN COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY AT 2 PM

In SENATE JUDICIARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, SB 50 increases penalties for HIV positive offender charged with prostitution, patronizing a prostitute and sexual solicitation and changes notification requirements regarding the offender's positive HIV test results.

ALSO IN COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY AT 4 PM

SB 142 is before SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. It calls on elected officials and school community council members to supply telephone numbers and email addresses where they can be reached and for those contacts to be public information.

SENATE REVENUE AND TAXATION will debate SB 125, proposing that a property tax exemption for education purposes include physical or mental teaching or training of competitive athletes.

WHAT HAPPENED MONDAY

League observer Jenn Gonnelly reporting

The most interesting about Monday’s Senate Health & Human Services meeting was the presentation of SB0124 <http://www.le.state.ut.us/%7E2011/htmdoc/sbillhtm/SB0124.htm> - Leaving a Child Unattended in a Motor Vehicle (B. McAdams). This bill amends the Utah Criminal Code by making it an infraction to leave a child unattended in a motor vehicle. It pertains to any child under the age of nine who is alone in a car unsupervised by a person of at least 12 years of age. It changes the current child neglect criminal code by adding that the infraction applies if the engine is running or the keys are in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Sen. Madsen was concerned with the last part of the legislation, saying that a child in a car with the air conditioning running with a dvd in the player and a cold drink is not being neglected even if there is no parent present. Sen. Buttars suggested that this bill put too much pressure on busy parents. When the committee asked for testimony from the audience a member identified herself as Maryann from the Eagle Forum and testified against the legislation, echoing the points that Madsen and Buttars had already brought up. The following lines were stripped from the bill by amendment " the conditions present a risk to the child's health or safety, the engine is running, or the keys are in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle;" The bill with the amendments passed favorably out of committee with 5 yeas and 1 nay (Buttars).

— Jenn Gonnelly
www.gonnelly.com <http://www.gonnelly.com>
(801) 448-6536

ON THE HOUSE FLOOR MONDAY

League observer Sherilyn Bennion reporting

Three bills that have had some public interest came up for votes. The first, "Protection of Athletes with Head Injuries" (Paul Ray, R-Davis County), which would require amateur sports organizations to have a concussion policy and prohibit athletes under 18 from returning to play after a head injury without medical approval, was circled after an expression of concern about the erosion of parental rights.

The second, "Advertisements on School Buses" (Jim Bird, R-West Jordan), which would allow school boards the option of selling advertising space on school buses, failed, 44-27, after legislators worried about negative impacts on safety, competition with the private sector and a reduction of student respect for buses.

The third, "Special Group License Plate Amendments" (Wayne Harper, R-West Jordan), passed 52-21. It mandates that groups wishing to have a custom license plate do their own design work, which has previously been done by the Tax Commission, and present a list of 1,000 persons committed to buy the plates. Plates that have not had 500 customers for three years would be discontinued.

Also, the first base budget bill heard by the House, "National Guard, Veterans' Affairs, Legislature Base Budget" (Mel Brown, R-Daggett, Morgan, Rich, Summit and Wasatch Counties), was passed 52-21 with a 7% reduction for the groups in the title and the understanding that the appropriations could be increased later in the session

Sandy Peck
sandypeck@xmission.com