Monday, February 28, 2011


THIS MORNING between 7:00 and 9:30 committees are discussing water quality regulation and public access to names and salaries of public employees.


 HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT is considering

HB 348 Water Quality Board Membership , which changes representation on the state Water Quality Board.  It would replace one of two officials who manage municipal wastewater plants, and replace one of two representatives of environmental interests. Two more members representing agriculture would be added, including a new representative of livestock and feedlot interests, including factory farms.

 
IN SENATE GOV OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS

SB 309 would restrict public access to names and salaries of appointed public employees who earn less than $65,000.  At issue are employee morale, the public’s right to know how their money is spent, and detecting favoritism towards public officials’ families and friends.



FLOOR DEBATE will be between 9:30 and Noon this morning and from 4 to 6 this afternoon.



THIS AFTERNOON at 4 o’clock

HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS will debate HJR 37 , amending the Utah Constitution. It limits state spending to the previous year’s level, with adjustments for inflation and population growth. Exceeding the limit would require approval by two-thirds of the Legislature and the Governor.  Surplus revenue would go to reserves, emergency preparedness and refunds to taxpayers.

Under HB 133 , accruing state employees’ unused personal and sick leave as a retirement benefit would be reduced beginning June 25. Resulting reductions in benefits would be compensated by commensurate salary increases estimated at 4 to 5 percent.



SENATE EDUCATION will debate SB 224 Partisan School Board Elections.  Currently two candidates for each district of the State Board of Education, nominated by recruiting committees representing various interests and the Governor, run on a nonpartisan basis.
     Under SB 224 , candidates would be nominated by political parties and run as partisan representatives of those parties.  At issue are restoring direct election of board members, increasing the role of political parties in education policy and unlimited campaign contributions to candidates.                                                                      

OTHER COMMITTEES MONDAY MORNING

In SENATE REVENUE AND TAXATION

Substitute HB 226 prohibits service areas from collecting a fee for law enforcement, fire protection, paramedic and emergency services until after January 2012. This applies to Salt Lake County.

SENATE WORKFORCE SERVICES AND COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT will consider HB 220 , creating a fund for the Intermountain Weatherization Training Center .  Money would come from fees and donations.  No appropriations are proposed. The center helps citizens weatherize their buildings, conserve considerable energy and reduce utility bills.

Also in committee, SB 312 creates a Governor’s Economic Development Coordinating Council to recommend strategies for economic growth. Science, technology and research, rural development, capital development and world trade would be represented.

IN HOUSE JUDICIARY

HB 374 prevents a person arrested for domestic violence from contacting the alleged victim while in jail.  

Subst SB 212 allows the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission to vote in a closed meeting whether or not to recommend that voters retain a judge and removes litigants from the judicial performance evaluation survey.

 
IN HOUSE LAW ENFORCEMENT/CRIMINAL JUSTICE

HB 445 creates a prison relocation and development authority to consider moving the state prison from Point of the Mountain.

SB 124 makes it at least a class C misdemeanor to leave a child unattended in a motor vehicle under conditions that present a risk to the child’s health or safety.  



OTHER COMMITTEES MONDAY AFTERNOON

ALSO IN HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
         HB 387 would increase the percentage of majority party members on the House and Senate Management Committees and the Legislative Management Committee (made up of three subcommittees:  Research and General Counsel, which recommends appointment of the Director of Legislative Research and General Counsel and the legislative general counsel; Budget Subcommittee, which recommends appointment of the legislative fiscal analyst; Audit Subcommittee, which recommends appointment of the legislative auditor general).  

These committees currently are made up of equal numbers of majority and minority party members.  Under HB 387 the percentage of majority party members instead of being 50 percent would be equal to the percentage of majority party members in the whole legislature, shifting more power to the majority party.  

ALSO IN SENATE EDUCATION
             SB 263 allows the State Board of Education to investigate whether a school district or school is in compliance with state law and allows the State Board to reverse the decision of a local school board or charter school governing board that violates state law.

IN HOUSE WORKFORCE SERVICES AND COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

HJR 34 authorizes the state to lease the Rio Grande Depot in Salt Lake City for a public market.

Sandy Peck
sandypeck@xmission.com