Interim legislative committees have their final 2007 meeting today. It's their last chance to give their favorite bills a head start in General Session next January.
The EDUCATION committee gets an early start at (8 am in W 135) to consider creating a Mathematics, Science and Technology Task Force that would study how math should be taught. Bills recommending higher education improvements and suggesting ways to deal with teacher shortages, teacher quality and compensation are also on the agenda. State School Board members
would have to run for office on a political party ticket instead of being nominated by a non-partisan committee under another proposal. The number of Board members would be increased from the current 15 to 29 - one for each State Senate district. Under a proposed constitutional amendment, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction would be appointed by the Governor, instead of by members of the State Board of Education.
PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE is considering bills that address carbon reduction and renewable energy portfolios for utilities and the use of water by wholesale electrical cooperatives. The committee will hear reports on how renewable energy tax credits work in Utah and other states and where federal alternative energy facilities such as solar farms could be built. Efforts to develop Uintah Basin oil shale, the Governor's energy policies for the future, plus a report from the Sutherland Institute on the science of climate change are on the agenda, too. (8:30 am in W 015)
Bills before HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES today would create a community health information network, address adoption and termination of parental rights, amend child welfare definitions, and support employment services tailored to people with disabilities. The committee also will hear reports on how to contain Medicaid costs. (9 am in W020)
The BUSINESS AND LABOR committee will have 10 draft bills before it. The most interesting concern the way interim committees review what health insurers have to cover, creation of a new process for arbitration in medical malpractice cases, creation of "one--stop" information centers for businesses, and a requirement that administrative rules in state agencies address the economic impact of rules on small business and allow businesses to appeal those rules in court.(8:30 am in W125)
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS (9 am W025) is continuing its work on a bill to make the dates that candidates have to report their campaign contributions and expenditures more uniform. It will also consider comments of the county clerks on several other minor election law changes, including restoring a requirement that campaign finances be reported every year, not just in election years.
POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS ( 9 am W130) will debate proposed bills on public water protection and administrative penalties for errors in candidate campaign reporting.
THIS AFTERNOON
Draft bills in the JUDICIARY COMMITTEE address scheduling divorced parent-time visitation holidays and expansion statewide of a pilot program that uses mediators to help solve parent-time disputes. A proposal to set up a Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission to help voters decide which judges should be retained in office and which should be voted out is also on the agenda. (2 pm in W130)
NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT bills about underground storage tanks, fire repression plans for fire management areas, and water right forfeiture protection are in committee. Energy policy recommendations will be presented by Energy Advisor Dianne Nielson. (2 pm in W125)
WORKFORCE SERVICES AND COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT will hear from several affordable housing experts and discuss the adequacy of welfare cash grant amounts. (2 pm W025) They'll consider draft bills in the areas of community and economic development, child care providers, and the art inventory owned by the state
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (2 pm in W020) will hear legislative proposals to include smothering or strangling in the definition of aggravated assault and to allow expungement of crimes that have been pardoned by the Board of Pardons. Reports will be presented on emergency medical services and the amount and use of fees collected for concealed
weapons permits.
The REVENUE AND TAXATION Committee (meeting from 2 to 5 pm in W135) will consider several property tax changes , including requiring counties to use a computer assisted mass appraisal system to annually update property values and inform taxpayers of the most recent appraisal date on their property. Other proposed bills (1)create a searchable website where the public can
see state financial information and (2) send a portion of severance tax revenue into a special trust fund. Another proposal would change the amounts of year-end surplus to be transferred to the General Fund Budget Reserve Account, Education Fund Budget Reserve Account ("rainy day funds"), and State Disaster Recovery Restricted Account. General Fund and Education Fund budget reserve accounts could receive 25% of revenue surpluses (actual revenue compared to projected revenue) as long as the resulting balances in the accounts didn't exceed 6% (for General Fund) or 7% (for Education Fund) of appropriations for that year. Also in committee is an omnibus income tax bill that repeals the current graduated state income tax and establish a single rate as of January 1, 2008. It lays out what credits will be allowed for items such as higher education and medical savings accounts, retirement income, and the refundable renewable energy tax credit.
The TRANSPORTATION Committee(2 pm in W015) has six draft bills on its agenda including failing to secure a load and littering on the highways and determining what kind of clean fuel vehicles should be allowed in the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes. The Department of Transportation will present a progress report on it's study of how to improve East-West transportation in Salt Lake County.
Sandy Peck
LWVU
Executive Director