The Board of the LWVUT has adopted the following priorities for the upcoming legislature. What this really means is that we have listed the areas we expect to be watching. In some areas many, many bills have already been filed. In others there is still a great void. And it almost always happens that something pops up that we were not expecting but which we simply cannot ignore.

We divide our priorities into first and second tiers. I am not sure why but I interpret the two levels as saying we expect to spend more time and energy on first tier topics than we will on the second. It does not mean that the items in the second tier are less important. And it doesn't mean we will not work very hard on them if that is what is required. But I think anyone would predict that we will be heavily involved in education. Also keep in mind that these choices are very much influenced by the interests of the board and the lobby corps, AND OTHER ACTIVE LEAGUE MEMBERS. That is a hint!

FIRST TIER

· Education

· Clean air

            - Support alternative energy technology

           - Support conservation

            - Restrict power from coal

            - Support mass transit; limit roads

            - Restrain sprawl

SECOND TIER

· Water conservation

            - Support conservation programs

            - Oppose further diversions of waters

            - No dam on the Bear Rivers

            - No Utah water to Las Vegas

            - Sustainable management for Utah groundwater

· Good government issues

            - Support redistricting commission

            - Lobby reform

            - Oppose changes to election of the State School Board and Selection of the State Superintendent. (Education issues but we will only be able to oppose these on good government grounds.)

· Nuclear power

            - Oppose weakening of the current approval process

            - Question the environmental and economic viability of the proposed nuclear power plants.

· Tax policy

· Health Care