Following what is always a long last night of the legislative session, Speaker Greg Curtis and Majority Leader Dave Clark characterized the session as one of solid progress, pragmatic compromise, and healthy debate.

"It was one of the calmer and more productive sessions I've been able to lead," said Curtis. "I'm especially heartened by our continued progress improving education funding. During my time as speaker, I've seen an unprecedented increase in education funding, with this year continuing that trend."

Curtis also pointed to Utah's continued AAA bond rating, balanced budget and recent ranking by Governing Magazine as the best fiscally managed state in the union. "People always hear about the controversy," said Curtis. "But the majority of the work that gets done is the nuts and bolts that make Utah the best managed state in the country."

Dave Clark, who shepherded an ambitious health-care reform bill to passage was equally pleased with the session. "Through compromise and working together, we found ways to move our priorities forward, despite the slowing economy," said Clark. "Change never happens overnight, but we set in motion the tools we'll need to improve our health care and transportation systems."


Education
This legislative session continued Utah's trend of strong support for education funding, with $340 million spent for public education ($200 million per year in new on-going money and $140 million in one time funding.) Fifty-seven percent of total available on-going revenue went to public education. Of these funds nearly $60 million went to teachers (teacher raises- $1,700 each).

Health System Reform
HB 133 sets in motion comprehensive health care reform in Utah based on consumer driven, free market principles. The bill includes a tax credit for those who are self-employed and pay their own health insurance.

CHIP reform
Speaker Curtis sponsored a bill to allow year-round registration for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Now any child who qualifies for the program can sign up for insurance coverage.

Energy Resource and Carbon Emission Reduction Act
This law establishes a target for Utah electrical utilities to supply 20% of adjusted retail sales from cost effective renewable energy by 2025. It also encourages energy efficiency programs and other measures that reduce electricity demand. Also included is an extra tax credit for new solar projects in Utah.

Banks/Credit Unions Resolution
Unlike previous legislative sessions, this issue didn’t become a major distraction. Instead, a compromise between banks and credit unions modifies the Utah Credit Union Act changing restrictions on member-business loans as well as other loans.

Animal Torture
Utah now makes it a third-degree felony to harm a companion animal (dog or cat). This bill found common ground between concerned groups, including the Humane Society and agricultural groups, such as the Farm Bureau.

Jessica's Law
This law makes rape, object rape or sodomy of a child a minimum 25-year penalty. Now, Utah's laws for protecting children are some of the strictest in the nation.

Transportation
Speaker Curtis facilitated a $80 million donation of the right-of-way from private landowners for a new highway between I-80 and Utah Lake, west of Bangerter highway – the Mountain View Corridor. Along with on-going transportation funds allocated during the session for Utah County I-15 construction, major progress was made toward meeting Utah's future transportation needs.

Veterans
This year veterans issues took center stage. The Legislature unanimously voted to appropriate $19.7 million for construction of an additional veterans' nursing home to be built in Ogden. Currently there is only one such facility in the state and the waiting list is double its capacity. Legislators also approved an tax credit for veterans receiving retired military pay.

Equalization
With school district splits a hot issue, the legislature tackled the issue of school district equalization. After many discussions and proposals, the issue was resolved by equalizing funding across Salt Lake County, in addition to appropriating funds for school buildings.

Open caucuses
The Republican caucus has kept up its practice of holding open caucuses this year. Both members of the media as well as the public are welcome at the meetings.

posted by The Utah House | 11:22 AM | 0 comments

Representative Mel Brown, R-Coalville, is the sponsor of H.B. 164 (Town Incorporation Process Amendments), which passed the House unanimously February 26th, 2008. The bill requires at least five property owners to sign a petition to become a town, but those property owners cannot own more than 40 percent of the land involved. Another necessary petition must include the signatures of at least 50 percent of the registered voters. The bill included a “Powder Mountain Amendment” that pushes the effective date to January 1st, 2008.

S.B. 186 (Custody and Parent-time for Non-parents), sponsored by Senator Lyle Hillyard and Representative Kay McIff, R-Richfield, passed the House on February 28th, 2008 with a vote of 57-13. The bill allows for non-parent relatives to petition for custody or visitation of the children with whom they have assumed a parental role.

H.B. 470 (Substitute Amendments to Animal Cruelty Provisions) passed the House February 29th, 2008 with a vote of 61-6. The bill, sponsored by Representative Sheryl Allen, R-Bountiful, would make it a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, for the torture of a domestic dog or cat. This bill is similar to S.B. 297 that passed the Senate last week.

A bill updating the definition of stalking passed the House February 29th, 2008 unanimously. H.B. 493 (Stalking Amendments), sponsored by Lorie Fowlke, R-Orem, now includes sending unwanted text messages or e-mails, as well as other actions that cause distress, such as taking photographs, delivering items to an individual's home or work, or repeatedly showing up at friends' or relatives' homes.

The fifth substitute of S.B. 48 (Equalization of School Capital Outlay Funding) sponsored by Senator Dan Eastman, R-Bountiful, and Represenative Aaron Tilton, R-Springville, passed the House 52-21 on February 29th. The bill would equalize funding for public schools by county.

posted by The Utah House | 5:30 PM | 0 comments

Representative DeMar “Bud” Bowman, R-Cedar City, is recovering well after surgery Wednesday to remove a tumor on his kidney. Bowman recently underwent multiple bypass surgery in December and his heart functioned well during the procedure.

"It was a successful surgery - a little painful, but I'll be fine," said Representative Bowman.

"They won't know if the tumor was cancerous or not for two or three days, but it was all contained in the kidney," said Rep. Bowman, regarding the successful removal of his right kidney that encapsulated a grapefruit -sized tumor. Bowman's gall bladder was also removed during the procedure performed in Salt Lake City.

"I feel really good - very much at peace," Bowman said after the surgery. Bowman was with his wife of 57 years, Marilyn Bowman, and two of his children - daughters Jeanne and Diane with him during his brief hospital stay.

Before his surgery, Representative Bowman made it known to his colleagues that he intends to come back to the legislature in a caucus meeting Tuesday, saying, “I've got an election to win, but I'll be back.”

posted by The Utah House | 8:35 AM | 0 comments

This week the state legislators had a visit from three of Utah's representatives in Congress. Senators Hatch and Bennett visited the newly refurbished Capitol on Tuesday, February 19th and Congressman Rob Bishop visited the Capitol on Thursday, February 21st . While they were here, they spoke to the members of the House and Senate and answered questions about issues such as immigration, national security and the economy.

Senator Jon J. Greiner and Representative Curtis Oda are sponsoring a bill that outlaws the recruitment of potential gang members. S.B. 65 (Soliciting Gang Members Prohibited) makes it a criminal offense to intimidate a minor to join a street gang, or to intimidate a minor to commit a crime. The bill also provides an increased penalty for repeatedly recruiting a minor into a gang. The bill passed the Senate February 7th and the House February 20th and is now awaiting the Governor's signature.

Anti-animal torture legislation has been a focus of this session. Several bills have been proposed, but S.B. 297 (Animal Torture and Cruelty Amendments), sponsored by Senator Allen Christensen, has emerged as the most likely to pass. It is a compromise between the many parties invested in this issue. The bill makes torture of companion animals (domestic dogs or cats) a felony on the first offense. This new bill was introduced in the Senate for the first time this week.

H.B. 492 (Sex Offender Notification and Registration), sponsored by Representative Paul Ray, amends the state sex offender registry to make it stricter. Offenders are now required to submit more comprehensive information including social security number, any vehicle owned or regularly used, passport information, telephone numbers and employment and volunteer locations. Offenders will also be compelled to register every six months, rather than every year as is currently required. The bill also adds aggravated kidnapping as a lifetime registration offense. These stricter guidelines will allow for better monitoring of convicted sex offenders. H.B. 492 passed the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice House committee unanimously on February 20th and is now in line to be heard by the entire House.

H.B. 406 (Traffic Code Amendments) addresses two issues common on Utah highways. The first part of the bill allows for a higher speed limit along a specific section of I-15 in central Utah. The slight speed limit increase is contingent on a Department of Transportation traffic engineering and safety study and would not be in effect in towns, on inclines or in treacherous areas. The second part of the bill stipulates that a vehicle passing a slow-moving vehicle on a two-lane highway must do so promptly and may not impede the movement of traffic. This provision prohibits two slow-moving vehicles from clogging the free flow of traffic. H.B. 406 is sponsored by Representative James A. Dunnigan and passed the House on February 21st with a vote of 53-15.

posted by The Utah House | 7:34 AM | 0 comments

posted by The Utah House | 10:19 AM | 0 comments

The House of Representatives welcomed the families of Utah's fallen soldiers Friday to honor them with a House citation. The House Chamber was filled with the families whose sons, fathers, brothers, uncles, and husbands gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. As the representatives and others in attendance observed a moment of silence, many in the room were moved to tears by the moment.


The Speaker of the House, Representative Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, announced at the beginning of the session that he was taking a personal interest in the health care problem in Utah. As part of the solution to the problem, Speaker Curtis sponsored H.B. 326, which allows year round enrollment in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for eligible children. CHIP offers health insurance coverage to resident children under the age of 19 whose gross family income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. H.B. 326 passed the House on February 12, 2008 with a vote of 70-3.

Immigration has been a hot topic both nationally and on a local level. There are several bills dealing with complex and difficult issues regarding undocumented immigrants this session. Two bills (both sponsored by Rep. Glenn A. Donnelson, R- North Ogden) were debated passionately on the floor this week, H.B. 239, Driver License Qualification Amendments, and H.B. 241, Repeal of Exemptions from Nonresident Tuition. H.B. 239 passed with a vote of 39-35 and H.B. 241 passed 40-35.

Legislators joined together on February 14, 2008 to pass House Joint Resolution 10 in response to the federal H.R. 1919, sponsored by Congressman Maurice Hinchey of New York. The resolution urges Congress not to enact federal legislation designating additional "wilderness”on public lands within Utah without the unanimous support of Utah's congressional delegation. The bill also urges the United States Bureau of Land Management not to restrict access to existing public lands in Utah under its jurisdiction through so-called “wilderness characteristics” options in resource management plans, and reaffirms the Legislature's strong support for continued public access and multiple use regarding public lands. The resolution, sponsored by Representatives Aaron Tilton (R), Roger E. Barrus (R), and Michael E. Noel (R), had bi-partisan support, including Senate sponsor Senator Mike Dmitrich (D) and Democratic co-sponsors in the House, including House Minority Leader, Rep. Brad King (D). House Joint Resolution passed the House 58-11 and now moves to the Senate.

S.B. 34, Confidentiality of Reports to Driver License Division, Sponsored by Senator Allen M. Christensen (R), and Representative Carl Wimmer (R), allows for a way to notify the Driver License Division of a physical, mental or emotional impairment of a driver who poses a threat on the roads. Although no anonymous notifications are allowed, the identity of the informant will not be disclosed to the public, thereby providing a safe way for tips about unsafe drivers to be shared. The bill also makes abuse of the new system a class C misdemeanor to prevent false or meritless notifications. S.B. 34 passed the Senate 20-9 on February 1st, 2008 and received a favorable recommendation from the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee after a vote of 6-0 on February 13, 2008. The bill has now moved onto the House.

posted by The Utah House | 11:47 AM | 0 comments

The House of Representatives begins floor time every day with an invocation and the pledge of allegiance. The legislators participate in these activities, often with a specially invited guest. We have heard from grandchildren, nieces, nephews, children, spouses and parents of the representatives. Occasionally, we are honored to hear from outstanding individuals from the community, in addition to hearing from within our ranks.

This past Monday, February 4th, the pledge of allegiance was led by Miss Utah 2008, Sergeant Jill Stevens. Sgt. Stevens is no ordinary pageant queen; she is a 12 time marathoner, and sergeant and a nurse in the National Guard, who has recently served in Afghanistan. Fittingly, she declined the normal pageant attire and instead arrived wearing camo and combat boots. She recently won “America's Choice” in the Miss America pageant and it was a pleasure to have her with us at the Capitol.

H.B. 43, Allowance of Polling Places for Early Voting, sponsored by Representative Glenn A. Donnelson (R), North Ogden, is a great bill that will ensure that everyone who wants to vote will be able to easily. H.B. allows for places other than government buildings to be used as early voting polling locations. It passed the House last week unanimously and this week was passed unanimously in the Senate.

H.B. 127, Community Council Elections, sponsored by Kenneth W. Sumsion (R), American Fork, makes elections for school community councils more fair. The bill requires that secret ballots, proper notice of the election, and storage of the ballots in a secure box all be employed in future elections. The school community councils often have a big impact on the areas they cover and this bill will ensure that the council members are elected fairly. H.B. 127 passed the House Education Committee on February 8th, 2008, with a vote of 11-0.

H.B. 133, Health System Reform, sponsored by Representative David Clark (R), St. George, passed the House of Representatives unanimously on Friday, February 8th. H.B. 133 is a labor of love by many parties concerned with the state of health care in Utah. A work of over a year, bill outlines a specific plan towards ensuring that every Utahn is insured. H.B. 133 includes provisions for tax credits for those who buy their own insurance, streamlines existing programs (such as the Utah Premium Partnership, Medicaid, and CHIP), and creates the Office of Consumer Health Services. The goals of the bill are to provide: consumer-driven, market-based solutions; broader coverage benefits for everyone; and decreased costs and improved quality.

posted by The Utah House | 11:43 AM | 0 comments

The House of Representatives chamber is a beautifully refurbished room in the newly renovated Capitol building. The gallery is often filled with members of the media, school children on field trips, and distinguished members of the community. This week, Dr. Mario Capecchi, the recent recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine and a Utah resident, was in the gallery. These illustrious guests are often given a standing ovation by the representatives.

Another VIP from within the ranks of the legislature was honored on February 1st. Representative DeMar “Bud” Bowman celebrated his 80th birthday as the representatives sang, “Happy Birthday.” Many legislators stood to share fond memories of Representative Bowman's mentorship and example from his past fifteen years of service. Other highlights of the second week of the legislative session are included below.

H.B. 28, Honoring Heroes Special Group License Plate, passed the House of Representatives February 1st, with a vote of 54-13. Sponsored by Representative Paul Ray (R), Clearfield, this bill authorizes the Honoring Heroes special group license plate to provide financial support to the families of fallen Utah Highway Patrol troopers and other Department of Public Safety employees. The applicants for the plate will contribute $35 annually to the account benefitting the families of deceased public servants.

H. B. 37, Utah Business Resources Act, creates a partnership between the Governor's Office of Economic Development and state institutions of higher education to establish business resource centers. Sponsored by Representative David Clark (R), St. George, the Business Resources Advisory Board would be created to oversee the new business resource centers, ensuring that the primary functions of a business resource center are to coordinate economic development activities in a geographical area of the state and to measure economic impact. H.B. 37 passed the House of Representatives January 28th, with a vote of 60-9.

H.B. 73, is an example of both political party's representatives working together to achieve a goal. Sponsored by Representative Karen W. Morgan (D), Salt Lake City, the bill is also co-sponsored by Representative Janice M. Fisher (D), West Valley City, Representative Julie Fisher (R), Fruit Heights, and Representative Steven R. Mascaro (R), West Jordan. H.B. 73, Child Care Providers, tightens requirements to keep children safer. The bill provides a screening process for the Department of Workforce Services to verify qualifications of certain child care providers by requiring criminal background checks. The bill passed the House January 25th, with a vote of 64-11.

H.B. 256, Jessica's Law, passed the House unanimously on January 31st. Mark Lunsford, the father of Jessica Lunsford (for whom the bill is named) was on the floor to hear the 75-0 vote. At a press conference following the event, he spoke passionately in favor of this bill and encouraged its passing in other states. Ed Smart, father of 2002 Utah kidnapping victim, Elizabeth Smart, was also in attendance to advocate for the bill and celebrate its passing.

H.B. 270, Utah Science and Technology and Research Initiative Centers bill, passed the House 73-0 on January 31st. Sponsored by Representative Ron Bigelow (R),West Valley City, the bill creates an optional grant program to provide an extended year for math and science teachers through the creation of Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR) Centers. The USTAR Centers Program will provide $11 million worth of grants to charter schools and school districts to pay for costs relating to adopting the program.

posted by The Utah House | 11:42 AM | 0 comments

The Legislature began the 2008 session with a huge snowstorm blanketing the newly renovated Capitol. Despite the inclement weather, the Representatives were here eagerly awaiting the beginning of the session. Another highlight of the week was hearing from Governor Huntsman for the annual State of the State address. The Legislators were happy to hear that his priorities for the year were similar to their own, including a continued focus on education funding and health system reform, in addition to caring for Utah's veterans. Other bills that moved forward this week are included below.

H.B. 1, the Minimum School Program Base Budget, passed the House 71-0 on Thursday, January 24th. Sponsored by Representative Bradley G. Last (R) of St. George, H.B. 1 provided $2.3 billion for public education, including allocating money to provide teachers statewide with a raise in salary. H.B. 1 shows the continued dedication that legislators have to funding public education.

H.B. 68, Educator Re-licensure Initiative, passed the House with a vote of 68-0, on Wednesday, January 23rd. It allows a previously licensed teacher whose license has expired to renew their license in a more streamlined manner. Approximately 28,000 teachers with licenses live in Utah but do not have up-to-date credentials. By allowing these teachers access to an easier method of re-licensure it is hoped that more teachers will be available to lessen the teacher shortage in Utah. According to the sponsor of the bill, Representative Rhonda Rudd Menlove (R) of Garland, H.B. 68 will help decrease the teacher shortage by streamlining the process to regain a license.

H.B. 129, passed unanimously in the House on Thursday, January 24th, will improve the State’s ability to care for its veterans. Sponsored by Representative Dee (R) of Ogden, H.B. 129 appropriated $19.7 million to build a veterans' nursing home in Ogden, Utah. Currently there is only one such facility in Utah, with a waiting list of one hundred. Veterans looking on from the House gallery (including Utah's only living Congressional Medal of Honor receipient, George E. Wahlen) applauded the effort, and were in turn honored by the representatives.

H.B. 256, Utah's version of Jessica's Law, passed the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee 9-0 on January 23rd and moved to the House with a favorable recommendation. If passed, it will increase the minimum term of imprisonment for rape of a child, object rape of a child, or sodomy on a child, to 25 years to life.

posted by The Utah House | 10:46 AM | 0 comments

Tuesday's edition of Utah Policy Daily provides great insight into judging the Legislature.

posted by Webbwriter | 10:20 AM | 0 comments