2010 at 12:35 am | posted by Rep. Craig Frank
Utah State Legislature Highlights for February 16th – 19th
composed by the Media Relations Coordinator for the House GOP
This week the Utah House of Representatives passed Speaker David Clark’s health care reform bill. The Health System Reform Amendments would impose several requirements on insurance companies that participate in the Utah Health Exchange, an online insurance market. In regards to the bill Speaker Clark said, “We’re asking to give individuals more responsibilities, to give them the tools to be more informed decision makers when it comes to their own personal health care options.” The Health System Reform Amendments now moves to the Senate.
Also happening this week, Legislators were given final budget figures with state revenues estimated to be an additional $50 million short in the next fiscal year. House Budget Chairman Ron Bigelow says the budget gap for next year now stands at $700 million and that revenue estimates could have been worse and that this means Utah has seen the worst of it.
A modest proposal to the federal government: Let Utah do it, written by Senate President Michael G. Waddoups and House Speaker David Clark published in The Washington Post this week, discusses “a modest experiment” concerning the expansion of the federal government over the years. Their proposed idea is to allow states to dominate those most important programs that are being heavily funded by the federal government; issues concerning education, Medicaid, and others. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/02/18/AR2010021803978.html
To get an in-depth look at what Rep. Brad Dee, the majority whip in the Utah State House of Representatives, thinks about ways Utah can be fiscally conservative read his opinion piece titled, Lessons learned. It appeared in the Standard Examiner this week. http://www.standard.net/topics/opinion/2010/02/13/lessons-learned
Up next week, a package of ethics bills already passed by the Utah House will be making their way through the Senate Ethics Committee Monday.
These are all bills that passed the House this week with the help of the majority. (Note: Clicking on the title of a bill, which is in blue, will take you to the full version.)
This bill pertains to the administration of the state’s Medicaid program, concerning autism.
This bill removes the established sunset date of the Dietician Certification Act.
This bill allows land subject to a forest stewardship plan to be assessed on the basis of the value that the land has for agricultural use if the land otherwise qualifies to be assessed on that basis.
This Joint Resolution recognizes the 75th anniversary of the Utah Highway Patrol.
This concurrent resolution urges Congress to refuse to pass any health care legislation that contains certain provisions, to pass health care legislation with specific provisions, and to grandfather certain state laws, regulations, and practices.
This bill amends provisions related to administrative simplification of the coordination of health insurance benefits as provided in divorce decrees, child support orders, and the Insurance Code.
This bill amends provisions related to the use of uniform electronic standards for health insurance claims processing, insurance eligibility, and coordination of benefits.
This bill amends provisions related to health system reform for the insurance market, health care providers, the Health Code, and the Office of Consumer Health Services.
This concurrent resolution recognizes the 100th anniversary of McKay-Dee Hospital and the tremendous contribution the hospital, and those who have guided it through the years, have made to the citizens of the state of Utah.
This bill amends provisions of the Mental Health Professional Practice Act.
- S.B. 53 – Voter Challenge Revisions – Feb. 17th 2010 – 73/0 votes – Sponsored by Sen. Peter C. Knudson, Rep. Craig A. Frank (R-Cedar Hills)
This bill modifies provisions in the Election Code relating to the procedures for challenging a person’s eligibility to vote.
This bill amends the Individual Income Tax Act to modify the definition of resident individual.
This bill modifies economic development provisions of Title 63M, Chapter 1, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, related to the Industrial Assistance Fund.
- S.J.R. 9 – Joint Resolution Approving Compensation of In-Session Employees – Feb. 17th 2010 – 71/0 votes – Sponsored by Sen. Scott K. Jenkins, Rep. Kevin S. Garn (R-Layton)
This resolution fixes the compensation for legislative in-session employees for 2010.
- 3S.S.B. 22 – Notary Public Amendments – Feb. 17th 2010 – 69/2 votes – Sponsored by Sen. Peter C. Knudson, Rep. Fred R. Hunsaker (R-Logan)
This bill modifies the Notaries Public Reform Act, pertaining to persons licensed to practice law performing a notarial act.
This bill amends provisions of the Utah Human Services Code relating to the collection of child support for a child who is in state custody.
This bill modifies the Motor Vehicle Safety Belt Usage Act by amending provisions relating to child restraint device requirements.
This bill modifies the Motor Vehicles Code by amending provisions relating to leaving the scene of a motor vehicle traffic accident.
This bill elevates to a third degree felony a third violation of the crime of wanton destruction of protected wildlife.
- 1S.H.B. 114 – Education Institutions – Feb. 17th 2010 – 56/16 votes – Sponsored by Rep. Carl Wimmer (R-Herriman)
This bill requires a higher education institution to disclose to the Board of Regents certain gifts received from a foreign person and provides the method of disclosure.
This bill amends provisions of the Hunting Guides and Outfitters Licensing Act.
This bill modifies the Financial Responsibility of Motor Vehicle Owners and Operators Act by amending provisions relating to evidence of insurance requirements.
This joint resolution encourages the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to prioritize Utah for the construction of an additional veterans’ nursing home.
This bill permits employees of the Department of Health to have access to information in the controlled substance database in relation to a person whom the Department of Health suspects may be improperly obtaining or providing a controlled substance.
This bill modifies the Utah Health Code related to efforts to inform people of the effects of consuming alcohol during pregnancy.
This resolution designates April 26 – May 2 as Autism, Disabilities, and Faith Week.
This bill amends the Sales and Use Tax Act to address local option sales and use taxes for transportation.
This bill modifies requirements regarding notice of a public hearing on a proposed school district budget and public disclosure of a proposed school district budget.
This bill modifies the Off-Highway Vehicles Code by amending provisions relating to off-highway vehicle equipment requirements.
This bill includes certain compressed air energy storage technology as a renewable energy source.
- S.B. 122 – Eminent Domain Revisions – Feb. 18th 2010 – 64/6 votes (Reconsideration: 68/4 votes) – Sponsored by Sen. J. Stuart Adams, Rep. Michael T. Morley (R-Spanish Fork)
This bill amends provisions relating to the right to exercise eminent domain.
This bill allows all employees of the office responsible for the issuance of marriage licenses to be deputized to solemnize marriages.
This bill modifies relating to county recorders.
- 2S.H.B. 259 – Property Tax Amendments – Feb. 18th 2010 – 66/5 votes – Sponsored by Rep. Wayne A. Harper (R-West Jordan)
This bill modifies provisions relating to property tax.
This bill modifies provisions relating to the state construction registry, concerning such things as the filing of a notice of commencement, who is required to file a preliminary notice, and so on.
This bill modifies the Traffic Code by amending provisions relating to motor vehicle accident reports.
This bill establishes a process for simplified renewal of benefits under the Children’s Health Insurance Plan.
This bill created the Utah Uniform Collaborative Law Act.
This bill removes simple kidnapping from the list of offenses for the registry.
This bill amends Title 19, Chapter 6, Part 4, Underground Storage Tank Act, increasing coverage limits and maximum loan amounts for Petroleum Storage Tank Trust and Loan Fund.
This bill amends the definition of “practice of veterinary medicine, surgery, and dentistry.”
This bill authorizes a political subdivision to enter into an energy savings agreement.
This bill prohibits a legislative body from delegating to an administrative control board of a special service district the power to establish or increase a fee.
This bill modifies provisions of Title 36, Chapter 26, of the Utah International Trade Commission.
This bill amends provisions relating to minor adjustments to county boundaries.
This bill modifies the Utah Fire Prevention and Safety Act and Utah Uniform Building Standards Act to address the process for adopting and modifying a state construction code or state fire code.
- 1S.H.B. 227 – Licensing Eligibility – Feb. 18th 2010 – 32/40 FAILED – Sponsored by Rep. Stephen E. Sandstrom (R-Orem)
This bill requires applicants for various licenses to provide the licensing authority with documentation of their lawful presence in the United States.
This bill modifies provisions related to the Division of Real Estates’ regulation of the appraisal, mortgage, and real estate industries.
This bill limits the scope of services the county is responsible for when counsel is appointed for an indigent in juvenile court to the proceedings for which counsel is appointed.
This bill modifies fees charged for services provided by the Bureau of Criminal Identification.
This bill modifies the uniform Driver License Act by amending provisions relating to the federal REAL ID Act of 2005.
This bill expands the definition of intangible property for property tax purposes to include renewable energy tax credits and incentives.
This bill modifies the Budgetary Procedures Act to reorganize the list of nonlapsing funds.
This bill amends provisions related to the requirement that contractors with certain state entities must provide qualified health insurance to their employees and the dependents of the employees who work or reside in the state.
This bill modifies the Insurance Code and related provisions to make various amendments.
This bill amends provisions of the Assessment Area Act.
This bill places restrictions on the provisions, obtaining, and possession of electronic cigarettes.
This bill amends provisions in the Property Tax Act related to the imposition and payment of delinquent taxes.
This bill amends the definitions applicable to the sex offender registry provisions to include in the definition of conviction those convictions obtained under any state, federal, or military court.
This bill amends provisions related to the Department of Natural Resources and its powers and duties.
This concurrent resolution urges the federal government and United States Congress to repeal and prohibit regulations and laws that do or would infringe upon the rights of states under the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
This joint resolution grants approval for the sale of a parcel of land associated with the Utah State Developmental Center by the Division of Facilities Construction and Management.
This bill prohibits the lieutenant governor from certifying a document in certain circumstances.
This bill amends the definition of “educational facility.”
This bill establishes continuing education requirements for electricians and plumbers, and also requires the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing to establish a continuing education program and provides for its administration.
- H.B. 306 – Terrorism Amendments – Feb. 19th 2010 – 72/0 votes – Sponsored by Rep. Eric K. Hutchings (R-Kearns)
This bill modifies the definition and use of the word terrorism in the Utah Code.