Friday, February 29, 2008

THIS MORNING

Today floor debate in the House and Senate will be from 9 to noon and 2-5 — or as needed.

On the HOUSE debate list today are Substitute HB395 (by Donnelson) and Substitute HB470 (by Allen). HB395 allows a prisoner illegally in this country to be released from prison and deported by U.S. Immigration. HB470 makes it a third degree felony to intentionally or knowingly torture a dog or cat. HB493 (by Fowlke) broadens the definition of stalking to include any contact with the victim, including through a third party, the internet or instant messaging. HB473 (by Oda) defines a concealed weapon permit to allow — but not require — the weapon to actually be concealed. The bill puts no limits on where a gun could be openly carried.

The SENATE has two main lists. Bills for the first list, called Second Reading, will be chosen by the Senate Rules Committee, meeting at 8:30 this morning. We know one bill will be on it. Substitute SB299 (by Bell) authorizes counties and municipalities to pass ordinances that make employee benefits available to employees, to their dependents and to a financially dependent or interdependent adult designated by an unmarried employee. A registry of these financially dependent or interdependent adults could be created. But this list couldn't give legal status to domestic partnerships, civil unions or any cohabitation relationships other than marriage.

On the Senate Third Reading list are HB171 ( by Daw), restricting the use of Utah's driving privilege card as I.D. for purposes such as buying guns or alcohol, and Substitute HB 309 (by Dougall), which makes the Voter Information pamphlet more complete by including the full text of laws up for referendum It also makes the pamphlet available to all households by permitting distribution by mail as well as by newspaper.

SB169 - Renewable Energy Zone Task Force, and SB210 —Proof of Citizenship Required to Vote, are circled on Third Reading.

HB129, the appropriation for a Veterans' Nursing Home in Ogden, will be presented at 10 o'clock time certain in the Senate, followed at 10:30 by SJR12, honoring Hill Air Force Base's 388th and 419th Fighter Wings.

For more information, visit your legislature — in person or online at www.le.utah.gov

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

We learned more about what will be covered in the budget, which has been cut following predictions of less revenue than expected due to a slowing economy. Judi Hillman of the Utah Health Policy Project was glad to report that full dental and vision services were restored for next year for the aged/blind/disabled category of Medicaid recipients. $2.7 million in CHIP funding was also allocated, enough to keep the program open.

With less money available, UHPP will concentrate on containing health care costs through bulk purchasing of pharmaceuticals, prudent management of chronic conditions, further implementation of the preferred drug list, etc. to find the savings needed to maintain all eligibility and critical services like dental & vision. They'll also work with quality improvement experts to apply improvements from health system reforms to Medicaid and CHIP. Better quality care reduces costs in the long run.

Kathy Van Dame reported on air quality improvement budgets. PM 2.5 funding was set at the requested amount of $2,010,000 ongoing funds plus $200,000 one-time. Alta Water Quality received $450,000 and Mercury Dry Deposition Monitoring $100,000. Requested but not appropriated were $19,000 ongoing for mercury dry deposition monitoring and $62,000 [ongoing] for mercury source assessment. PM 2.5 refers to the tiny particulates that are so damaging to the cardiovascular system when breathed into the lungs.

Utahns for Public Schools released a report blaming the recent erosion in education revenues on a series of tax code changes. "Changes to the basic property tax structure have cost schools more than $380 million over the last 12 years. The establishment of a flat income tax last year means that public schools won't realize the benefits of economic growth. In addition, the legislature has not compensated for an increasing amount of higher education funding being drawn from income tax revenues. Before a 1996 constitutional amendment, those funds were reserved exclusively for public schools."

Coalition members pointed to SB28, a proposed cut in the corporate franchise tax that will cost $61 million when fully phased in, as
legislation that could aggravate the problem. "Each of these changes, in isolation, may seem insignificant. However, their cumulative effects are a cause for serious concern. "The legislature," said former legislator David Irvine, "has been giving away the farm, acre by acre."

Sandy Peck
League of Women Voters