Wednesday, February 6, 2008

MORNING COMMITTEES

HJR10 is before the HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE today. The resolution urges Congress and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management not to designate new Utah wilderness areas called for by a bill currently before Congress, H.R. 1919, the "Hinchey Bill," without the unanimous support of Utah's Congressional delegation. The delegation does oppose it now. The Hinchey bill would establish 9 million acres of wilderness in Utah, which the resolution says will cost hundreds of millions in lost revenue and lead to more imported energy from hostile nations with ties to terrorist organizations. HJR10 "reaffirms the Legislature's strong support for continued public access and multiple use regarding public lands."

Also in NATURAL RESOURCES is HB148, the Aquaculture Revitalization Act, which might affect whirling disease in Utah trout. It changes the law regarding aquaculture and aquatic wildlife stocking. A purchaser would no longer need a certificate of registration and the membership of the Fish Health Policy Board would be changed. The Division of Wildlife Services would not be represented on the Board and the requirement that members be knowledgeable about control of aquatic diseases would be dropped.

The HOUSE REVENUE AND TAXATION COMMITTEE and the SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE will not meet this morning but will hold a special joint meeting devoted entirely to UTA at 6 p.m. in room W135. The Performance Audit of the Utah Transit Authority will be presented, UTA will comment, and the public is invited to comment. The committee will then discuss future action.

A property tax break for the elderly will be discussed in SENATE REVENUE AND TAXATION. SJR 10 proposes to amend the Utah Constitution to authorize legislation allowing property taxes of the elderly to be abated, deferred or remitted.

AFTERNOON

APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEES generally meet at 2 p.m.

However, today the PUBLIC EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE will begin at noon, meeting over lunch in Capitol Room 445 to discuss 16 education bills that need funding and begin a new funding priority list.

The NATURAL RESOURCES APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE will meet in Room W030 at 2 p.m. discuss the water situation in Snake Valley in western Utah. They'll hear presentations from the Utah Geological Survey and the fiscal analyst.

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

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

HB106 CLEAN AIR AND EFFICIENT VEHICLE TAX INCENTIVES passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 58-14 yesterday and now moves to the Senate. It simplifies the $1000 income tax credit for purchasing new vehicles that meet performance-based air quality and EPA fuel economy guidelines. The bill also offers a credit of $2,500 for converting a vehicle to run on clean fuel such as natural gas. It removes the Clean Special Fuels Tax on alternative fuels, which currently is paid by purchasing a clean special fuel tax certificate annually. Projected revenue from this tax in FY2009 is $71,300. Carlos Braceras, Deputy Director, Utah Department of Transportation had testified that those funds are needed for highways. But others, including Tax Commissioner Pam Hendrickson, described the requirement as unenforceable. They want to look for a better way to tax clean special fuels. The bill is designed to be fuel- and technology-neutral, and help move the market to favor products that benefit Utah's air quality. Representatives voting against HB106 were Daw, Garn, Last, Sandstrom, Dee, Gibson, Mathis, Wimmer, Donnelson, Greenwood, Morley, Ferry, Grover and Oda.

HOUSE POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS COMMITTEE passed unanimously a bill to regulate building in hazard areas. HB177 would authorize cities and counties to pass ordinances to protect life or prevent property loss or damage by regulating land use and development in flood plains or potential geologic hazard areas. Some geologic hazards mentioned in the bill are a surface fault rupture, shallow groundwater, liquefaction, landslide, debris flow, unstable soil or a rockfall. The bill also asks counties to provide a panel of experts whenever anyone adversely affected by the ordinance appeals a land use decision. Applicants would pay half the cost of the panel.

Another bill the league is watching passed the Senate yesterday. SB61, sponsored by Senator Pat Jones, is a program to improve financial literacy education for high school students. Budgeting, balancing a checkbook, saving and investing, rights and responsibilities of buying a home, loans and borrowing money, insurance, credit card debt and taxes would be studied. The program would be optional, but student mastery would be tracked and reported back to the Education Interim Committee. This should help students avoid some growing financial problems, including identity theft, foreclosure on homes and bankrupt businesses.

Sandy Peck
League of Women Voters