Friday, February 8, 2008

MORNING COMMITTEES

HOUSE BUSINESS AND LABOR will discuss the balance of power between the Legislature and the Governor today. Substitute SB144 requires legislative approval of interstate agreements made by the Governor and other state executives, such as the recent energy policy agreement among Western governors.

HOUSE PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY will debate HB295, requiring school boards and charter schools to set policies that govern student possession and use of electronic audio, video or text messaging devices. Policies would address interference with educational activities, invasion of privacy, harassment, humiliation and intimidation of others.

Two bills, SB117 and SB102, which set penalties for animal cruelty and animal torture will be heard in SENATE JUDICIARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT will consider SB89, authorizing the state to work with landowners to prevent wildfires through restoration of land impacted by invasive species. Substitute HB294 would make it easier to appropriate money for wildfire control.

Net metering, which allows homeowners and businesses to produce electricity using renewable sources and sell it back to the power company will be discussed in SENATE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY. SB84 would facilitate development of commercial-scale projects.

AT NOON sponsors of seven proposed Constitutional Amendments will appear before the Constitutional Revision Commission in room W110 to explain their amendments and hear the Commission's opinion of them. On the agenda are three property tax relief bills: HJR9 would authorize the Legislature to cap the amount of property tax the elderly pay on their homes. HJR 14 would allow residential property to be valued by a method other than fair market value. SJR10 would allow property taxes of the elderly to be abated, deferred, or remitted. The timing of legislative redistricting would be determined by SJR 5. HJR15 proposes that legislators be paid an annual salary and be prohibited from receiving anything of value from a registered lobbyist, excluding campaign contributions. HJR13 is entitled "Joint Resolution Requiring the Election of Judges" which could be a significant amendment since judges are now appointed, not elected - but as of last night it was still a boxcar with no text.

THIS AFTERNOON

SB81, a comprehensive illegal immigration bill, will be at the top of the SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS agenda.

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

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

Yesterday, the Transportation, Environmental Quality and National Guard Appropriations Subcommittee chose to fund Air Quality Planning at $2.21 million instead of at $1.5 million and voted to make it a high priority. In fact, all funding requests from the Department of Environmental Quality were voted high priority. Members of the subcommittee and the many clean air advocates who contacted them in support of the higher amount should feel proud of their efforts to protect the health of their fellow Utahns. Federal air quality standards are getting higher and compliance is becoming more difficult. The finding from a Legislative Audit of the Utah Transit Authority that pollution from buses offsets the effect of more people getting out of their cars was a disappointing example.

Yesterday was the last meeting of the 10 Appropriations Subcommittees, last chance to vote on what bills and budget items should be high spending priorities. Now all priority lists will go to the Executive Appropriations Committee next week. New projections of expected tax revenues usually become available in mid-February. Those will be factored into the final budget decisions.

Changes in the law that regulates licensed direct-entry midwives passed the SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE yesterday, but only by a vote of 3-2 on a party line vote. Senate Bill 93 defines in extensive detail the conditions under which licensed midwives could deliver a baby and care for the newborn. It defines what a normal low risk pregnancy is in terms of the mother's health, and spells out when the services of an attending physician or transfer to a hospital would be needed. Under SB93, a physician, a certified nurse midwife and a member of the general public would be added to the Licensed Direct Entry Midwife Board to increase the representation of health care professionals. This issue has been before the legislature for several years as licensed midwives and others who attend childbirth argue the extent of regulation needed for the safety and satisfaction of all concerned.

SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES also passed HB38, voting to authorize and fund an education and outreach program by the Department of Health about the risk of using alcohol, tobacco and other harmful substances during pregnancy. It will cost about $31,000 a year.

Sandy Peck
League of Women Voters