Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Interim committees meet monthly from 9 to noon and from 2 to 5 to get a head start on bills for the general session in January.

THIS MORNING

The NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT (W020) committee will hear Senator Orrin Hatch and Congressman Rob Bishop discuss development of Utah's energy resources. Then the committee will debate sunsetting the Utah's Solid and Hazardous Waste Act and Used Oil Management Act.

A sales tax exemption for sales of aviation related parts and equipment will be discussed in REVENUE AND TAXATION (C445). Highway congestion pricing to reduce rush hour traffic and an overview of valuation for property taxes on large centrally assessed properties, such as utilities, are on the agenda, too.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (C415 ) will discuss whether serving jail time before going on probation reduces recidivism. They will hear a forfeited property report and consider proposed legislation that would limit sex offender contact with children younger than 14 and require county sheriffs to be trained and certified as peace officers before taking office.

OTHER MORNING COMMITTEES

JUDICIARY (C450) will discuss condominium and community associations, a new federal regulation requiring cash medical support from divorced parents, a youth services/juvenile receiving day center for Tooele County, and amendments to the material-harmful-to-minors law.

WORKFORCE SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (C250) will get updates on identity theft and state employee drug testing. Then Jason Perry from the Governor's Office of Economic Development will talk about economic development incentives.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE (W025) will hear about global freight issues that affect freight capacity and volume in Utah from highways, railroads and trucking industry experts. RS2477 Rights-of-Way and off-highway vehicle use on public highways are also on the agenda.

THIS AFTERNOON (all afternoon committees meet from 3 to 5:30 pm instead of
from 2 to 5.)

The EDUCATION COMMITTEE (C445) will consider including computer-adaptive testing for reading, math and science in Utah's Performance Assessment System for Students. Congressman Rob Bishop will discuss federal education issues. Also on their agenda is a bill to provide grants for teachers for advanced level certification programs, a discussion of the role of property
taxes in funding public schools, and proposed changes regarding Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, after meeting with Political Subdivisions in the State Office Building Auditorium to discuss funding local health departments, will reconvene in Room C50 to consider obesity prevention, electronic exchange of mental health records, and partner therapy as a means of treating sexually transmitted diseases.

POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS (W020) meets jointly with Health and Human Services in the State Office Building Auditorium for an hour to talk about ways to improve local health department funding. Then they'll return to Room 250 for an update on affordable housing from the Utah League of Cities and Towns and a discussion of funding state and local disaster recovery.

BUSINESS AND LABOR (W025) will hear about the Helmets to Hardhats program, which provides career training and employment opportunities to active-duty personnel transitioning out of the military. They will consider whether to reauthorize the Utah Injured Worker Reemployment Act and discuss adoption of uniform laws to govern limited liability companies, partnerships and limited partnerships.

GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS (C450) will discuss ways, such as ombudsmen and the 211 phone information line, to help citizens and agencies answer questions or resolve disputes involving government services. The Association of County Clerks will present their list of suggested Election Law changes, future needs for state office space will be discussed, and the committee will be briefed on the Four-Day Work Week for state employees.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY (C415) will consider how best to involve the community in choosing utility transmission corridors and the need to upgrade power lines in rural areas. They'll also discuss implementing Utah's new area code, " 385," next spring.

TOMORROW: The HEALTH SYSTEM REFORM TASK FORCE meets at 8 a.m. in Capitol Room C250. They will review incentives and programs that promote wellness through individual responsibility, and tax advantages and portability of health insurance plans. They'll hear reports from the community and from insurers on their visions of health care reform and discuss Medicaid waiver plans and Medicaid coverage of autism.

Contact your legislator and listen to interim committees at le.utah.gov.

Sandy Peck
League of Women Voters