Wednesday, October 15, 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 COMMITTEE will hear presentations from natural gas and oil shale development industries. Then the committee will review Utah's energy policy after they hear an energy development report from state Energy Advisor Dianne Nielson. A draft bill on Penalties for Destruction of a Bald Eagle is also on the agenda. (W020)

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE are looking at the amount and use of concealed weapons fees collected by Utah and at the status and cost of housing state prison inmates in county jails. Draft bills about gang-related criminal activity penalties; including loitering in a public place and aggravated assault, are also on the agenda. (C415 )

OTHER MORNING COMMITTEES

JUDICIARY (C450) will consider wrongful death amendments, violations of protective orders and a sunset review of Child Support Obligation tables used to determine how much child support a family should receive.

TRANSPORTATION (W025) will hear about the list of highways to be included or excluded from the state highway system and consider whether motorcycle restrictions should be enacted in law or just be rules of state agencies.
One draft bill puts a five-year limit on the requirement that a driver under 21 who drove under the influence of alcohol must complete a substance abuse program before having his or her driver's license reinstated. Another would bring Utah into compliance with federal motor carrier safety regulations. The Committee's May discussion of Utah Transit Authority issues will continue.

REVENUE AND TAXATION has been studying the property tax. Today they'll discuss what action to take. Still under consideration are whether the state Tax Commission or the state Auditor should administer the Property Tax Valuation Agency Fund, changes in assessed valuations and tax liability, and funding of County Assessor Offices. They'll hear a proposal for payments in lieu of taxes for cities and towns and a draft bill that sets out how truth in taxation newspaper advertisements, which explain proposals for property tax increases, should be worded. (C445)

The WORKFORCE SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT agenda includes a draft bill on Financial Incentives for Motion Picture Production in Utah. They'll hear annual reports from the Department of Workforce Services and the Office of Child Care and a report on the Unemployment Trust Fund including proposed 2009 unemployment tax rates. (C250)

THIS AFTERNOON

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND TECHNOLOGY (C415) will look at environmental impacts of drilling for natural gas in the West Tavaputs plateau of the Uintah Basin. Oil shale development reports are on the agenda from exploration companies, state regulators and Utah's Schools and Institutional Trust Land Administration (which receives money for Utah schools from energy development on their lands). Energy Advisor Dianne Nielson will propose a task force to come up with a cap-and-trade law to regulate carbon emissions by 2010.

GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS (C450) is proposing election law changes, including I.D. or county clerk verification needed to vote a provisional ballot in a precinct outside one's own. A proposed open and public meetings bill would require both written and recorded minutes. Written minutes would have to be available within a reasonable time and recordings available within three business days. Local districts with a budget of $50,000 or less wouldn't have to record minutes.

The EDUCATION COMMITTEE (C445) is proposing grants for school districts or charter schools that offer Singapore Math in grades kindergarten through 8. Another proposal would fund technology to manage online computer courses that tailor courses to students' individual needs. Annual reports on the State School Fund, Regents Scholarships, Teacher Quality, and Extended Day Kindergarten are also scheduled this afternoon.

OTHER AFTERNOON COMMITTEES

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (C250) will start off with a progress report from the Health System Reform Task Force chairmen, Sen Sheldon Killpack and Rep. David Clark. Proposed bills would require insurers to refund unearned premiums to persons who cancel a policy and enable the use of partner therapy to treat sexually transmitted diseases. Up for sunset review are the Detection of Public Health Emergencies Act, a Pilot Program for Family Preservation Services for troubled families, and the Utah Commission on Aging. Treat and Release fees for emergency medical services will also be discussed.

In BUSINESS AND LABOR (W025) The Division of Homeland Security will discuss disaster preparedness for businesses, and the Insurance Commissioner will report on complaints received about title insurance and what is being done about them. The committee will also hear reports on the cost and availability of workers' compensation insurance, business resource centers, the use of prescription opiates, medical complication exclusions and subcontractor payment issues.

In POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS (W020) the Quality Growth Commission will report on growth issues, including planning at the local level. Legislation will be proposed to standardize the way local government boundary changes are reported. Other proposed bills would split funding between the Utah Department of Health and local health departments and set up local public health emergency funds. Creating tax assessment areas will be discussed, too.

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

Sandy Peck
League of Women Voters