Friday, February 19, 2010

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY

Standing Committees meet from 8 to 10 am this morning and 2 to 5 pm this afternoon.
Floor debate will be from 10 to noon.
 
In MORNING COMMITTEES

SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES/AGRICULTURE/ENVIRONMENT is considering a medical malpractice bill, SB 145 . It would decrease the total amount of non-economic (pain and suffering) damages allowed from $400,000 to $250,000. Attorney fees would be decreased as well for settlements over $100,000.
They’ll also debate HJR 12, Climate Change Joint Resolution, which urges the EPA to cease carbon dioxide reduction regulations until climate data and global warming science are substantiated.
 
SB 210 is before the SENATE JUDICIARY/LAW/CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE. It changes the judicial performance evaluation and survey done before a judicial retention election.  

Witnesses who have testified in cases considered by the judge would no longer have to be surveyed; and questions about “judicial demeanor and personal attributes that promote trust and confidence in the judiciary” would be added to the survey topic of “judicial temperament.”
 
HB 311 , which creates an Autism Treatment Fund in the Department of Health, will be considered in HOUSE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES . Both private donations and state appropriations would fund it.
 
HOUSE EDUCATION will look at HB 72 .  It creates a Public School Seismic Safety Committee to help school districts and charter schools evaluate the safety of their buildings. Also on the agenda is SB 55 , which would allow colleges and universities to authorize and operate charter schools.

In AFTERNOON COMMITTEES
HOUSE JUDICIARY will consider HB 278 .  It would help citizens access government records in electronic form, if available, and be notified promptly when and why records are not available within ten days. HB 340 exempts freestanding urgent care centers from providing emergency contraception to sexual assault victims if there’s a hospital within 30 miles.  The care center would have to provide emergency contraceptive information plus the name and address of the nearest hospital.
 
SB 275, in SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS , would change the rules for voters who change their minds and want to remove their signatures from initiative petitions . A notarized statement would no longer be needed, and the lieutenant governor, instead of the county clerk, would remove the name if requested.
 
WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY

Sherilyn Bennion Reporting

Two bills of interest came up in the House Government Operations Committee Thursday morning.   HB 315 (K. Powell-R, Duchesne, Uintah, Wasatch Counties), Utah Public Notice Amendments, would allow government entities with budgets of less than $1 million (mostly local service districts) not to post meeting notices on the Utah Public Notice Website.  It was passed out with a favorable recommendation after an amendment limited its duration to December 31, 2012.  It seems that half of these small entities have not complied with the requirement to post notices electronically.

HB 266 (also from Rep. Powell), would allow the listing of public employees' salaries by job title, rather than by name.  A representative of the Utah Press Association and I were prepared to speak against this, but then Rep. Craig Frank (R-Utah County) moved to return the bill to Rules with a recommendation for interim study.  

In the morning House floor session , two bills that have received some media attention and that have already cleared the Senate passed handily:   SB 19 (B. Goodfellow-D, Salt Lake and Tooele Counties), Vehicle Safety Flags on Off-highway Vehicles , would allow riders to wear flags on their helmets rather than attach them to their vehicles.   SB 164 (S. Urquhart-R, Washington County), Renewable Energy Modifications-storage of compressed air, would add stored compressed air to the list of energy sources that qualify as "renewable."

Also in the House
Kathy Van Dame Reporting

HB 116  Political Subdivision Facility Energy Efficiency , sponsored by Rep Fred Hunsaker (R-Logan) was passed
unanimously by the House today. This bill would make clear that cities & school districts are authorized to make
energy savings agreements to analyze energy consumption and create an energy efficiency program for public buildings.
This bill is supported by Utah Clean Energy.
 

Jenn Gonnelly Reporting
In Senate Health & Human Services

SB 213 Division of Services for People with Disabilities Advisory Council (A. Christensen) passed unanimously and was placed on the Senate Consent Calendar. It reinstates an advisory council to the Division of Services for People with Disabilities. The advisory board was dissolved due to financial concerns a few years ago.
 
On the Senate Floor

HB 12 Criminal Homicide and Abortion Amendments (Wimmer, C.)
Senator Robles attempted to have this bill circled in order to have time to finish an amendment that she was working on with the sponsor.  Senator Dayton (Senate Sponsor) when speaking to the motion said that she had just received a text message from the House sponsor saying that the amendment was not friendly, and therefore she would be against circling the bill. Senator McAdams then moved to amend the bill on the floor to accomplish the changes that Senator Robles had been working on.  
         The amendment would exempt victims of domestic violence from being prosecuted. Senator Dayton objected to the changes, stating that she did not want to bring in "a person's lifestyle choice" into the debate.  The motion to amend failed.  The bill passed with only four nays (Gene Davis, Luz Robles, Ben McAdams, Ross Romero) and one absent (Brent Goodfellow).  It may be valuable to note that the bill received six nays in the 2nd reading (Gene Davis, Pat Jones, Karen Mayne, Ben McAdams, Luz Robles, Ross Romero) with Brent Goodfellow and Allen Christensen absent.

HJR11 Joint Resolution Regarding Federal Health Insurance Reform (Morley, M.) This non-binding resolution urges the United States Congress to refrain from instituting a new federal review, oversight, or preemption of state health insurance laws, to refrain from creating a federal health insurance exchange or connector, and to refrain from creating a federal health insurance public plan option.  The resolution has already passed in the House.  It passed in the Senate with 18 Yeas  and 8 Nays  (Gene Davis, Pat Jones, Ben McAdams, Luz Robles, Brent Goodfellow, Karen Mayne, Karen Morgan, Ross Romero) and 3 absent (Chris Buttars, Mark Madsen, Wayne Niederhauser)

HB 36 S1 Controlled Substance Database - Reporting Convictions for Driving Under the Influence or Impaired Driving (Daw, B.) was lifted briefly from the table and placed on the 3rd Reading calendar.  It was then substituted by HB 36 S2 which altered the fiscal note and tabled again.

Sandy Peck