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Show By Sen. Dixie Leavitt Sen. Leavitt has made arrangements ar-rangements for copies of all legislation being brought before be-fore the 41st Legislature to be available to the 5 -county area. In Beaver County the legislation will be available at the Mayor's office in Beaver and in the Recorder's office in Milford., by Speaker of House Rep. Ronald L. Rencher The House of Representatives Representa-tives began the first week of the Utah Legislature's 41st session with a record flow of business. The first day 96 pieces of legislation were introduced for consideration. considera-tion. This topped the record set last year of 50 bills. By the end of the week 125 bills and 9 resolutions had been formally introduced. Speaker Ronald Rencher (D -Ogden) explained, "We have been able to speed up the machinery of the legislature legis-lature through the relatively new pre -filing system which allows bills to begin preliminary prelimi-nary processing before the actual session begins. This allows the legislature to begin be-gin work the first day instead in-stead of using several days to get organized." "The first day we had 19 bills and 2 resolutions cleared clear-ed through the Rules Committee Com-mittee so each standing committee com-mittee could begin their evaluations. We hope to continue con-tinue improvements such as this so we can take full advantage ad-vantage of our representatives' representa-tives' time," said Speaker Rencher. On the second day of the session five pieces of legislation legis-lation were considered and passed. They dealt with topics top-ics ranging from a white water boating resolution to an act which would legally allow males to be dental hy-gienists. hy-gienists. During the rest of the week 14 bills were passed. pass-ed. These included a bill which allows grandparents the right to visit with children child-ren whose parents are divorced di-vorced at the discretion of the court. These bills have been referred to the Utah Senate for final action. All of the committees of the House of Representatives were organized and began their work this week. These .committees review -legisla-,,tion In detail and make rec-' rec-' ommendations to the full House of Representatives before a bill is voted upon. During this first week, Governor Calvin L. Ramp-ton Ramp-ton addressed the Utah Legislature Leg-islature and explained legislation legis-lation which he considers important. He also gave recommendations rec-ommendations about the state's budget. Other business included the reports of research studies stud-ies which had been carried out during the year. An evaluation of Utah's property prop-erty tax policy and suggestions sugges-tions about necessary changes chang-es in the state constitution were among these reports. The House of Representatives Representa-tives will be aided in their work this year by improvements improve-ments in computer and printing print-ing service. An important addition to the daily computer comput-er sheets is recording the cost of each bill as it passes pass-es so no money will be spent with is not available. Overall, the House of Representatives Rep-resentatives of theUtah Legislature Leg-islature is organized and active ac-tive in the business of providing pro-viding carefully considered laws for Utah. Utah State Senate Minority leader Dixie Leavitt, representing rep-resenting Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane and Washington counties, received his committee com-mittee assignments last week as Utah's Forty-first Legislature began its 60 -day session. Senator Leavitt received committee assignments to the Appropriations Sub-Committee Sub-Committee on Higher Education, Edu-cation, the Appropriations Executive and Revenue and Taxation Committee, the Energy En-ergy and Natural Resources Committee, the Higher Education Edu-cation Committee, and the Committee on Intergovernmental Intergovern-mental Relations. The Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee on Higher Education deals with the funding of the State's nine institutions of higher learning, learn-ing, including Southern Utah State College and Dixie College, Col-lege, within Senator Lea-vitt's Lea-vitt's senatorial district. The Appropriations Executive Ex-ecutive Committee receives the recommendations from the various Appropriations sub -committees and then puts the recommendations from these Committees into one budget package. This committee also makes recommendations rec-ommendations as to the state's taxation policy. Senator Leavitt feels that his assignment to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee Com-mittee is very vital during this period of energy development devel-opment within the Five County area he serves. Among other things, this Committee will deal with the Kaiparowits project in Kane and Garfield County, the Escalante Oil fields in Garfield County, the alunite project in Beaver County, the Alton Coal fields (in connection connec-tion with the Warner Draw project) in Washington County, Coun-ty, and mineral development within Iron County. The Committee on Higher Education deals with the non-fiscal non-fiscal matters of Utah's colleges, col-leges, universities, and technical colleges, and the State Board of Regents which governs all of the State's institutions in-stitutions of post -high school education. Senator Leavitt is also on the Committee for Intergovernmental Intergov-ernmental Relations. This Committee deals with the relationship re-lationship between local, state and the federal government. govern-ment. The Committee will also tackle matters dealing with the legislature and legislative leg-islative organization. Senator Leavitt welcomes and encourages anyone to contact him concerning any legislation that will come before be-fore the State Legislature, or on any other matter that he could possibly be of service. He can be contacted at the State Capitol by writing to: Senator Dixie Leavitt, Room 405, State Capitol Building, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114. |