OCR Text |
Show DAILY A4 " t f 1 'We amended the daylights out of this bill' privilege, not a right here are plenty of bills that would simplv do away with driver privilege cards of illegal immigrants, but in the unlikely event that the cards survive the session. Rep, Brad Daw. ( )rem, want s to ensure they are used correctly. he cards are tor driving and to obtain insurance but "we've found that it has been used for additional privileges." Daw said. Also in the bill, if a person holding the card has an automobile that is not insured, the card would be revoked. The bill pus-e- d unanimously out of committee and will be heard on the House floor. R-- 1 Sex off ender bill There is a neighborhood in Rep. Ken Sitmsion's district w here people are putting their homes up for sale. about Senate Bill The bill, if s. 7 that now includes line after line of a procedure 'establishes the reading of the amendments is correct or child of abuse, neglect, for an alleged perpetrator EGISLATURE 1 providing to dependency with notice and an opportunity challenge. UVSC may face financial struggle in '08 SESSION HIGHLIGHTS A Tuesday, february 12, 2008 HERALD The problem is that a registered sex offender moved there and he now approaches children, asking them to follow him. There is no law against such an action, but House Bill 161 would change that. , "We need something to send a message to these individuals," Sumsion said. The bill is being sponsored by Rep. Richard Greenwood, and affects those who are on the sex offender registry for a crime against someone 14 years old or younger. A problem police say they often see is that such individuals approach kids at bus stops or elsewhere and offer to give them a ride. The bill would require the offender to get permission from the child's parents or face a Class - A misdemeanor. The bill passed unanimously out of committee and will be heard on the House floor, Joe Pyrah DAILY HERALD A promise last year is turning into struggle this year for UVSC's transition to a university. ; The college was given $8 million to begin the transition, with $2 million promised in 2008 to finish the job. But last week the higher education appropriations subcommittee instead lumped it in with $18 million in other university projects and buried it in the committee's priority list. "It's causing me major grief right now," said Senate President John Valentine. "We sort of took everybody at their word last year." The Orem Republican said he thinks people are trying to piggyback his No. I priority Taylor. "We'll leave that to those making the decisions." He said that with Valentine's support and the school's record at the Legislature, they're optimistic. "The Legislature's been very good to us, very fair to us." this year. That could be double trouble depending on how the state's revenue numbers come out next week. Utah's economy bucked a nationwide slowdown last year but will mostly likely show some slowing this year, even with an expected surplus. "It's going to catch up with us eventually, too," Valentine said. UVSC is deep into the tran- sition, having hired a number of positions, increased the number of available degrees and recently launched its new Web site, UVU.edu. The $2 million would be for salaries. UVSC off icials are reserving judgment this early in the process. "To make any predictions at this point is kind of premature," said spokesman Chris The Legislature's most . powerful committee met Monday for the first time to hear requests for money, including higher education. The executive appropria- tions committee ultimately handles the state's purse strings for everything from UVSC's university transition to the state's 130 empty corrections positions. UVSC's millions are tied into Senate Bill 103, which includes million in other higher education projects. The bill, however, was not given high priority by the appropriation subcommittee. Subcommittee members said they are frustrated because of a lack of stability in funding sources. "We don't know the cap, we don't know the floor," said Sen. Greg Bell, Heights. The committee's 20 members heard five subcommittees on Monday but didn't take a vote. The subcommittees heard Monday were: Capital Facilities and Government Operations I Executive Offices and Criminal Justice I Higher Education I Health and Human Services . I Transportation, Environ- mental Qualityand National Guard Domestic partner registry to be banned For expanded coverage visit the Daily Herald online at www.heraldextra.com. Jeff DeMoss Senators advance home school activities bill Joe Pyrah SB 37 are fiercely Sponsored by: Sen. Mark Madsen, independent, but from time to Mountain time they want to participate in public school activities. Home School and Extra For three years. Sen. Mark Canicular Activities Madsen. Mountain, This Amendments has pushed a bill that, would bill addresses private codify a process for school and home school to do just that, and. students' eligibility to parthe first two years it died an ticipate in extracurricular untimely death. activities.. The bill was once again on life support Monday as the full Senate debated participation requirements, moving close to doesn't cut it." an amendment from Sen. Greg Madsen, a and other bill supporters said Bell, Heights, which Madsen said he feels would gut if there's going to be a third-partthe bill. process for it ought tb be the same for Bell's amendment would to public school students. require "They wanted to single out get independent verification of academic progress before and say the participating in activities. Mad-- l this is the place where the corsen's bill only calls for parents ruption, the lying, the decepto sign an affidavit about their tion takes place," he said. Bell's amendment failed on a child's progress. close vote before the bill itself Bell's concern is with parents lying to get their kids into squeaked past a second readIt will be heard one sports. He used an example v ing more time on the Senate floor, of kids on the slopes Monday with their parents' consent, and if it passes would move on to the House. Madsen said who will show up Tuesday with an excuse note. afterward that-h- expects to "If that's not going on now, have better luck in the House this year because of voting then the world is a lot more head counts beforehand and a virtuous than when I was a better flow of information to boy." he said. "Just to say 'I'm a taxpayer and I'm honest' "counter misinformation." Home-schoole- : home-schoole- home-school- y home-schooler- s, "substantially equivalent" to traditional marriage between a man and a woman. Sponsored by: "This is an attempt to comSen. Chris Buttars; promise marriage one small Jordan slice at a time," Buttars said. "We now have a registry that Local Government Authoris in violation of the very code This ity Amendments it claims to be empowered by." bill would modify provHe said gay couples and isions relating to the auothers already can receive thority of a. county or muinsurance benefits through nicipal legislative body. the city's adult designee program, which is available to all city employees and therefore said. "This bill would leave doesn't create the problem of a lot of employees and their carving out a protected class of citizens. partners in desperate circumstances." But critics of Buttars's proEdwin Rut an, city attorposal say it could endanger the designee program as well ney for Salt Lake City, said as the registry, and doesn't the registry violates neither Amendment 3 nor the Utah provide a mechanism for Defense of Marriage Act. private-secto- r employers to determine eligibility for emNothing in the ordinance creating the registry deals ployee benefits. with divorce, property rights, "Though the registry, we tax filing, or any other issue will get far more people covered by insurance," Salt Lake relating to marriage and state law, Rutan said. City Mayor Ralph Becker SB 267 In response to Salt Lake City's new domestic partner registry, a Senate committee approved a bill Monday prohibiting cities and counties from recognizing any domestic relationship outside of marriage. Last week, the Salt Lake City, Council voted unanimously to create a domestic partner registry affirming the right and other couples of same-se- x outside the traditional realm of marriage to receive health insurance benefits. Senate Bill 267, sponsored by Sen. Chris ButtarsJ Jordan, would invalidate that registry and any others that might come before cities and counties in Utah. Buttars said the registry violates the Utah Constitution, which voters amended in 2004 to outlaw gay marriage and prohibit legal unions that are SB 267 contains language that could be interpreted as restricting who could be designated for benefits under the existing adult designee program, he said. Frank Myler, a Salt Lake City attorney who has been involved in previous domestic partner cases, said the registry will cost thousands of dollars in litigation if allowed to proceed. "This isn't about benefits," Myler said. "Homosexual groups are targeting large cities because that's whee they can get a foot in the door and begin to crack the foundation of marriage." Sen. Allen Christ ensen, Ogden, voted in favor of Buttars's bill. "This issue, in my mind, of forwarding the homosexual agenda, goes against my party's beliefs and my personal beliefs," Christensen said. SB 267 is now headed to the Senate floor for further debate. home-schoole- home-schoole- 17-1- . Police Continued from A SB 160 1 But public watchdogs are concerned the bill would allow officers to get away with bad behavior. "If a police officer does something wrong, the public has a right to. know," said Joel Campbell of the Utah Press Association. Lawmakers are considering a few other bills that would restrict the public's access to public information. House Bill 321 would classify certain records of the Utah Educational Savings Plan Trust. House Bill 166 would keep Sponsored by: Sen. Chris Buttars, Jordan Disclosure ofPilplic Employee Disciplinary Actions Amendments This bill would make private all charges and' disciplinary actions taken against police officers. the minutes of public meetings private for 14 days after the meeting, or until the next scheduled meeting, whichever SB20 AI growing. "We need to clarify that councils cannot simply press their thumbs on the scale and advantage bureaucracy over democracy," said Sen. Mark Madsen, Mountain. Walker took a jab at opposing mayors, saying they were under the impression that they were a Rocky Anderson-type- , with broad powers. "Some of these mayors are running thinking they are a cards. Applicants use temporary identification numbers to receive them. The House narrowly passed '.. Anyone can apply for a tem. a bill revoking driving priviporary identification number with the IRS, Donnelson said. lege cards with a vote of 5 on Monday. "They do not have to apply in person," he said. "They can House members debated about 40 minutes over House apply through the mail." Bill 239, sponsored by Rep. Tennessee, which was the Glenn Donnelson, first state to have driver priviOgden. The bill needed 38 votes lege cards, has repealed them, Donnelson said. to move to the Senate, where Donnelson's bill would Donnelson expects a similar ; battle. revoke all driving privilege cards by Dec. 31, 2008, and Donnelson said the cards are a threat to national secuprohibit the Driver License Diimvision from issuing any more. and illegal encourage rity Donnelson said those who migrants to settle in Utah. "With the driver privilege here legally and have visas will be able to get a regular card, we do not know who driver's license like they did they are," Donnelson said. before Utah implemented the "Are they terrorists? Are they just people who want to driving privilege card. The come here to work? We don't driver's license expires when know." the visa expires. The cards allow an illegal "A year ago I had faith immigrant to drive and obtain Congress would address the insurance in Utah, but they issue," said Rep. David Clark, cannot be used for identificaClara. "The ground tion purposes, such as to vote work is shifting. Congress is unwilling to solve this isor board an airplane. Utah is one of five states sue and punted it back to the that still have driving privilege states. So, by golly, I guess 39-3- we'll have to do it." The bill is a "giant step back- ward," said Rep. Steven MasJordan. It does cara, not help the public because now more people will drive without vehicle insurance. Rep. Sheryl Allen, said she was in accident several years ago during a session. The driver of the other car was here illegally, had a driving privilege card and insurance. "I think it is a very, very, very bad idea to repeal this law," Allen said. Donnelson expects to fight another battle as early as today when he brings HB 241 to the floor for a vote. That bill would not allow undocumented students to receive tuition. Donnelson said he tabled the bill to look at ways undocumented students could get their student visas. One option is to have undocumented students who are here from Mexico to return to their home country and pay $350 to get a student visa. "The problem is they have te HB239 Sponsored by: Rep. Glenn Donnelson, Ogden - Driver License Qualification Amendments This bill modifies the Public Safety Code by amending driver's license provisions. to get a passport too and that takes six to eight weeks," Donnelson said. Donnelson said he is working on an amendment to change the date when undocumented students will no longer be eligible to pay tuition. The amendment that would change the date from May 1, 2008, to Sept. 30, 2010. That way, current high school students will still be able to attend college this fall and pay tuition, plus it " gives other students plenty of notice, he said. I The Associated Press contributed to this report. Bill seeks due process for businesses violating liquor laws Sponsored by:Sen. Carlene Walker, Lake City, repeatedly said her bill was a consensus bill backed by the Utah League of Cities and Towns and most of the state's mayors. "If you look at those complaining, it is a very small minority," she said. "I'm sorry that they don't understand." But several senators said the list of mayors voicing concerns is Loretta Park ' passes House is later!. G'vt change Continued from ., Driving" privilege card repeal Lake City Municipal Government This bill Amendments rewrites and reorganizes provisions relating to forms of municipal government and municipal administration. strong mayor," she said referring to the form of government that cities like Provo have. "This is a big mistake to make every small change in city government go to a vote of the people." Walker's plea failed and Stephenson's amendment passed 15-1- 0. Walker then circled the bill, which takes it out of play until she brings it back. Loretta Park HB344 A local representative wants due process for those businesses that violate Utah's Sponsored by: Rep. Glenn Donnelson, Ogden liquor laws. "House Bill 344 is not about alcohol or consumption, it's about due process," said Rep. Curt Oda, Oda, the sponsor of HB 344, said he has received a number of calls from businesses that have licenses to serve alcohol, concerned about how the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control conducts investigations, hearings and disciplinary actions. His bill would allow the DABC to continue with investigations but have the Attorney General's Office conduct the hearings. The House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee approved Oda's Alcoholic Beverage En- forcement Provisions This bill would modify the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act to address enforcement actions. with a vote of with one absent. It now goes to the House floor. Currently a license holder who is charged for serving alcohol to a minor or to an bill Monday 9-- intoxicated individual cannot go to the Attorney General's Office for help, Oda said. The Attorney General's Office is charged with defending state agencies, but according to the state constitution it is supposed to protect Utah residents. "I think there is a conflict here and this bill will help all parties involved," Oda said. "The current system protects the licensees," said Gorton Strachan, a member of the DABC. "We have not received one call from the licensees about how they were treated by the current commission or past." Strachan and Kathyrn Balmforth, who also serves on the commission, both said they have not met with Oda and they oppose the bill. "What strikes me about this bill it will not accomplish the purpose for which it was intended," Balmforth said. Allegations that the DABC wants to keep charges going once the investigation reaches the enforcement stage is not correct, Balmforth said. Strachan also asked that Oda meet with commission members to discuss the bill. Oda said he met Thursday with John Freeman, deputy director of operations with DABC, and Earl Dorius, deputy director of licensing and compliance. They discussed HB 344 and House Bill 157, which would require the DABC to notify the license holder within 10 days of a violation after an investigation was completed. "I actually thought we discussed both bills," Oda said. "I think it is disingenuous at this point after we met Thursday and they said they would not oppose this." Dorius and Freeman work for DABC and did not approach the commission about the bill, Balmforth said. Dorius said as far as he could remember the meeting on Thursday with Oda did not include HB 344. |