OCR Text |
Show 1 f. 4- The Salt Lake Tribune, Wednesday, January - 16, 1989 Utahs Solons Ponder Divorce, Child Custody Matters Continued From Page One authorize beer advertising and promotions. Meet With Concurrence In the House, all non budgetary bills, with one exception, met with concurrence. The measure to be killed, calling for a constitutional amendment to require that legislators be residents in their district throughout the term of office, fell four votes, shy of the necessary s requirement of SO. two-thiid- The amendment would have no retroactive powers, although impetus for the bill covers from the current status of two legislators, Rep. Roger and Sen. Sherman Livingston, who both moved Wayment, from their districts but continue to serve Senate-sponsore- J Increase 16.5 According to debate, Emery County stands to lose nearly $1.5 miilion if the PSC order goes through for sale of 50 percent of a power generating facility to a group of municipalities elsewhere in the state According to Rep Jeff Fox, Lake City, the issue also affects 33 other Utah municipalities, and because of the Disposal of Property The House earlier had sent back to the Senate for further consideration a bill to prohibit the Public Service Commission from allowing disposal of Utah Power and Light il in federal $90,942,200 $1,600,100 in collections. funds and Increase The state's share is a 20 8 percent increase over FY 1979-8which was 20.8 Preliminary Consent further debate. Constitutional amendments final passage by at least each house. House also gave preliminary consent to a resolution calling lor a constitutional amendment which would allow the Legislature to set dates for two-third- w' fW-- .o , and Public Safety Appropriations Committee will have to finalize a budget for that department without current financial information. Committee chairmen Rep. Don R. Strong. R Springvillc, and Sen. Jack M told committee Bangerter, members Tuesday that problems with the UDOT computer will mean the information they need to help prepare a budget will not be available until May after the budget session adjourns. Not Accounted For' Also. Mr. Strong said, there's supposed to he $13 million floating around in UDOT that is not accounted for," he added. UDOT converted its computer to handle financial matters, but the device interface" with the Departdoesn't ment of Finance computer. "There is some discrepancy between the UDOT information and Department of Finance," Mr. Strong said. The committee was told that a computer printout of line items is not available and will only be available after we go home in May. It s a Guesstimate Sen. Bangerter noted that the committee has recognized problems with the UDOT computer and added that p .. We should tell them that when they tell us what is in the bank, then we ran tell them what they can spend," he said o vtaesmmsaskssmm&sm: Utah House Speaker James V. Hansen pace iative directs accelerated in handling of legis- - bills. Legislators Rap Flaws in Funds Reports The Republican leadership of the Legislature Tuesday pointed out what they termed serious flaws in the state's budget and accounting procedures that may have let several millions in state funds go unreported in revenue projections. State Auditor Richard G. Jensen reported to Senate President Miles and House "Cap" Ferry, Speaker James V. Hansen. R Davis, that problems with collecticns and reporting by the State Tax Commission. State Finance Department and Department of Transportation have made a conclusive review of finances impossi- In Committee Action across-the-boar- Jios Symms To Reveal Candidacy Bid - two-yea- The Public Education Appropriations Committee Tuesday tentatively approved a next fiscal year budget of $69.1 million for the State Board of Educa tion, about $5 million more than the current year. The amount approved includes sufficient funding for a 12.1 percent cost of- 2nd Day (Flnilnson) Designate geothermal regulatory authority In Division of Water Rights under new Geothermal Resource Con starvation Act. SB48 SB49 (Cornabv) Set conditions for commercial banks lending credit to directors and criteria for shareholder examination of customer records. (Cornabv) Changa certain fee charges bv counrecorders. ty SB51 (Carling) Provide hat notices of default and trustee sale may be sent bv certified or registered mall. SB50 13 ti. 4 Limited Review' press conference. Mr Jensen reported that at legislators' request, the office did a limited review rather than a full audit the latter would be impossible due to time restrictions and and found the availability of records adjustments apparently needed that would boost reported balances in the General Fund by $1.4 million; in the Uniform School Fund by $2.1 million, and in the Transportation Fund by $6 3 million. The audit covered the period ended June 30, 1979, At a living pay boost But committee members emphasized that pay increase has not been agreed upon by legislative leaders, so the figure could change. -- Dr. Walter D. Talbot, superintendent of public instruction, said the budget is the tightest weve had." Included is an expansionary program costing $159,999 for an alcohol education program recommended by the governor and legislative analyst. The state PTA has particularly urged the program. resident Utah students. The money is to acquire teaching In dealing with the proposal Tuesday, materials and tram about 40 teachers the appropriations committee ap- for workshop instruction about the proved several comparatively minor harmful effects of tobacco, drugs and allocations for a number of statewide alcohol. programs, but they shied away from Claims It's for One Time the item faculty and staff Talbot called the apSuperintendent salaries. propriation a "one time shot," with the The regents are recommending a 12 5 aim to lead people away from the use of percent increase in faculty salary alcohol primarily. budgets while the the governor and the There was some resistance to the legislative analyst are urging a 12.1 program. For example. Rep. Hardy percent increase. a Redd, Sal, questioned w hether the money might not be better spent upgrading basic scholastic courses. He also suggested some people would object to "moralizing" in teaching people not to drink. Dr. Talbot said he didn't believe there would be problems since the current state law requires, in effect, the WASHINGTON (AP) Sen. David of abstinence. We can use the teaching that when the educational Pryor. says system to help alleviate Senate reconvenes Jan. 22, he will social he added. problems," introduce a resolution seeking to of of Opinion 1980 the site the Republican summer change Olympics. Sen Verl Asay, described the money as a "pittance" in comparisaid his measure would be a Pryor sense of the Senate" resolution, which son to the overall budget and deservedhe used to "to tell young would have no binding authority hut ly should would allow the Senate to express itself people who really don't know anything about the harmful effects." on the matter. There were also expansion budgetary He said relocating the summer Olymrequests approved for $129,900 to exto be held in pics games, scheduled pand computer programs and $118,000 Moscow, would he "an appropriate to train the blind in use of prescribed response to Soviet aggression in aids and to cope with home life problems Higher Education. According to Heber Hunt, legislative analyst, the State Board of Regents is requesting a total of $218,736,250 for the nine state colleges and universities, a number of statewide programs and e several appropriations. Mr. Hunt said his office is recommending a total of $215,667,490. or about $516,000 more than the budget recommended by Gov. Scott M. Matheson. July Executive Order Those requests can he compared to a 1979-8- 0 budget of $195,275,079, which has since been trimmed to $189,497,815 by the governors July executive order which reduced state spending by 4 percent. To finance the state share of the proposed budget, Mr. Hunt recommended to the committee that it consider a state general fund appropriation of $162,244,600, an increase of more than $18 million over the $744,220,500 appropriated by the 1979 legislature before the cut in state spending. The regents are requesting a general fund appropriation of $165,668,018, and the governor is recommending one-tim- Auditor Tom Allen explained the problem stems from a lack of a clear cutoff of funds reporting at the end of the fiscal year. For instance, the $6.3 million in UDOT funds w as collected for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1979. but because it came in after that date, it was credited toward the 1989 (current fiscal year. $9 Million More? Mr Allen said it appeared the state had $9 million more for appropriation than possibly was reflected in the governors recommended budget. The auditors said it was not possible to state this with certainty, however, because the Auditor's Office had not had time to reconcile its own report with the governor's budget adjustments made last week in a supplementary budget book. Senator lo Propose e Olympic Change - $161,211,100. Federal Revenues The balance of the budget would he made up from revenues from federal and other sources including student tuitions. The regents' proposal includes a 10 percent tuition hike next fall lor Unemployment Dips Amongc Canadians Reuter News Agency OTTAWA Canada's unemployment rate fell to 7.1 percent in December, seasonally adjusted, from 7.3 percent in November, the official Canada Statistics government agency said Tuesday. The December rate matched that (or September, which was the lowest for three years, and compared with a recent peak of 8 6 percent in March last vear. high-rankin- Envoys Exit Bulgarin Reuter News Agrncy congressional trade delegation left the Bulgarian capital of Sofia Tuesday after a one-davisit for economic talks and a meeting with President Todor Zhivkov. There were no definite agreements or decisions made, only a general exchange of views, a U.S Embassy official in Sofia said. VIENNA HOUSE Bills Introduced H04A (Wlmmer) provide thnt no more than tO percent of the book value of the state Insurance fond s Investment portfolio be invested in real estate HB'7 (Gardner) Provide for the retirement board to appoint a custodian for retirement funds. H948 (Atwood) Provide an increase in the Interest rate for delinquent taxes. HB49 (Atwood) Provide for the imposition of Interest on delinauent taxes on property. HBS9 (Svkes) Provide that the fu me' sooose of a person. covered hv group or blanket disability insurance may obtain a converted policy upon divorce or annulment. HB5I (Svkes) Provide or a uniform child custody lurlsdiction act. pe'-son- HB52 (Saunders) Increase local option sa'es tax bv three-quarter- s of percent, with proportionate decrease a state level, HB53 (Smith) Allow for lolnt custody of luvenlles in cases of d.vorce or separation. HB54 (Jones) Add to mem-her.ni- of Federal Research Committee. HB55 (Dmitrlch) Approp- riate $189. RAA 77 to buv 500 acres for College of Eastern Utah in Carbon County. HB56 (Livingston) Provide that, uoon changing to optional form of government, otficers of municipalities whose positions are not be entiabolished shall tled to further compensation Of position HB57 (Sellenpit) Prohibit moon! qhinq bv attorneys the otbre of the employed Legislative General Counsel in PSATO SAN DIEGO. AU S v Bills Placed Before Solons in Day 2 SENATE Bills Introduced SB47 (Jensen) Appropriate 50,000 for Pioneer Craft House capital improvements. ble. Education Board Funds OKd Legislative Committee Begins Debate On Higher Education Appropriations Ir1 of y d 26-da- y require s the governor says we have a zero surplus and we find a $13 million surplus. It's a guesstimate.' Its like putting a financial statement together without income or liability figures." he said. "There is a tremendous discrepancy in what they say they have and what we think they have." he said. Problems with the Utah Department of Transportation computer will mean that members of the Transportation The across-the-boar- two-third- s The Mr. Stapley suggested o $209 fee. recommendation drew mixed reaction from the committee. Richard $38,887,500. Kinnersley, Utah Hospital Association The largest piece of the health fiscal executive vice president, said his medical pie goes to the federal-stat- e opposes the move. He said assistance program, Medicaid. II takes organization it would ultimately increase the paup 77 percent of the requested $139.5 tients bill. million budget $105,376,100. It is an No derision was made on the fee at 18 6 percent increase the largest requested increase in the health depart- Tuesday's meeting. ment budget. Prior to the Health Departments the committee discussed presentation, the has plagued Controversy executive-ordere- d cutbacks in Medicaid program since changes were whether constiset the by budgets Legislature made last fall tute illegal acts. The health department instituted Specifically, the brief debate cenadditional Medicaid eligibility and reimbursement restrictions midway tered around Gov. Scott M. Matheson's 4 percent cutback in through 1979 after it was discovered the state budgets last summer. Medicaid budget would fall short of It was agreed the argument now was funds at its current expenditure rate. Its problems, according to Health academic as far as that particular Department officials, were caused by a order is concerned. tight budget appropriated by last years But if it were to happen again, I Legislature and Gov. Scott M. Mathe-son'- s personally would challenge the gover4 percent cutd nor in court," said Sen. William N. back. committee Jones. Restoring 3 Items The committee worked quickly Although the committee didn't get down to Medicaid specifics in Tues- through introductory matters as Rep. day's session, the health department's Genevieve Atwood. R Salt Lake City, request asks for restoration of three the other warned memitems cut in 1979. bers, We have about 44 hours to spend limit on more than $300 million.' They are removal of hospitalization, restoration of eye glasses, and restoration of dentures. The removal of those items has drawn considerable criticism from senior citizens, hospitals, nursing homes and others. Dr. James O. Mason, Utah health director, reviewed the budget request step by step before the committee The Higher Education Appropriabegan to go over individual health division and bureau budgets. tions Committee Tuesday began the Dr. Mason stressed his department's task of putting together a 1989-8- 1 budget that appears likely to provide more increased emphasis on health prevention. His appropriation request noted than $215 million for the Utah System of that public health expenditures have not. in the past, reflected a priority on preventive aspects. Unhealthy Behavior He said that of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States. 50 percent were due to unhealthly behavior or lifestyle. 20 percent to environmental factors. 20 percent to human hiological factors, and 10 percent to inadequacies in health care. Tribune Washington Bureau WASHINGTON Yet. as pointed out in the appropriaIdaho Republican tion request, payment for medical care Congressman Steven D. Symms is of illness Medicaid consumes 77 about to announce his formal decision to challenge Democrat Frank Church percent of expenditures. Dr. Mason said Medicaid cannot be for the Senate seat he has held for allowed to swallow up smaller hut vital nearly 24 years. The announcement. The Tribune programs which promote healthy lifestyles and may prevent disease and learned, will be Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. from the Symms family fruit farm at death. Sunnyside. near Caldwell. Under questioning by the committee, It will be announced via a the health director said a number of studies attest to the role of lifestyle in television broadcast over three gem state TV stations. health. An aide to the congressman said No votes were taken on specific bureau and division budget requests. there would be simultaneous broadcasts over radio stations throughout the However, the committee began deliberations on the requests for the office of state. The occasion will be celebrated with House parties by the GOP faithful director. $123,900; office of administrative services. $1,013,500; and office of which are expected to number about health planning and development, 350, she said $1,465,700. Symms was first elected to thp Congress in 1972 He is now in his fourth Specific Costs r term and is a The committee decided it wanted more specific costs on requests for minority member of the House Interior salaries, travel, etc., after the issue and Agriculture Committees. He is regarded as one of the most was raised by Rep. Reverly White, conservative members of the House and has been a frequent critic of the She said her constituents demand to know ahout state employee salaries ih liberal votes of Sen. Church, the only Idaho Democrat to win four Senate light of the 12 percent requested terms and also w in the chairmanship of increase. the blue ribbon Foreign Relations During a discussion on health plan Committee. The measure, I1JR8. must now meet consent by the Senate, then he referred back to the House lor legislature. Pi. expenditures for hospitals and other is proving cost health care facilities effective. He said his office wants to institute a fee for organizations filing certificate of need applications He said it would weed out frivolous applications and help offset health planning costs. elections. Somewhere in Computer UDOT Budgets Lost -- ning, Michael J. Stapley, director of the Office of Health, Planning and Development, told the committee that certifiwhich was enacted last cate of need year to prevent unnecessary capital al amendments Currently, elec, tinns are held during the real gon.-ia- 55-1- FTrrrs Health Offices Officials Back Budget Hike Bid Utah Department of Health officials Tuesday went before the Social Services Appropriations Committee to justify a request for a $139,527,900 a 16.5 budget for fiscal year 1980-fpercent increase. The increase represents an additional $19,779,900 over the fiscal year 1979-89- . The requested budget breaks down into $46,985,600 in state funds, special elections dealing with unknown impact, the bill should be set aside for further study. The House, however, sent it hack to the Senate on a 6 vote, where the hill will begin its official trip through the Co property to a entity if it reduces local government tax revenue. Rep Livingston, who has been termed the roving legislator because he represents a district in which he does not live, voted against the proposition, which received almost no debate. HB58 (Starr) Provide that properties leased or rented bv the state he subiect to local planning and inning Direct management T a seat. 21 flights weekly.$70 To From SAN DIEGO SAN DIEGO (Svkes) HJR)3 legislative to assign to the tommittee aoproorlate interim studv iurisdictlon committee the responsibility HB59 (Harward) Require to sudv the ' alternative level budgeting" concept the governor to submit alternative level budoets lor HJRI-- (Saunders) Amend Utah Constitution to allow specified departments during legislative budget for distriouion of sales ta at point of sale on analysis. HBA0 (Harward) Increase of percent; on a statewide per capita basis governor s salary to $50,000 annually: attorney general tor the second of and oivide to $38,000; secretary of state, percent,state auditor and state treasremaining proceeds between the two urer. to $33,500 each. HBsl (Bishop) Provide a HJRI5 (fiellpnpit) Study chanoe in the formula uspd imp.ict of certain events and to determine mill level imcurrent circumstance-- , on posed on the assessed vacatthe rights of sta'es ion ot real and personal HJR1A Livingston) Study property he exclusion of evidence rule for violations of coo Resolutions Introduced Sfi'utiooai protections HJR'.J (Garr) Ask federal H1P17 I lonesl k.trson o'ticiais to continue lo a'low contribution ot the of motor eo heats on picture industry to economy he use the Cclora JO R'vpr, o stale H Pi h? .T) 11 Pa arp m2 Cr three-quarter- 1 "p 12 Ftp 1 U ' Sf'P c? u 11 v ill ih SPC uk ?Pcr 5 2V in up ri'guLir low hm-K f.fa M ',8 U t.tn.-- ' no ivstfk tppU to v m ? I'A.J 11 'iMt non- - W woiviv r ").) t 1" 1 1 step trrv .1 2llp tl 5) flight ouTvonr o snuluv three-quarter- s 1 ' I m-ii- oo f OUR SMILES ARENT JUST PAINTED ON. |