OCR Text |
Show June 15 03.qxd 12/7/2021 Volume VIII Issue V 4:09 PM Page 11 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 11 June 15, 2003 SUMMARY cont. from page 3 drug use still presents Utah prison officials with problems. Most illegal drugs are passed to inmates through contact visits. To eliminate drugs completely, all visits and valuable work programs like work release would have to be terminated. Prison officials believe that the negative impact of such action would be too great. Instead, officials are focusing efforts on educating staff to catch the drug use, increasing support to staff through technology and drug-sniffing dogs, and being firm on consequences of drug use. Currently, if an inmate is caught with illegal drugs, he/she automatically faces additional criminal charges and if an inmate is tested positive for drugs, he/she faces stiff administrative penalties. Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment The committee heard from various state departments about the long-reaching impacts of the drought. Farmers, ranchers and wildlife continue to be affected by low precipitation and dry conditions. In April, it was announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s drought assistance program would distribute Nonfat Dry Milk to nine states, including Utah. Eligible Utah beef cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goat owners who applied by the May 5 deadline will receive Utah’s 8.9 million-pound share of the milk. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, who will administer the product, believes that it is an excellent feed additive for cattle and other livestock and will help get the needed nutrition to drought-weakened livestock herds in Utah. The Bureau of Land Management and the Forrest Service also testified before the committee and stressed their new commitment to include agriculture and timber industries in drought planning measures. Due to time constraints, the committee was not able to hold the panel discussion on increased weed control problems caused by the drought. Political Subdivisions The interim committee heard from special districts and municipal associations about repealing a section in the Utah Constitution that prohibits municipalities from selling or otherwise disposing of waterworks, water rights, or sources of waters. As a result, an ad-hock committee was formed to continue studying the issue. The committee also received comments on whether and under what conditions a county, municipality, or special district should have the power to condemn water rights. Members expressed their desire for the stakeholders to get together and work towards a comprise solution because of the complexity of the issue. Additionally, there was interest in the eminent domain subcommittee, headed by Senator Lyle Hillyard, working on this matter. Finally, the committee discussed recall and removal provisions for elected officials with a legislator interested in running a bill on the matter. Currently, Utah only allows for the removal of elected officials and judicial officers for “high crimes, misdemeanors and malfeasance” through impeachment for some offices and through judicial proceedings for others. The proposed legislation would most likely seek to broaden the removal provisions and allow for a public mechanism to deal with the elected officials. Committee members expressed their reluctance to pursue such legislation as a committee bill, fearing that it might do more harm than good and have a variety of unintended consequences like being a vehicle for political retribution. Public Utilities and Technology The information discussed with the Public Utilities and Technology Interim Committee dealt in part with recommendations from the Competition in Telecommunications Industry Task Force. In November of 2002, the task force reported to the interim committee about its recommendation for the committee to review whether statutory changes are needed to address any undue barriers to access to the rights-of-way along the state’s interstate highway system. Specifically, the task force recommended that the committee examine eliminating in-kind compensation as a condition for a telecommunications provider to have access to rights-of-way; and ensuring that the system is sensitive to the differences between rural and urban areas, which may include maintaining some type of zone structure. The last market analysis for base compensation amounts done by UDOT was in 1999 and resulted in compensation rates ranging from $800 in rural areas to $12,400 in urban areas. The next analysis is set to be done in 2004. Revenue and Taxation The Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee received the Legislative Auditor General’s performance audit about the Tax Commission’s new management information system called “UTAX.” Overall, the audit commends the Tax Commission for its bold efforts to modernize its system and recognizes general improvements. However, it notes that the improvements are not as substantial as initially represented by proponents. UTAX was to consist of three systems “Advantage Revenue” for integration and tax compliance, “Motor Vehicle Administration” for streamlined vehicle registration and title system, and “Computer Assisted Collection System for Government” for delinquent tax collection. However, only the latter two were actually implemented because the Advantage Revenue program proved to be under-developed, costing the Tax Commission its initial investment and projected savings from the program. The Motor Vehicle Administration program has improved turn-around time in processing, decreased errors, and provides faster updates to law enforcement. The audit contends that the Computer Assisted Collection System for Government will, in time, be a very positive and cost effective decision for the collection of delinquent taxes by offering increased productivity, more efficiency, prioritization of delinquent cases, and deterring agents from manipulating caseload. Transportation The Transportation Interim Committee was told that UDOT will rebid the Legacy Parkway project after completing the supplemental environment impact statement and receiving all federal approvals. Currently, this project and the 114th South/I-15 Interchange project are on hold as a result of judicial action. The committee also received a staff presentation on current driver license requirements and possible consequences of disallowing licensure to aliens without social security or ITIN numbers. Utah currently allows for such aliens to be licensed, as do almost half of the other states in the nation. If these individuals are not licensed, there is the potential for them to still drive without a license, not be able to obtain vehicle insurance or register their vehicle, and driver licensing and rules become irrelevant. Also, it may impact the individual’s ability to find employment and may provide an incentive for increased driver license forgeries. Workforce Services & Community and Economic Development In its May meeting, this interim committee authorized staff to open a committee bill file for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families reauthorization. In addition, the committee received a proposal from the Executive Director of Community and Economic Development to increase funding for state tourism promotion by $20 million with an increase to the restaurant tax. Legislation would be required to implement any such change. Relating to the unemployment tax study, the committee discussed the possibility of exempting corporate officers from unemployment taxes. private club for members |