Show 2006 Utah Legislative Preview A brief list of Bills to Watch Jeff Dixon The Globe The Utah State Legislature convened for forUs its Us General Session on Monday Jan 16 In the 45 ensuing days lawmakers will decide what to do with the states state's budget surplus surplus surplus sur sur- plus and will pass or modify legislation that best represents the beliefs of their respective constituencies Many of the bills are still being drafted and many more will be modified or amend amend- ed Some will be stopped in committee and some will pass with near unanimous sup sup sup- port Information on the fhe lawmaking body can be the state legislatures legislature's we site http which recently won the Online Democracy Award The web web- site provides details on among other things bills past and present lawmaker profiles and contact information and streaming live audio and video Below in what who why and how form formis is a short albeit incomplete list of bills to watch ul watch ul Small College Enhancements Chief sponsor John Hickman R- R StGeorge George St Would provide 2 million dollars in additional additional additional addi addi- funding for Salt Lake Community sciences College programs mainly in the Slated to benefit are the Biology Health Sciences Engineering Technology Biotechnology and and Female Prison Programs among others Instruction and Policy Relating to the Origins of Life 96 West R-West Chief Sponsor Chris Buttars Jordan Requires the State Board of Education to establish certain curriculum requirements scientists all and policies that stress that not I agree on which theory regarding the origins of life theory and do not endorse a particular this the origins of life Nothing in regarding curriculum would indicates whether this bill be introduced in the science or philosophy classroom Minor Parental Abortion by a and Consent HB 85 Notification W. W Gibson R- R Kerry Chief Sponsor Bills to Watch Cont on Page 3 Bills to Watch Watch- Cont from front J 4 Ogden I Would require a minor to o obtain parental consent within 24 hours of having an abortion Exceptions are granted in cases of immediate medical emergency emergency emergency emer emer- gency where the parent o or guardian has abused the minor where incest has caused the pregnancy or if the parent hasn't assumed responsibility in the childs child's upbringing Amendments to the Indoor Clean Air Act 19 Chief Sponsor Michael G. G West R-West Jordan Would now define Taverns Private Clubs Cabarets Social or Fraternal Organizations and certain Public Non-Public Workplaces as Places of Public Access thus repealing their shared exemption from Utah's Indoor Clean Air Act provision which prohibits smoking In other words all Utah bars and clubs would need to be smoke free Consumer Protection Agency HB 65 Chief Sponsor M. M Susan Lawrence Salt R-Salt Lake City Retailers would under this law need to find room for another disclaimer at Points of Sale This one would state that thatA thatA thatA A consumer who has been the v victim tim of a deceptive sales practice practice practice tice may have rights under Utah Code Title 13 Chapter 11 Utah Consumer umer Sales Practices Act f i l i iL Wage Wage Minimum L I Amendments 43 Chief Sponsor Ed Mayne D- D West Valley City Would raise the minimum wage in Utah to per hour an increase of per hour from the established federal minimum wage Environmental Litigation Bond HB Chief Sponsor Aaron Tilton Springville R-Springville Entities doing business in the would be required to file a state r bond with the Division 01 Ul of Corporate and Commercial Code when it begins environmental environmental environmental environ environ- mental litigation Basically if a plaintiff seeks relief under nearly any state or federal environmental law a abond abond abond bond would be paid up front If the plaintiff fails to file me a bond the division would then revoke the plaintiffs plaintiff s business license do so that it could no longer business in the state The bond amount would be sufficient to cover the payment of the reasonably reasonably reasonably rea rea- foreseeable costs and damages suffered in hi Utah 4 by person bec because se of the environmental environmental environmental li litigation gation including employees' employees lost wages s salaries and benefits lost net revenue and consequential damages inc including increased construction construction construction tion costs because of the tion Licensure of oC Crane Operators 92 Chief hief Sponsor Gene Davis Salt D-Salt Lake City As a preliminary caution those who operate cranes with a lifting capacity of at least 10 tons will now be required to undergo professional training and certification Weapons Amendments 24 Chi Chief f Sponsor Mark B. B Madsen R- R Tooele R-Tooele Would allow a person to carry a loaded firearm in his or her vehicle le or in another persons person's persons person's persons person's per per- sons son's vehicle with that persons person's consent at his or her place of business and on his or her prop prop- erty Driver License Qualification HB 64 Chief Sponsor Glenn A. A Donnelson R-North R Ogden OgdenA A person would no longer beable be beable beable able to use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number ITIN TIN issued by the Internal Revenue Service to obtain a driving dri- dri driving driving dri dri- ving card An ITIN is J v to fc q Nh q M J-f J quality for fort a S s Social fl fe Number privilege c cards would also be done away with Naming State Reptile HB Chief Sponsor David R R. Clark Santa R-Santa Clara The Western Rattlesnake would be added to Utah's list of official entities which also pays homage to Coal Square Dancing and Sugar Beets Safety Belt Enforcement Amendments 98 Chief Sponsor Karen Hale Salt D-Salt Lake City Makes safety belt violations an offense in themselves while they were previously enforceable enforceable enforceable enforce enforce- able only when part of another more serious offense Joint Resolution Condemning use of oC Torture TortureS S JR 5 S Chief Sponsor Scott D. D McCoy Salt D-Salt Lake City Joint resolution condemns the use of torture by the United States Government affirms international law which prohibits prohibits pro pro- hibits torture and unequivocally unequivocal unequivocal- ly states that torture is able Amendments HB 91 Chief Sponsor Rosalind J. J McGee Salt D-Salt Lake City Prohibits the Legislature from adopting a redistricting plan unless the plan is approved by more than two- two thirds of both houses of the Legislature Underage Penalty Amendment HB Chief Sponsor David Ure R- R Kamas Increases the penalty for unlawfully or piercing a minor from a class C misdemeanor misdemeanor misdemeanor meanor to a class B meanor Open Meetings Law Amendments HB 14 Chief Sponsor Wayne A. A Harper R- R West R-West West Jordan I M dMM th b bodies eSo that that mat t eting allow the meetings to be fully recorded Violation of this law would be a class B meanor Material Harmful to Minors Amendments HB Chief Sponsor David L. L Hogue Riverton R-Riverton Includes violent video games as material that offends contemporary contemporary contemporary con temporary community stan stan- dards Driving with a Controlled Substance in the Body- Body Amendments Chief Sponsor Carlene M. M Walker Salt R-Salt Lake City Would enhance the penalty for causing serious injury while driving and also having any marijuana i in the body from a class A misdemeanor to a third degree felony Marijuana can stay in a persons person's system for up to 30 days Drivers License Suspension for Failure to Pay Child Support HB 83 Chief Sponsor Julie Fisher I I 3 I R-Fruit R Heights Heights Heights' If a person is more more mor r than tharl 60 days behind on child support payments his or her drivers driver's license will be suspended until the Office of Recovery Services decides otherwise Ban on Gifts to Elected Officials HB 94 Chief Sponsor Patricia W. W Jones Salt D-Salt Lake City A lobbyist principal or government government government gov gov- officer may not offer or give a gift valued at more than 5 to any public official or member of the public cial's immediate family Prohibition of Contingent Fees for Expert Witnesses Chief Sponsor David L. L Thomas South R-South Weber Prohibits paying an expert witness upon favorable verdict in civil court proceedings A ses mid-ses- progress report at I sion as well as a full summary in March after the session ends will be given by The Globe |