Week 5 – We have hit the ¾ mark, and it will seem like a fast and furious bobsled run from here on out.
Constituent News
Visitors to the Capitol
As you well know, I really like to get visits from friends and neighbors at the capitol. This week I was pleased to host Tad and Martha Rasmussen for the day. Also, every year, I host the State FFA Officers at the capitol. They got the chance to sit on the House Floor and see how things really work. This year, they were joined by the National Western Region Vice President. I was also happy to get a visit from the Timpview High School government students, many of whom live in the neighborhood.
If you are interested in coming to the capitol, please let me know a couple of days in advance so I can make arrangements.
Hosting the State FFA Officers on the House Floor
Timpview High School Government Students
Break Time – What happens when we are not in scheduled meetings
High School Art Show Winners
The House of Representatives was pleased to participate in the recognition of the winners of the Utah High School Art Show (hosted by the Springville Museum of Art). It is always a pleasure to meet these students and see their talents on display.
High School Art Show
Congresswoman Love
Our caucus was privileged to hear from Congresswoman Mia Love. She spoke candidly about her experience, goals, and her interaction with President Trump.
Congresswoman Love
Senators Hatch & Lee
We also received visits from both Senators Hatch and Lee. Senator Hatch was recognized for his service to the state and Senator Lee was present as we considered a resolution relating to the separation of powers between the state and federal government. I took the opportunity to personally present each of them with letters written by students at Westside Elementary in Springville.
Senator Hatch & Senator Lee
State Central Committee Meeting
As some of you have heard, the Republican State Central Committee met on Saturday to discuss urgent issues related to caucus night preparation. As a recently elected member, I was there to represent you. I was seriously disappointed to find out that the meeting was not at all about caucus preparations, but was hijacked by a group of extreme SCC members who took advantage of the light turnout to ram through a bylaw change that could result in the disqualification of all Republican candidates across the state. I have been in touch with the Lt. Governor and our attorneys to evaluate the implications of that unwise decision and what actions the legislature may need to take to correct this situation.
Utah Republican State Central Committee Meeting
My Ideas in Action
Update on DUI .05
Last week, Senator Jim Dabakis showed up to the Senate Transportation Committee after drinking himself up to .05 BAC. Not surprisingly, he said he “felt fine” but even to a casual observer you could tell that he was off his game. His bill to force Utah to wait until three other states join us in lowering the BAC limit failed in committee. I spoke against his bill, noting that if this had been in place in 1983 when Utah led the way in lowering from .10 to .08, we would have had to wait seven years for implementation, costing hundreds of lives.
HB115 ADA Lawsuits
There has been a lot of discussion regarding how to slow down or stop abusive lawsuits and demand letters sent to Utah’s small businesses. Utah now ranks #4 in the country for this type of lawsuits, behind California, New York, and Florida. While I fully support the rights of any person to file a claim under the ADA to request that barriers to access be removed, it is unfair and problematic when for-profit attorneys hire “scouts” to find violations and then demand money to avoid a costly court case. HB115 was ready to be heard on Thursday, but one of my colleagues requested additional time to refine and revise the wording. (Note: His updated language was introduced on Monday of Week 6 and passed the House.)
Big Issues
Taxes and Budgets
Final revenue estimates are in and the negotiating for final budget-related proposals is in full swing. Officially, we have available to us an additional $128 million in one-time funds and $453 million in on-going revenues. My preferences for moving forward include the following priorities: 1) No increases in property tax, 2) Use cash to pay for construction projects instead of debt financing, 3) A slight reduction in the income tax, coupled with a provision to hold harmless larger families that may see higher state taxes due to the federal reform, 4) A meaningful commitment to education funds, such as funding the equalization program to help lower income districts. It might seem silly that I even have to mention the property tax issue, but it looks likely that there is support in the legislature to increase them, even though we have a surplus. This job can be frustrating at times.
Balance of Powers
An ongoing theme this session has been the importance of separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches. This came to light last summer when Governor Herbert decided to make up new law for the election to replace Congressman Chaffetz instead of calling the Legislature into session and letting us do our job.
That friction has led to several bills that will define and refine that relationship. You will probably see action to prohibit executive branch lobbying on bills, allowing the Legislature to call itself into special session, and other similar proposals. While it could be perceived to be over the top in some quarters, I think the discussion has been healthy.
My Bills – Status update
Bills that are done (or almost done)
A total of four bills have passed both the House and the Senate and are off to the Governor for signing:
HB19 would create programs inside health insurance plans that reward members who shop for lower cost health care options by sharing some of the savings with them.
HB34 clarifies that employees make take paid leave to assist with natural disasters with any agency, not just the Red Cross.
HB36 sets out a process and limitations for cities and towns that want to regulate free speech on public grounds. It will help ensure citizens’ rights to free speech.
HB162 allows a person that buys a used car to keep the license plates and not have to buy new ones. It passed in the Senate committee and is waiting for a final vote on the Senate Floor.
Four More Bills Still In Play
HB98 is a small fix to the DUI legislation from last year. It changes the definition of “novice driver” to exclude anyone over 21 who has a full drivers license. It passed the House and has been assigned to a Senate Committee.
HB115 aims to limit abusive lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act by requiring that claimants give businesses a chance to fix problems before they demand money. This bill was waiting at the top of the House Third Reading Calendar as of Friday and will have a full floor vote as soon as my colleague releases his proposed amendment. [Update – This bill passed out of the House on Monday afternoon.]
HB163 would set up a program to allow wholesalers to import lower cost drugs from Canada and make them available to Utah’s pharmacies. This bill did not do well in the Senate committee and I am working out an alternative way to get the job done.
HB328 relates to the possession of dangerous weapons by intoxicated individuals. It removes the exception that would allow law enforcement to carry while intoxicated and adds three new exceptions – for self-defense, situations where the weapon is in a locked case or not readily available, and when the person is in a private residence or business with the permission of the owner. This bill is on hold and will likely have to wait until next year.
