2020 Week Two Wrap Up

Here are the highlights from Week Two of the Utah Legislature.

Constituent News

Visitors to the Capitol

I always love hosting neighbors and friends at the Capitol. This week’s guests included Latinos in Action of Dixon Middle School. These students came prepared to tell about the important facts surrounding the dangers of vaping as it relates to public health. If you would like to visit the capitol, please let me or my intern know a few days in advance so we can make arrangements to meet and give you a chance to visit the House Floor.

Doug Andrus brought his wife and niece to visit me and Ashley Langford, a Family Nurse Practitioner student from Springville came during the Nurse Practitioner Day on the Hill.

If you would like to visit the capitol, please let me or my intern know a day or two in advance so we can make arrangements to meet and give you a chance to visit the House Floor.

Latinos in Action – Floor Visit

The Doug Andrus Family

Ashley Langford, Nurse Practitioner Student

Events on the Hill

Here is just a sampling of the many events that took place this week.

Utah Nurse Practitioners Day on the Hill – I was able to speak to them about our efforts to make insulin more affordable for their patients.
Utah Highway Patrol Association – I stopped by for a brief visit to thank them for their dedicated service and express my support. I am certainly thankful for the valuable service they provide to keep us safe and enforce the law around the state.
Utah Medical Association luncheon – I was able to catch up with my good friend Dr. Sarah Woolsey at a luncheon in the Capitol Rotunda. We were able to talk about many important health care issues that are being addressed this session.

Utah Nurse Practitioners Association

Utah Highway Patrol Association

Utah Medical Association Luncheon

Norm in the News

Fox 13: Bill in Utah legislative session could put a price cap on insulin
SL Tribune: Letter: What justifies the cost of insulin?
KSL: How your money and your health could be affected by the 2020 Utah Legislature: Week 2
KSL: Proposed bill looks to cap insulin copays for Utahns
KSL: Utah lawmakers tackle skyrocketing insulin costs
Bloomberg Law: Latest Allure for Mexico, Caymans Travelers: the Pharmacy
KSL News Radio: Dozens plead with Utah lawmakers to cap insulin co-pays at $30
ABC 4: Utahns plead for help on capitol hill regarding the rising cost of insulin
Deseret News: Utah lawmakers tackle skyrocketing insulin costs
St. George News: Utah sending state employees to Mexico for lower prescription prices

Hot Button Issues

Here are a few additional thoughts on some big issues from this week.

Tax Reform

The big news is that there is no news. House leadership has ordered any bills that touch anything related to tax cuts, credits or other forms of changes to the system to be put on indefinite hold. This is unfortunate for Utah’s citizens because it has caught up a broad range of efforts including proposals to restore the dependent tax credit, reduce the tax on social security income and provide assistance to children stuck in the poverty cycle.

Senator Romney

The topic of Sen. Romney’s vote has become a hot button topic around the state. While I may have voted differently given what I have read and heard, I am highly respectful of the autonomy of our elected officials to vote their conscience on any given issue. When the time comes, the voters of Utah will have an opportunity to decide whether his record, on the whole, represents their views and interests. In the meantime, citizens are also free and encouraged to contact their senators to express their opinions on issues that they feel passionately about. There is no need for the legislature to take action on this issue. The impeachment process is over and it’s time for all of us to move on.

My Bills – A Status Update

Numbered Bills

A complete list of my bills and proposals is available online along with the current status of each. Here is a summary of those that are actively progressing through the process.

HB0049 Sales Tax on Motor Vehicles clarifies how sales taxes are allocated when vehicles are purchased from out of state. This bill has passed both the House and Senate and is off to the governor’s desk for his signature.

HB0052 Intergenerational Poverty Solution creates an incentive for families that are stuck in the poverty cycle to set aside money for their children’s education and career training. It was assigned to a committee and scheduled for a hearing but was put on hold by House leadership.

HB0077 Education Funding Amendments sets a 4% cap on the automatic increase in local property taxes required to match allocation of new income taxes. This bill has also been put on hold by House leadership.

HB0121 Income Tax Revenue Amendments requires the legislature to return increased tax revenues to Utah’s citizens whenever federal changes provide a state windfall. Yet another good proposal being held up by House leadership.

HB0123 Vehicle Property Tax Amendments prevents automobiles from being double-taxed. Right now, if a car owner pays the property tax as part of registration then sells the car mid-year, the new owner ends up paying those property taxes again. This bill had a committee hearing and was held in order for us to take more time to educate committee members on the issue and decide how to move forward.

HB0207 Insulin Access Amendments will help make sure that anyone that needs insulin will not leave their pharmacy empty-handed. We had a fantastic committee hearing on Thursday evening. Dozens of patients and families showed up to help make the case for this needed reform. The committee is going to take a few more days to make sure that the bill is as good as we can make it to limit the negative impacts on the insurance market.

(NEW) HB0290 Occupational Licensing Amendments is a technical bill that modernizing our licensing code for three professions – upholsterers and manufacturers, hunting guides and outfitters, and court reporters. These three licensed or certified professions were identified as ones where we could lighten or eliminate regulation. This bill was released on Friday. Hopefully I will have more to report soon.