With the combination of legislative work and elections coming up, there is a lot to report on for September.
Be an informed voter
This year, in addition to the various partisan and nonpartisan races, there are seven ballot measures for voter consideration. Each of these represents an important opportunity for citizen input into the process. They fall into three categories:
① State constitutional amendments.
These are proposed changes to the State Constitution that the legislature (both House & Senate) has approved with a two-thirds majority vote. In order for them to be effective, the citizens must concur. The legislature has proposed three amendments this year.
② Nonbinding opinion questions.
Although it is uncommon, from time to time the legislature seeks the input of the citizens through a nonbinding opinion question. The result of these issues does not change the law but merely provides information to the legislature. There is one such question on the ballot this year.
③ Binding Initiatives.
These questions are initiated by special interest groups as a way of changing laws without the consideration or approval of the state legislature. If they are approved, they become law just as if the legislature had passed them. This year, there are also three binding initiatives.
Learn more
I highly encourage you to get fully informed on each of these seven ballot measures. The lieutenant governor’s office has done an excellent job of creating an impartial analysis to help you learn more. This information is available at vote.utah.gov. Read the full language for yourself; don’t just rely on sound bites or news stories. Make sure to read the arguments for and against and do your best to make an informed decision.
September Activities
September proved to be a very busy month for me. Here are a few of the highlights:
Council of State Governments (CSG West)
Utah played host to the western meetings of the Council of State Governments (CSG West). Several dozen legislators and government officials from western states came to Salt Lake to share ideas and learn from each other. I was fortunate to attend and actively participate in various sessions.
Legislators meeting at CSG West meeting
Fire Preparedness Meeting
During September, we also experienced the devastation of the Pole Creek and Bald Mountain fires in Utah County. When I learned that the fires were moving north and potentially threatening residents of District 64, I reached out to the Provo fire chief and the American Red Cross to figure out how to help our residents be prepared. Over 300 people showed up on short notice to learn about what they can do now to prepare in case of an evacuation order. While it is fortunate that nobody needed to evacuate, we are now more prepared for future events.
Meeting with American Red Cross
Meet the Candidates Events
I was very happy to participate in a couple of well-attended Meet the Candidate events. The Community Leaders Picnic had around 100 in attendance to meet various Utah County elected officials and candidates (not to mention the J Dawgs). I also attended the Utah County event hosted at U.S. Senate candidate, Mitt Romney’s headquarters.
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Candidates meeting with constituents
Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR)
As you are probably aware, one of my priorities is to reduce government burden that interferes with your ability to work and earn a living. I am participating in a multi-state consortium that is focusing on how we can make real progress. One of the most interesting ideas is to shift toward a system of competency-based assessment. Licenses should be issued as soon as a person can demonstrate proficiency required to protect health and safety. I was invited to share my thoughts on occupational freedom and competency-based assessment to over 100 regulators at the annual conference of the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) in Philadelphia.
