Saturday, 08 March 2008
3 bills passed by Senate after time was up Print E-mail
Rette Speight - DAILY HERALD
The status of three bills passed by the state Senate is up in the air, after a time stamp revealed a problem.
The stamp of approval might have to be taken off Senate Bill 93, Licensed Direct Entry Midwife Amendments; Senate Bill 237, Commercial Airline and Airport Taxation Amendments; and Senate Bill 41, International Education Initiative - Critical Languages Program.
The issue will be taken up with the technical staff at the Capitol building. There will be an announcement Monday about whether the bills will stand as approved, or die because they weren't passed in time. The state Constitution says the Legislature must adjourn at 12 a.m. on the 45th day of the session, which was Wednesday.
According to the Legislature's Web site, the last vote on SB 237 was 1 minute and 18 seconds after midnight; SB 41 was passed at 12:03:05 a.m.; and SB 93 was passed 14 seconds after midnight.
The bills are being held subject to a time discrepancy between two clocks, said Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo. The problem occurred due to efforts to coordinate the new systems in the renovated Capitol building.
During the last few minutes of the session, Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, repeatedly asked his reading clerk for the time on her computer. Once she said midnight, Valentine stopped all voting. That clock may have been wrong.
"It's not clear if the time stamping on the bills was done before midnight," Bramble said. "The last three or four bills might not have actually been done legally."
All legal actions are recorded on the state's legislative Web site, and problems started coming up when the vote record and bill status didn't show that the bill had actually been voted on and passed, Bramble said.
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Monday, April 7, 2008
4/7/08-19
Legislators breathe easy at last Eggs and Issues Print E-mail
Rette Speight - DAILY HERALD
"It's over!" said Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, at the Eggs and Issues meeting about the 2008 legislative session.
Finally, the legislative members were able to give their breakfasts some attention as they were not asked to speak at the last Eggs and Issues forum of the legislative season on Saturday morning. The forum was sponsored by Intermountain Healthcare.
Most of the high points relative to the session, said Valentine, were actually relative to Utah County.
Utah County received funding for several projects, such as the Thanksgiving Point museum, the Freedom Festival, the Provo airport radar system and especially the reconstruction of Interstate 15.
The reconstruction will stretch approximately 20 miles and consume $2.6 billion, about half of the state bonding capacity.
"Many House members were worried about the magnitude of the project. There was an enormous amount of work to be done," said Rep. John Dougall, R-Highland.
Dougall said that he and others "worked and worked and worked" to sway the votes to fund the project.
"At two o'clock in the afternoon, we wouldn't have had the votes to pass it," Sen. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo said.
The bill did pass however, and Utah County can now look forward to bigger and better roads.
Utah teachers also will be looking forward to a paycheck expansion, as public education received more than 57 percent of the budget's new money, Bramble said. This will include a $1,700 pay raise for teachers.
The Provo airport radar project received $1 million from state funds, and planners also were given permission to use taxes collected from travelers and tourists, said Mayor Lewis Billings.
Billings said that although the total cost of the radar will be about $2 million, with the current funds added to the legislative gift of $1 million the city is only about $200,000 to $250,000 away from reaching its goal.
Congressional hopefuls eagerly took their turn at the podium as they gave the current legislators a break. Candidates included Republicans Joe Ferguson, Jason Chaffetz, David Leavitt and current U.S. Congressman Chris Cannon.
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Rette Speight - DAILY HERALD
"It's over!" said Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, at the Eggs and Issues meeting about the 2008 legislative session.
Finally, the legislative members were able to give their breakfasts some attention as they were not asked to speak at the last Eggs and Issues forum of the legislative season on Saturday morning. The forum was sponsored by Intermountain Healthcare.
Most of the high points relative to the session, said Valentine, were actually relative to Utah County.
Utah County received funding for several projects, such as the Thanksgiving Point museum, the Freedom Festival, the Provo airport radar system and especially the reconstruction of Interstate 15.
The reconstruction will stretch approximately 20 miles and consume $2.6 billion, about half of the state bonding capacity.
"Many House members were worried about the magnitude of the project. There was an enormous amount of work to be done," said Rep. John Dougall, R-Highland.
Dougall said that he and others "worked and worked and worked" to sway the votes to fund the project.
"At two o'clock in the afternoon, we wouldn't have had the votes to pass it," Sen. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo said.
The bill did pass however, and Utah County can now look forward to bigger and better roads.
Utah teachers also will be looking forward to a paycheck expansion, as public education received more than 57 percent of the budget's new money, Bramble said. This will include a $1,700 pay raise for teachers.
The Provo airport radar project received $1 million from state funds, and planners also were given permission to use taxes collected from travelers and tourists, said Mayor Lewis Billings.
Billings said that although the total cost of the radar will be about $2 million, with the current funds added to the legislative gift of $1 million the city is only about $200,000 to $250,000 away from reaching its goal.
Congressional hopefuls eagerly took their turn at the podium as they gave the current legislators a break. Candidates included Republicans Joe Ferguson, Jason Chaffetz, David Leavitt and current U.S. Congressman Chris Cannon.
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4/7/08-18
For those wondering about the time discrepancy of the last bills passed on Wednesday night, don't fret.
Rick Cantrell, the Chief Deputy, said that the problem had occurred because the system's internal clock was approximately three minutes and nine seconds faster than the clerk's official clock.
The bills in question are registered as laws now, said Majority Leader Sen. Curtis Bramble R-Provo.
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Rick Cantrell, the Chief Deputy, said that the problem had occurred because the system's internal clock was approximately three minutes and nine seconds faster than the clerk's official clock.
The bills in question are registered as laws now, said Majority Leader Sen. Curtis Bramble R-Provo.
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4/7/08-17
Energy
Legislators decided that requiring mandates was not best for Utah's renewable energy development.
"Twenty-five by 25 is a nice jingle, but there is no rational that says it's where we should be," said Sen. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo. "Why should we limit companies to only 25 percent if they could get more? Or if they could only get 15 percent, they shouldn't be forced to be at 25 if there's no economic, scientific or technological basis to be there."
Although there is no required amount of renewable development, the state has set a target of getting 20-percent of its energy from a renewable source by the year 2025. Power companies will be required to report to the Legislature every five years concerning their progress in developments.
Bramble said that by setting targets instead of mandates, the market will open up and renewable developers will have a chance to be competitive in producing energy.
The bill was created as a compromise of environmental groups and power providers from across the state.
Bramble said that although all groups didn't particularly support the bill, none specifically opposed it.
"I told them they could either sit at the table and help us get a bill that everyone could live with, or they wouldn't get anything," Bramble said.
Sen. Mike Dmitrich, D-Price, was the co-sponsor of the bill. Bramble said that by having both the majority leader and minority leader sponsoring the bill, everyone could see just how important it was.
Although Bramble wasn't aware of any particular renewable energy developer in Utah County, the bill does provide tax exemptions of materials that could be used in construction for developments.
Utah will focus primarily on the development of wind, geothermal and solar energies, to use the existing resources of the state.
The city of Orem provides power produced by Rocky Mountain Power, and the city of Provo gets power from other contractors.
Legislators decided that requiring mandates was not best for Utah's renewable energy development.
"Twenty-five by 25 is a nice jingle, but there is no rational that says it's where we should be," said Sen. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo. "Why should we limit companies to only 25 percent if they could get more? Or if they could only get 15 percent, they shouldn't be forced to be at 25 if there's no economic, scientific or technological basis to be there."
Although there is no required amount of renewable development, the state has set a target of getting 20-percent of its energy from a renewable source by the year 2025. Power companies will be required to report to the Legislature every five years concerning their progress in developments.
Bramble said that by setting targets instead of mandates, the market will open up and renewable developers will have a chance to be competitive in producing energy.
The bill was created as a compromise of environmental groups and power providers from across the state.
Bramble said that although all groups didn't particularly support the bill, none specifically opposed it.
"I told them they could either sit at the table and help us get a bill that everyone could live with, or they wouldn't get anything," Bramble said.
Sen. Mike Dmitrich, D-Price, was the co-sponsor of the bill. Bramble said that by having both the majority leader and minority leader sponsoring the bill, everyone could see just how important it was.
Although Bramble wasn't aware of any particular renewable energy developer in Utah County, the bill does provide tax exemptions of materials that could be used in construction for developments.
Utah will focus primarily on the development of wind, geothermal and solar energies, to use the existing resources of the state.
The city of Orem provides power produced by Rocky Mountain Power, and the city of Provo gets power from other contractors.
4/7/08-16
Alcohol
Removing malt flavored beverages, known as "alcopops" from convenience stores was not just an attempt to stop underage drinking, said Sen. Curtis Bramble R-Provo.
Distilled spirits, by state law, must be sold in liquor stores. Only beer can be sold in convenience and grocery stores, but these fruity drinks were classified as malt flavored beverages, and were sold alongside beer.
Some legislators were concerned that by removing the alcopops from privately owned businesses the state would be adding revenue to their own pockets instead of the citizens. The Smiths supermarket stores throughout the state combined might lose up to one million dollars in revenue said Tom Guinney, who owns and operates private clubs and restaurants in Utah. Albertsons stores could lose around $800,000.
"They'd probably lose more if they stopped selling radishes and green onions," Guinney said.
Moving the drinks to state liquor stores will keep the number of drinks consumed down just based on the sheer fact that there have been several hundreds of convenience stores, and a far more limited number of state liquor stores, Bramble said.
"Just by pure numbers, we are reducing the availability of these products to get into the hands of teens, even if the drinks are still bought by their parents," Bramble said.
The alcopops have been proven to be targeted at teens and young women primarily, Guinney said.
Governor Jon Huntsman only agreed to support the alcopop bill when the issue of poured drinks and sidecars were addressed.
The second part of the bill addresses the amount of alcohol that could be served as a part of a mixed drink. With the passage of this legislation, the amount has been taken down from a possible three and three-fourths ounce to a standard two and one-half ounce.
"Now it will be consistent to what bartenders are used to across the country," Bramble said.
Removing malt flavored beverages, known as "alcopops" from convenience stores was not just an attempt to stop underage drinking, said Sen. Curtis Bramble R-Provo.
Distilled spirits, by state law, must be sold in liquor stores. Only beer can be sold in convenience and grocery stores, but these fruity drinks were classified as malt flavored beverages, and were sold alongside beer.
Some legislators were concerned that by removing the alcopops from privately owned businesses the state would be adding revenue to their own pockets instead of the citizens. The Smiths supermarket stores throughout the state combined might lose up to one million dollars in revenue said Tom Guinney, who owns and operates private clubs and restaurants in Utah. Albertsons stores could lose around $800,000.
"They'd probably lose more if they stopped selling radishes and green onions," Guinney said.
Moving the drinks to state liquor stores will keep the number of drinks consumed down just based on the sheer fact that there have been several hundreds of convenience stores, and a far more limited number of state liquor stores, Bramble said.
"Just by pure numbers, we are reducing the availability of these products to get into the hands of teens, even if the drinks are still bought by their parents," Bramble said.
The alcopops have been proven to be targeted at teens and young women primarily, Guinney said.
Governor Jon Huntsman only agreed to support the alcopop bill when the issue of poured drinks and sidecars were addressed.
The second part of the bill addresses the amount of alcohol that could be served as a part of a mixed drink. With the passage of this legislation, the amount has been taken down from a possible three and three-fourths ounce to a standard two and one-half ounce.
"Now it will be consistent to what bartenders are used to across the country," Bramble said.
4/7/08-15
Immigration
For a month and a half, Utahns pleaded with, demanded of and even threatened lawmakers to finally do something about illegal immigration.
Sweeping reform was passed, but in the last minutes of the 2008 legislative session a key piece of the puzzle was left out over "a game of chicken" between the House and Senate, and now leaders of both are scrambling to fix it after the fact.
An immigration task force proposed by Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, died after the House took offense at a move in the Senate to get some money for a separate education task force. Instead of fixing the problem, they let task forces for immigration and education die on the board.
"I guess we got caught up in a game of chicken," Jenkins said.
The immigration task force was supposed to bridge the next 18 months when Senate Bill 81 goes into effect, toughening up enforcement, employment requirements, ID theft, liquor licenses and more. That bill was delayed explicitly to await the task force results.
States like Oklahoma and Arizona have faced unforeseen economic impacts and lawsuits after passing strict laws against illegal immigration.
Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, said on Friday that he's working with Speaker of the House Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, to move some money into additional interim committees. That doesn't make Jenkins any happier.
"If they can just do it, then why didn't they just let it pass?" he said. "Now that it's turned into a political football I'm not sure I care."
For a month and a half, Utahns pleaded with, demanded of and even threatened lawmakers to finally do something about illegal immigration.
Sweeping reform was passed, but in the last minutes of the 2008 legislative session a key piece of the puzzle was left out over "a game of chicken" between the House and Senate, and now leaders of both are scrambling to fix it after the fact.
An immigration task force proposed by Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, died after the House took offense at a move in the Senate to get some money for a separate education task force. Instead of fixing the problem, they let task forces for immigration and education die on the board.
"I guess we got caught up in a game of chicken," Jenkins said.
The immigration task force was supposed to bridge the next 18 months when Senate Bill 81 goes into effect, toughening up enforcement, employment requirements, ID theft, liquor licenses and more. That bill was delayed explicitly to await the task force results.
States like Oklahoma and Arizona have faced unforeseen economic impacts and lawsuits after passing strict laws against illegal immigration.
Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, said on Friday that he's working with Speaker of the House Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, to move some money into additional interim committees. That doesn't make Jenkins any happier.
"If they can just do it, then why didn't they just let it pass?" he said. "Now that it's turned into a political football I'm not sure I care."
4/7/08-14
To reopen, Frazier Park must comply Print E-mail
Rette Speight - DAILY HERALD
The Provo Canyon Coalition presented a petition to the Utah County Commission Tuesday morning asking officials to ensure complete compliance with codes before reopening Frazier Park.
The trailer park, located in Provo Canyon, caught fire in December and has been hidden by the snow since. Power had to be shut off to the park during the fire because power lines ran through its restroom, which was burned in the fire. The county then shut the park down until the owners could come up with a plan to reconstruct the building so that power could be turned back on.
But that has not stopped residents from trying to get back into the park, said Provo Canyon Coalition member David Studdert.
"The living conditions they've been living is like a Third World country," Studdert said.
Studdert's petition asks that the owners of the park be required comply with all zoning, health and safety requirements.
"We're just looking for the county to enforce its laws," Studdert said. "Right now, we're very concerned about the water quality, the electric situations, the fire hazards and the pollution to the Provo River it's causing."
The park's co-owner, Leon Frazier, said the park might not open until summer of 2009 or later.
"We just got into the wrong business, but we're closed now. No one is living in there. There are 'No Trespassing' signs all over the place," Leon said.
The trailers that burned were owned by Frazier and his brother, Kevin and were rented out to "trailer trash" tenants, said Leon. He said they were "bad tenants" and a "low-class type of crowd" who were constantly involved in partying and drug use, and some were in and out of jail. There were approximately 13 groups living throughout the park, and he had a hard time collecting rent from them, he said.
Adding to the current mess, Leon said, are the trailers that the brothers have started tearing out.
Leon couldn't estimate a cleanup cost, but will be doing the cleanup himself with the help of friends and his brother. The park had 24 trailers on the property when it caught fire. Leon said that there were some makeshift and illegal cabanas and he was struggling to keep tenants out of the park.
Leon claims that the county was unfair during the whole existence of the park, including problems when they were opening.
"They broke me," Leon said.
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Rette Speight - DAILY HERALD
The Provo Canyon Coalition presented a petition to the Utah County Commission Tuesday morning asking officials to ensure complete compliance with codes before reopening Frazier Park.
The trailer park, located in Provo Canyon, caught fire in December and has been hidden by the snow since. Power had to be shut off to the park during the fire because power lines ran through its restroom, which was burned in the fire. The county then shut the park down until the owners could come up with a plan to reconstruct the building so that power could be turned back on.
But that has not stopped residents from trying to get back into the park, said Provo Canyon Coalition member David Studdert.
"The living conditions they've been living is like a Third World country," Studdert said.
Studdert's petition asks that the owners of the park be required comply with all zoning, health and safety requirements.
"We're just looking for the county to enforce its laws," Studdert said. "Right now, we're very concerned about the water quality, the electric situations, the fire hazards and the pollution to the Provo River it's causing."
The park's co-owner, Leon Frazier, said the park might not open until summer of 2009 or later.
"We just got into the wrong business, but we're closed now. No one is living in there. There are 'No Trespassing' signs all over the place," Leon said.
The trailers that burned were owned by Frazier and his brother, Kevin and were rented out to "trailer trash" tenants, said Leon. He said they were "bad tenants" and a "low-class type of crowd" who were constantly involved in partying and drug use, and some were in and out of jail. There were approximately 13 groups living throughout the park, and he had a hard time collecting rent from them, he said.
Adding to the current mess, Leon said, are the trailers that the brothers have started tearing out.
Leon couldn't estimate a cleanup cost, but will be doing the cleanup himself with the help of friends and his brother. The park had 24 trailers on the property when it caught fire. Leon said that there were some makeshift and illegal cabanas and he was struggling to keep tenants out of the park.
Leon claims that the county was unfair during the whole existence of the park, including problems when they were opening.
"They broke me," Leon said.
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