SALT LAKE CITY — A bill to extend to 72 hours the waiting period for women seeking abortions in Utah received preliminary approval in the Utah Senate Wednesday afternoon. There was no debate or discussion. The bill was moved to the Senate’s final passage calendar on a vote of 22-6.
HB461, sponsored by Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, would triple the current waiting period, which is 24 hours. Utah would have one of the nation’s longest waiting periods between the initial consultation and the procedure. However, the bill was amended to allow the initial consultation to occur anywhere in the state.
The bill’s Senate sponsor, Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, said if he could, he would sponsor legislation to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that established a woman’s right to abortion without undue interference from the government.
While there was no debate, two Salt Lake Democrats expressed their objections while voting.
Sen. Gene Davis said women have a right to health care, a right to control their own bodies and a right to choice.
“I don’t believe trying to frustrate an individual from making that choice is appropriate for the state to be involved in and I vote no,” Davis said.
Sen. Ross Romero said the state already has a 24-hour waiting period. “I’m sure this is a very difficult decision made with reflection and consultation with family, religious leaders and others.” Extending the waiting period likely would not change their decisions, he said.
Romero said he does not believe government should interfere the matter.
“We already have a law on the books that is more than adequate.”
SALT LAKE CITY — Sex education took center stage at the Utah Legislature again Wednesday. But this time it revolved around teaching parents rather than students.
In a House bill requiring schools to hold an annual parents seminar on topics such as drug abuse, bullying and mental health, the Senate added “human sexuality” to the list.
The change touched off a House debate about whether talking to parents about sex is necessary.
“I have zero interest in going to a class to teach my children about human sexuality,” said Rep. Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville.
Noting he has three children, Wilson said, “I figured it out.”
Maybe it’s the Senate, he said, that needs the instruction.
The Legislature found parents “up to the task” of teaching their children about sex with passage of the abstinence-only law for public schools, Wilson said. That bill restricts school sex education courses to abstinence-only or nothing.
“Now, we’re turning around and saying maybe we’re not,” he said.
Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, said he proposed HB420 to give parents the chance to obtain information about issues facing young people.
The House passed the bill last week and the Senate amended it Wednesday to include human sexuality.
“Is this for those of us who missed the ninth-grade maturation meeting?” said Rep. Jim Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville.
Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns, said what he knew in ninth-grade doesn’t completely cover what he needs to know today.
“It’s voluntary. It’s for adults taught by adults. Don’t go if you don’t want to,” he said, adding some parents might want the information.
Eliason noted that 90 percent of parents opted for their children to take sex education in school.
“That is now not going to an option for them,” he said referring to the abstinence-only bill. “Parents before have said we need help with this.”
In the end, the House voted 38-37 to not concur with the Senate “human sexuality” amendment and asked it to remove the change.
SALT LAKE CITY — A bill that would have fined public school principals for failing to provide equal access to all teacher unions failed in the Utah House after prolonged debate Monday.
Sponsors of SB82 say they’ve received reports of schools not complying with a 2007 law to treat all education associations the same. Some are being blocked from participating on committees or getting enough tables at a school function, said Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper.
The bill proposed to fine principals $1,000 and school districts $10,000 for violating the law.
Rep. Lynn Hemingway, D-Salt Lake found the fine exorbitant. “I’m wondering if Howard Hughes or Mitt Romney has ever been a principal in Utah,” he said.
After more than an hour debate, House members voted it down 51-18.
“This bill is draconian. It is punitive. It is mean-spirited,” said Rep. Craig Powell, R-Heber City.
Rep. Christen Watkins, D-Price, said the Legislature shouldn’t make policy based on unsubstantiated reports of violations.
“These allegations are just that,” she said.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate gave final approval Wednesday a bill intended to prohibit interference with agricultural operations.
HB187, co-sponsored by Rep. John Mathis, R-Vernal, is intended to prohibit trespassing at private agricultural operations to record images or sound from an agricultural operation or seeking employment under false pretenses with the intent of making such recordings.
Farmers, ranchers and people who operate processing plants “need to know who’s coming on their property because of their food safety,” said Hinkins during Senate debate Wednesday. Hinkins, R-Orangeville, Senate sponsor of the bill, said the legislation is primarily a trespassing prohibition.
“We really need to know whose coming and going because there’s a lot of terrorists out there,” Hinkins said.
Animal rights organizations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals “create wars” in places like rural Utah “in order to fill their war chests with money.”
The bill targets people who intentionally seek employment in agricultural operations “who have no reason to be there except espionage, to spy on the operation,” Hinkins said in earlier debate. The bill establishes misdemeanor penalties for recording images or sounds without permission of the operator or intentionally seeking employment at an agricultural operation under false pretenses, such as recording information.
But some senators have concerns that whistleblowers would be caught up in the bill’s provisions if they witness food safety or animal cruelty on farms or processing plants.
“If a person actually working for them seen something that is unsound animal practices, he would be protected under the bill,” Hinkins said
Sen. Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake, said the bill had taught him a great deal about the fear in the food industry being free to operate “without being bullied, quite frankly, by some very militant organizations.”
“There isn’t a bill I receive more email from on than this particular bill. It’s been from California all the way to Paris,” Davis said.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate passed an amended version of a bill intended to preclude interference with agricultural operations.
HB187 is intended to prohibit trespassing at agricultural operations under false pretenses or obtaining employment with the intent of recording images or sound from an agricultural operation.
“Basically, it’s a trespassing bill,” said Sen. David Hinkins, R-Orangeville. The Senate voted 19-7 to send the bill, sponsored by Rep. John Mathis, R-Vernal, to a final reading in the Senate.
The bill targets people who intentionally seek employment in agricultural operations “who have no reason to be there except espionage, to spy on the operation,” Hinkins said.
Hinkins said even in cases of domestic violence or child abuse, no one has the right to hide cameras in the home of suspected perpetrator.
“This is a property rights question,” Hinkins said.
The bill attempts to push back against animal rights groups attempting to harm the livestock industry, he said.
“It’s the vegetarian people. That’s what’s trying to kill the animal industry,” he said.
Hinkins said there is a demand for beef and other products that result from livestock production.
On ranches, livestock is “raised and slaughtered and ate. That’s what happens on a ranching operation.” While some people may find those operations off-putting,
“Every time you go to McDonald’s that’s what hamburgers are. It’s a dead cow,” Hinkins said.
Some senators questioned whether legitimate whistleblowers could be negatively impacted by the legislation if they bring to light a food safety or animal cruelty issue.
Hinkins said the bill targets people hired under false pretenses who are “working for activist companies.”
If employees witness such events, they can contact the state veterinarian to investigate, he said.
“There’s other ways to do it instead of hiding cameras or modifying the films.”
SALT LAKE CITY — So-called consultants who prey on immigrants and refugees may soon be under state regulation.
Utah lawmakers passed SB144 says those who provide services to immigrants including filling out forms, tax preparation and translation must register with the state Department of Commerce. They also would have to undergo a criminal background check and post bonds.
“Let’s have (immigrants) who are doing it the right way not get messed over,” said Rep. Jen Seelig, D-Salt Lake.
The influx of immigrants into the state has given rise to an unregulated cottage industry that is rife with fraud and predatory practices, said Rep. Jeremy Peterson, R-Ogden.
The bill, he said, attempts to legitimize the business.
SB144 now goes to governor for consideration.
SALT LAKE CITY — A bill to allow Utah to opt out of federal health care reform laws and assume responsibility for programs such as Medicare and Medicaid is “not a benign message bill,” said Senate Minority Assistant Whip Patricia Jones.
“This is a lose-lose proposition,” Jones said at a press conference Tuesday.
SB208, which is before the Utah House, which passed the Senate on a vote of 21-8 on Monday. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said he believes Utah could manage health care programs more efficiently and provide better care for patients.
Under the Healthcare Compact, the state would assume the federal funding for and oversight of programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program or CHIP under a block grant funding mechanism. Funding for growth would be provided. However, Congress would have to give its approval to the states for the compact to take effect.
Four states have thus far joined the compact — Texas, Missouri, Georgia and Oklahoma –but the governors of two states, Arizona as one, have vetoed the legislation.
Jones said Utah is considered a national leader in the quality of health care it delivers. It is also a leader in providing affordable care.
It makes no sense, she said, to join forces with lower performing states in what some describe as an innovation.
“I don’t think we want to be No. 1 in experiments,” she said.
SALT LAKE CITY — Former longtime Utah Democratic Party executive director Todd Taylor died in his sleep Monday night at age 46.
Utah Democrats called Taylor as an icon in local and national politics. He was the longest running executive director in the party’s history, having served 17 years until stepping down in 2011. His successor, Matt Lyon, described Taylor in as a compass, advisor, mentor and wiseman who will be greatly missed.
Taylor was recently working as a senior political and strategic advisor for the party.
At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, House Minority Leader David Litvak, D-Salt Lake, said Democratic state lawmakers had “heavy hearts” over the passing of Taylor.
“He cannot and will not be replaced,” Litvak said.
Taylor became interested in politics after a career as a chiropractor and advocating for the Utah Chiropractic Association. He was always active in political campaigns, working running campaigns for J. Dell Holbrook for Davis County Commission and Kem Gardner for governor in 1992.
“Todd Taylor was the soul of the Utah Democratic Party,” said Jim Dabakis, party chairman. “His leadership, vision and dry sense of humor will be remembered and honored as long as we have Democrats in Utah.”
SALT LAKE CITY — Cities, counties and school districts would be able to create their own ethics commission under a bill Utah lawmakers are considering.
SB180 does not mandate local government set up the commission but gives them the option.
Rep. Francis Gibson, R-Mapleton, said it puts locally elected officials under the same ethics guidelines as state legislators.
Rep. Craig Frank, R-Pleasant Grove, he likes the concept in the bill, but has concerns it could be used to attack or bully local officials.
Ethics issues have arisen recently in Cedar Hills, which is part of Frank’s district, and in Provo.
Because the House amended SB180, it goes back to the Senate for consideration.
SALT LAKE CITY — Texting while driving is against the law in Utah. But police and local prosecutors say they discovered a loophole that allowed drivers to avoid a citation if they didn’t actually send the message.
The Legislature closed the loophole Tuesday with SB98, which has now passed the House and Senate. The law does not apply to voice-operated texting.
House members raised several questions about the bill, which passed 39-32.
“My concerns with the change is there is no way of proving or knowing when I typed that message,” said Rep. Fred Cox, R-West Valley City.
Rep. Richard Greenwood, R-Roy, said it’s his understanding that law enforcement has the technology to determine when a text message was written.
Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, said in many cases there is no way to tell when a message was entered and that the time stamp comes when the text is sent.
“I d have some troubles with that bill,” he said.
SB98 goes to the governor for consideration.