Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope you all stayed safe on the roads this last week with all of the snow. While many schools and government entities closed last Monday, we still held our normal meetings in the legislature. After two weeks, we have passed 30 bills. During week 3, we will more than double the amount of time we spend on the Senate floor, which will mean the passage and failure of more bills.
Here are a few highlights from Week 2:
My Bills
This week my bill, S.B. 23 Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing Amendments, unanimously passed in a Senate committee hearing. This bill removes burdensome regulations on Utah businesses and makes it easier to get a license in Utah if you already have a license in another state. Government should not be a barrier to free enterprise. This is an important bill for empowering businesses and Utahns.
Budget
This week we reviewed and passed nine base budget bills representing different appropriations subcommittees. These bills are based on each subcommittee’s budget from the previous year. Passing these bills during the second week of the session eliminates the possibility of a government shutdown. During the last week of the session, we will pass the “bill of bills,” which includes a complete budget for the year, including new funding for programs and other line items.
Here is a list of each of the base budget bills passed this week:
H.B. 1 Public Education Base Budget Amendments
H.B. 5 Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environmental Quality Base Budget
H.B. 6 Executive Offices and Criminal Justice Base Budget
H.B. 7 Social Services Base Budget Amendments
S.B. 1 Higher Education Base Budget
S.B. 4 Business, Economic Development and Labor Base Budget
S.B. 5 Retirement and Independent Entities Base Budget
S.B. 6 Infrastructure and General Government Base Budget
S.B. 7 National Guard, Veterans’ Affairs and Legislature Base Budget
Statewide Rail Plan
As the population of our state continues to grow, wise infrastructure planning becomes increasingly important. S.B. 92 Statewide Comprehensive Rail Plan, requires the Utah Department of Transportation to conduct a study and create comprehensive plans for expanded use of fixed rail for freight, commuting and long-distance travel. The study will include enhanced freight service along the Wasatch front, specifically with the Utah Inland Port in mind.
Upgrading FrontRunner by “doubletracking” will allow trains to run faster and more frequently. The goal is to help rail travel compete with freeway travel in terms of convenience and speed. The viability of high-speed rail will also be considered in the long-term, connecting our metropolitan areas with each other and those of additional Western states.
This bill passed in the Senate committee with a favorable recommendation.
You can listen to the committee presentation here.
Bigamy Laws
Utah has some of the harshest bigamy laws in the United States. Our strict penalties for practicing plural marriage have resulted in unintended consequences, with some practitioners of polygamy not seeking legal help in cases of abuse. Our polygamy laws have not successfully prevented the practice of polygamy, but they have enabled abusers to oppress victims in a shadow society. S.B. 102 Marriage and Bigamy Amendments, seeks to remove the fear of government persecution for those practicing polygamy by reducing the crime of bigamy from a third-degree felony to an infraction. The law will not condone polygamy or make it legal in Utah. The hope is that by reducing the severity of the crime, other crimes will be more freely reported, and polygamous communities will become more integrated in society, seeing greater benefits in legal representation, healthcare and public education.
Energy Storage Grant
New energy storage technology shows promise in our ongoing efforts to improve Utah’s air quality. S.B. 78 Energy Storage Innovation, Research, and Grant Program Act, will establish a grant program to advance solar and wind powered energy systems and store the excess energy generated. This one-time appropriation of $5 million will fund an initial market in Utah. It will help increase demand and drive down price and will require no ongoing state investments. Energy storage will afford Utahns added security by providing power during natural disasters or power outages.
The bill passed in the Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy and Technology Committee and will soon be debated on the Senate floor.
You can listen to the committee presentation here.
In the News: Deseret News
Recall U.S. Senators
You may have heard in the news that a representative in the state Legislature has a bill file open to create a process in Utah for impeaching a U.S. senator. I want to take a minute to clear the air on this issue by sharing the history behind this topic.
Alexander Hamilton wrote that a recall provision was included in a draft of the original United States Constitution but was unanimously withdrawn during the Constitutional Convention. Afterward, three states attempted to include a recall provision but were unsuccessful during the ratification process. There was then an unsuccessful attempt to include a recall provision as part of the 17th Amendment. More recently, New Jersey attempted to include a recall provision; but when it was challenged in the Supreme Court of New Jersey declared it unconstitutional.
Based on the history of state efforts to enact U.S. senator recall provisions, it seems unlikely that Utah would be successful in the long run in this endeavor.
Seen on the Hill
I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with 5th graders from Sunset View Elementary during the first week of session. During week 2, students with Outreach!, an organization of teenagers combatting smoking and vaping in youth, shared their great work with me. I love meeting with my constituents at the Capitol!
What do you think?
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent you in the Utah State Senate. I hope you will reach out to me with your thoughts on the issues we are considering this session!
Thank you,
Curt Bramble
Senate District 16
