March 2020

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We concluded our business this past week and it certainly felt like the time flew by. During the 2020 General Legislative Session we passed around 500 bills. Many of these were clean up bills, meaning minor words or definitions were changed.

I will send out a session recap highlighting many of the top issues we worked on this session next week, but for this week, here are the highlights from week 7:

Budget
We passed our “bill of bills”, our big budget bill, on the last night of the session as per usual. I’m happy to report that this year we are appropriating $255 million for K-12 education enrollment growth and a 6% WPU funding increase. Education is a top priority for us and so this was an easy decision to make. 
We are a state that takes pride in preparedness and so we have also allocated $26 million in one-time funding and $132 million in ongoing funds to our rainy-days funds. 
This budget puts $17.9 million ongoing and $5.9 million one-time monies for mental health services for crisis situations.  We are also putting $7.3 million one-time in for air quality programs.

Coronavirus Update 
The Legislature has allocated over $20 million to bolster state and local efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Funding includes targeted programs to protect Utah’s seniors, who are particularly susceptible to the virus. 
 
Funding includes:

• $16 million was allocated to the Division of Finance for coronavirus response
• $4 million can be drawn from the Disaster Recovery Restriction Account
• $2 million for local health departments to create intensive response programs for seniors
• $250,000 to Meals on Wheels, a program targeted to assist senior citizens
• $250,000 to the Food Box Program, which provides 10 days’ worth of boxed meals to seniors
• $250,000 in new home medical testing services to help minimize the spread of the illness
• $250,000 in home supportive services programs for vulnerable populations

 
Additionally, Utah will have access to over $6 million from the federal government.

Education Funding Proposal 
If SJR 9 passes on the voter ballot this November, then we have H.B. 357, Public Education Funding Stabilization which would ensure we are protecting, growing and stabilizing education funding. H.B. 357 moves the Minimum School Program funding (which includes WPU) to a constitutionally protected account for K-12 education. This will also automatically adjust education funding for enrollment growth and inflation. In addition, this establishes a reserve to meet educational funding commitments during economic downturns. This bill passed both chambers and will be sent to the governor for his consideration.
 

Start Smart Utah Breakfast Program

We want to see every student succeed. Though, we know that some Utah students face significant barriers, including not getting enough to eat daily. To help address this need, we passed H.B. 222, Start Smart Utah Breakfast Program. It creates a program to expand school breakfast access in public schools. While this bill initially failed in committee, it was reconsidered a week later with a new substitute and then passed out of the Senate committee unanimously with a favorable recommendation. This bill passed through the Legislature and will be sent to the governor for his consideration.
 
Bail and Pretrial Release Amendments
 
H.B. 206, Bail and Pretrial Release Amendments, permits judges to allow some individuals accused of crimes—such as first-time nonviolent crime offenders—to await trial at home. Around 65 percent of people currently incarcerated in Utah are awaiting trial. This burdens our prison system and costs, taxpayers, a great deal of money. It also costs many individuals accused of crimes undue trauma. Most people incarcerated while awaiting trial have not committed violent crimes and are not considered flight risks: they simply cannot afford bail. Prior to incarceration, many have jobs, stable housing and families. As a result of pretrial incarceration, many lose jobs. In many cases, accused individuals spend more time in prison awaiting trial than they spend paying for their crimes after trial. Pretrial incarceration is also associated with higher rates of recidivism. This bill passed the Legislature and will be sent to the governor for his consideration.
 
Gambling Machines and Sweepstakes 
 
Oftentimes, fringe gambling allows individuals to insert cash into a slot machine-like device where they push a button in hopes of winning cash prizes. Fringe gambling devices have cropped up in convenience stores, gas stations, beauty salons, vape shops and even laundromats. Under the Utah Constitution, gambling is prohibited under “any pretense.” S.B. 214, Gambling Machine and Sweepstakes Amendments, addresses loopholes in the law leading to unregulated gambling in some Utah communities. This bill modifies definitions to clarify which types of machines are legal and prohibits the operation of fringe gaming devices. In addition, it enhances criminal penalties for individuals who own or operate fringe gambling devices, not consumers who play them. This bill passed in both the Senate and House and will go to the governor for his consideration.
 
You can watch the floor presentation here. 

Paid Leave

The Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) provides employees 12 weeks of protected unpaid leave following childbirth. State employees currently use their paid sick leave and annual leave to offset unpaid maternity leave. Not having access to paid parental leave disproportionately affects females and younger employees. It creates instability in the workplace and makes the Utah State Government less competitive in attracting qualified employees.

S.B. 207, Paid Parental Leave Amendments, provides three weeks of postpartum recovery for mothers employed by the state of Utah. This important change will make the state a more competitive employer. Providing paid parental leave leads to greater recruitment and workforce retention rates. It also helps decrease the likelihood that families will need government assistance within the first year following childbirth. This bill passed in both the Senate and House and will go to the governor for his consideration. 

Watch the bill’s presentation on the Senate floor here.

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

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We will end the 2020 Legislative Session this Thursday. We have passed around 200 bills so far and we still have many more to consider before the end. The most important bill we will consider next week will be our “bill of bills”, the completed budget bill.

Budget

While we do not have the final budget prepared yet, our Executive Appropriations Chairs have assured us that we will be increasing education funding again this year. Utah legislators consistently prioritize education funding and have increased it from $2.8 billion to $3.8 billion in the past five years alone. We are expecting to see a 5 percent increase to the Weighted Pupil Unit (WPU) and over $500 million in new money to education.

Education Funding Proposal

Utah is one of the fastest-growing states in the country, with a population expected to double in the next 40 years. The Legislature is taking important steps to protect education funding as Utah’s population grows and the economy fluctuates. S.J.R. 9, Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution – Use of Tax Revenue would allow the use of income tax revenue to support services for children and individuals with disabilities, including social services that supplement educational needs and support students’ physical and mental health. This proposal is subject to voter approval and will take effect if Utahns approve it during the November 2020 general election. This bill generated a lot of debate in the Senate and ultimately passed. This bill will now be considered in the House.
 

Distracted Driver Amendments

Distracted driving causes thousands of accidents in Utah each year – an estimated 25 percent of all Utah accidents. Hand-held cell phone use while driving has been illegal in Utah since 2007. Since it is not a primary offense, enforcing this law has been difficult. For example, law enforcement cannot pull drivers over for texting while driving on the freeway. As the law currently stands, hand-held cell phone use while driving is only punishable when coupled with another primary traffic violation. H.B. 101, Distracted Driver Amendments, would make holding a cellphone while driving a primary offense. Drivers would still be permitted to communicate on their phones in a hands-free manner, using means such as blue tooth, cell phone mounting devices or simply resting their phone in a secure spot. Drivers would be allowed to briefly tap or swipe their phones to answer calls or use cell phone assistants like Siri or Ok Google. Exceptions would be allowed during emergencies.  As someone who has lost a friend who was hit by a distracted driver, I was a supporter of this bill.

Twenty-two other states have passed similar laws, and are seeing declines in motor vehicle accidents. This bill generated considerable debate on the Senate floor, but ultimately passed on the 2nd reading.
You can listen to the floor debate here.

E-Cigarettes in Schools 

The coordinated effort to reduce the use of e-cigarettes among our youth is greater than ever. H.B.58, Electronic Cigarettes in Schools Amendments, establishes rules regarding vaping on school property. For example, local education agencies would be required to adopt policies for confiscating and destroying e-cigarette and vaping products when students are found in possession of e-cigarettes and vaping products in school. The harmful effects of vaping would be added to the health curriculum. Students who report feeling socially isolated in school are three times as likely to have vaped in the last thirty days. With this in mind, H.B. 58 will incorporate programs addressing the social and emotional reasons youth turn to vaping and other addictive substances.

This bill passed in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and will now be considered by the full Senate.  
You can listen to the committee presentation here.

Medical Billing 

Balance billing, also known as surprise billing, is a major cause for concern in our state and throughout the nation. A major hindrance in addressing this issue is the lack of data about exactly what is happening in our state with our patients. S.B. 155, Medical Billing Amendments, requires that all data on balance billing be collected by the same entity through one year and recorded to help everyone see exactly where problems are arising. The hope is that this data collection will bring insurers and providers together and result in better self-regulating. This bill requires a report to the Legislature after one year of data collection. Stakeholders worked together on this bill and are in agreement. This bill passed in the Senate and is now up for consideration in the House.
You can listen to the floor discussion here. 
      

     
Insulin Access Amendments

Utahns with diabetes are facing barriers to accessing insulin. Over 200,000 Utahns have diabetes, and about 50,000 depend on insulin. Insulin is expensive, costing upwards of $2,000 per month. Many patients struggle to afford it; others needing insulin are turned away at pharmacies when their prescriptions have expired. Roughly one in four insulin-dependent individuals are being forced to ration their insulin – using less than they are prescribed. This has led to exacerbated health problems and some fatalities.  H.B. 207, , Insulin Access Amendments, presents a series of solutions to address the state’s insulin crisis. It provides for dispensing changes, bulk-purchasing and low-cost plans. This bill passed in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and is currently on the 2nd reading calendar.
 You can listen to the committee presentation here.
 
Coronavirus
 
With the coronavirus (COVID-19) continually making headlines, many Utah citizens are asking about our state preparations. The short answer: Utah is ready. Utah and its citizens are uniquely prepared to handle this situation. We have a culture of collaboration, preparedness and caring for neighbors.
 
Even though this is a worrisome public health situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) believes the immediate coronavirus health risk to the general public is low. There is a lot of misinformation about COVID-19. Accurate information, facts and prevention tips about COVID-19 can be found online at coronavirus.utah.gov as well as on social media  @UtahCoronavirus. Utah citizens can trust these sources, which are being continually updated.
To help reduce the spread of all sickness, we can each take preventive steps, including 

• Covering coughs or sneezes with a tissue and then throwing the tissue in the trash
• Proper handwashing – 30 seconds with warm soapy water – taking care to include both thumbs
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe
• Supporting our personal immune systems through adequate rest and good nutrition
• Staying at home if sick.

These practices will not only help prevent the spread of the coronavirus but will also help protect against seasonal flu viruses. 

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