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
