In a time when the entire nation is experiencing what is at best a tepid economic recovery at the hands of the federal government, it is gratifying to see Utah taking the lead in setting a solid economic foundation for the country. For the fifth year in a row, Utah has been named as the state with the strongest economic outlook.

The ranking is part of the American Legislative Exchange Council‘s, or ALEC, annual “Rich States, Poor States” report, which compares key economic markers, such as tax rates, minimum wage, population growth and job creation. The report is an overview of the policies that contribute to economic well-being, even in these tough times, and which policies states should avoid. As in previous years, the report shows states like Utah that have pro-growth policies are faring better and weathering the recession better than their neighbors.

Utah set a very basic course for itself — create a business-friendly environment that rewards competition and growth. It has done so by keeping in mind a simple equation: do not spend more money than you have. Working with ALEC to review legislation from other states and debate policy initiatives with other legislators, Utah has remained committed to competitive fiscal policy and job creation. This strong outlook is due in part to our flat 5 percent tax rate and employee pension reform legislation.

In 2012 the state was able to pass a balanced budget — something the federal government is unable to do — without raising taxes. Thanks to strict adherence to the policies set, the state has effectively shaken off the recession affecting so many other states. Earlier this year, legislators were able to announce more than $400 million in new spending for education, health care, law enforcement and roads.

The “Rich States, Poor States” report and Utah’s own experience clearly demonstrate that we cannot continue to follow the tax-heavy course set by the federal government and those who support big-government solutions. To ensure the well-being and long-term success of their state, legislators must take the lead in creating economic policies that benefit their state by creating jobs, spurring innovation and encouraging competition.

This work cannot happen in a vacuum. It is imperative for politicians from all 50 states and both sides of the aisle to come together and exchange ideas. The role ALEC plays facilitating the conversation around pro-growth, limited government principles and developing model legislation that advance free market ideals has never been needed more than today.

The principles of free-market enterprise and limited government supported by ALEC are the cornerstone of our nation. At this critical time, we should be focusing public conversation on how these policies can benefit individual states and America. ALEC, without apology, promotes ideas that foster economic freedom and job creation — ideals I proudly agree with. We are at a crossroads and more attention needs to be paid to policies that will generate jobs and lower taxes for our citizens. We should be asking publicly why states like New York and California are stagnating while states like Utah are flourishing.

The economic policies supported by ALEC have kept Utah competitive, creating and keeping jobs in our state and serving as a model for other states to follow as they try to alleviate budget challenges. We have proven that free-market principles can result in a solid economic foundation — for Utah and all the states.

Published on 5/9/12 in the Deseret News.

The Roman Catholic bishops in America recently issued a proclamation calling upon every priest and lay member to participate in a “great national campaign” to defend religious freedom. The proclamation further declared that: “If we face today the prospect of unjust laws, then Catholics in America, in solidarity with our fellow citizens, must have the courage not to obey them.”

It is always troubling when individuals choose civil disobedience of laws they don’t agree with, but it is particularly shocking when a revered religious institution like the Catholic Church urges its members and others to disobey the law. Encouraging such tactics to win a policy battle in the public square is beneath the church.

No matter how “righteous” the cause, it is irresponsible and even dangerous for any religion to unleash the passions of its people by calling on them to disobey the laws of the land. Particularly when it is not known how they will react.

The Founding Fathers believed that religious liberties are inalienable, God-given rights to mankind. They memorialized these freedoms in the Bill of Rights. They anticipated that religious principles, freely promulgated throughout the nation, would produce and strengthen a virtuous society necessary to maintain order and secure the public good. They hoped religion would provide the healing balm for the ills of society, bridle passions within the public square and encourage civility in public discourse. The call to disobey the law is not in harmony with the founders’ aspirations for religion’s role and its transcendent covenant with America, and therefore should be reversed.

Nevertheless, the Catholic Church is justified in its view that religious freedom is under siege. Its proclamation cites several examples when religious freedoms were violated by government. Other religions could significantly add to its list of grievances.

Clearly, religious freedom, once known as the First Freedom, has lost standing with the government when confronted by the so-called “new civil rights.” Religious leaders throughout America suspect government is waging a war against religious rights in support of other interests. This is a serious concern, and if it is not properly addressed it will become a serious problem for the nation. Government leaders should not trifle with protections afforded religion.

It is the right of people of faith and others to work in one accord securing religious freedom within the rule of law. If their petitions are ignored by government, they can and should encourage the formation of legal, independent political action organizations to elect those who will more earnestly protect religious rights of conscience and freedom.

If religious leaders will inspire their followers, including local and national business leaders, to support the work of the IPAOs, they will be able to shield themselves from those trying to wield government against their freedoms, while sustaining the primary missions of their faith.

In a nation forged by faith, it is the responsibility of religion to prophetically proclaim the sacred principles of religion’s God-given freedoms; to educate and inspire all people to properly protect religious freedom; and to properly help unify and organize the most effective petition for the government to do its duty — the duty to first and foremost preserve religious freedoms.

If religious leaders will call upon the better angels of humanity, they can bless America and the rest of the world. Hopefully, the Catholic Church, along with others, will see the virtue in this course of action.

Originally published May 3rd, 2012, in the Salt Lake Tribune.

Photo Credit:  Teotwawki

It has been interesting to listen to the conversation about Governor Herbert’s veto of Rep. Wright’s bill that would have outlawed discussion of contraceptives in sex ed courses.  Much of that conversation has been factually incorrect.

For example, people have said that the veto will lead to advocacy of homosexuality in schools and to condom and zucchini enactments. Well, in a word, no. The veto simply leaves us with our current law. So, the relevant question is whether those activities are happening under our current law. The answer is “no.”

Sex ed is taught in our high schools every year. Out of all those classrooms and all that instruction, where are the examples of promotion of homosexuality and risqué theater? They don’t exist. Current law has served us well. From a factual standpoint, then, this bill was a solution in search of a problem.

Next, to determine the need for this legislation, let’s take a look at current law. In much of the dialogue, I have heard people say that Rep. Wright’s bill is needed because they want abstinence taught and that they don’t want any advocacy of pre-marital sex, homosexuality, or contraceptives. OK. Let’s see how our existing law measures up.

Subsection1(b) says instruction shall stress:

(A)  the importance of abstinence from all sexual activity before marriage and fidelity after marriage as methods for preventing certain communicable diseases; and

(B)  personal skills that encourage individual choice of abstinence and fidelity.

Check.

Subsection (c)(iii)(A) prohibits instruction in:

(I)  the intricacies of intercourse, sexual stimulation, or erotic behavior;

(II)  the advocacy of homosexuality;

(III)  the advocacy or encouragement of the use of contraceptive methods or devices; or

(IV)  the advocacy of sexual activity outside of marriage.

And, check.

These existing provisions are why (circling back to the existing factual reality) Utah students don’t come home with stories of nefarious indoctrination by their teachers. Our existing law is good.

Our existing law could be beefed up in 2 areas: consistency in the discussion of contraceptives and better parental notification. But, based on my experience, it would be tough to make such commonsense changes, because the conversation on sex ed quickly strays from facts and actual language.

And, I get that. Human sexuality is a huge deal, and it has great significance to just about everyone. It is a sensitive topic. With that in mind, I don’t mean to provoke. Rather, because the issue has great significance to me too, I simply intend to pull the discussion back to facts and actual language. My take is that our existing law went through a far better process than Rep. Wright’s bill and, as a result, is a far better law. It has served us well, and it will continue to do so.

Also posted today on SteveU.com.

The first purpose of this bill is to take Planned Parenthood‘s philosophy out of our schools and out of our curriculum. Planned Parenthood’s teachings are a bad fit for Utah.

Most parents assume that local teachers or Utah’s Office of Education created the current curriculum and training for sex education. That is not the case. Planned Parenthood – a nationally organized group that promotes promiscuous behavior and abortion – has been a major source for curriculum and teacher training for these programs. Their logo is prominently displayed on the USOE’s sex ed training website www.growingupcomesfirst.org

Utah public schools will continue to teach health and human development. These biology classes will be clinical discussions. When the teaching of contraception or alternative life styles becomes the topic, the clinical discussion too easily changes into a counseling session on matters of sex.  For school discussions, abstinence only is the safest approach.

Teaching abstinence is a matter of public health.

Kids are inundated with information about sex from many venues.  To counter that, there must be at least one reliable source for teaching the benefits of abstinence.  The evidence shows that

* Sexually active youth have a significantly higher rate of suicide and depression than their peers who are not sexually active.

* Sexually active teens, especially boys have a higher propensity to engage in other high-risk activities such as alcohol and drug abuse.

* People who were sexually active as teens are more than 50% more likely to divorce later in life.

Utah has a compelling interest to keep her youth safe and healthy. Condoms are not foolproof in preventing pregnancy or STDs. Abstinence is the only method that is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy and STDs as well as being a strong contributor to emotional health. Those messages needs to be reinforced consistently, not just presented in a spectrum of possible STD reduction methods.

In November of 2011, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a report stating that there are 19 million new cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia diagnosed every year in the United States, this does not include an “alarming” increase in human papillomavirus and genital herpes that are not specifically identified in the study because they are not included in the reporting system. These new cases cost the health care system $17 billion each year. In the same report the CDC states “STDs are one of the most critical health challenges facing the nation today.”  The report confirms that these increases are coming at the same time that condom use among teens has increased.

Teens should be taught risk elimination not just risk reduction. It is the responsibility of parents and educators to direct students away from physically unsafe or detrimental lifestyles and toward those that enhance opportunities for successful, healthy futures. It is the responsibility of the legislature to create scaffolding within the public education structure where educators can do that successfully.

HB363 was necessary to reclaim our schools’ curriculum from Planned Parenthood’s agenda, and give our youth the best opportunities possible for a safe and healthy future.

Originally posted on the Deseret News Site.

Here’s a slideshow of pictures from the final week:

Here’s a PDF of a communication most senators received today.  Page 1 is the blue note.  Page 2 is the attachment.

Viva la 2012 Legislative Session!

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Originally published in the Deseret News March 8, 2012

The Soviet agricultural system has been relegated to the ash heap of history, but American public education continues with one five-year reform plan after another.

Shortly after the Reagan administration unveiled the “Nation at Risk” report, financial journalist and author Peter Brimelow wrote, “The public school system is the American version of Soviet agriculture, beyond help as currently organized because its incentive structure is all wrong. Symptoms include: … constant mismatching of supply and demand … prices administered without regard to incentives, so that all teachers must be paid on the same scales; and absence of internal checks and balances … ”

While Brimelow’s comparison was insightful, he failed to recognize why American public education has not utterly failed like Soviet agriculture did: the innate difference between a teacher’s love for a child and a farmer’s lack of affection for a turnip. Caring professionals are the reason government education has not utterly failed, in spite of the dysfunctional system in which they work.

It should be surprising that parents are satisfied that their children are educated in a government model of compulsory, tax-funded education factories we call public schools. Yet these same parents would riot if suddenly their housing, clothing, food and cars were produced by a similar government monopoly.

In 2002, Gov. Michael Leavitt created the Employers’ Education Coalition (EEC) to take a broad look at the problems in both public and higher education. Leavitt named Fraser Bullock, who had recently helped turn around the Salt Lake Winter Olympics, to chair the EEC, which included business leaders, educators and parents. The EEC’s report stated “the business community believes that management is the most important determinant of success in an enterprise. In the case of Public Education in Utah, the management process is anything but clear. There are ‘too many hands on the steering wheel,’ making it unclear who is in charge and who is responsible for what.”

At statehood, the federal government wanted to ensure a Mormon governor could not wield church influence over public education. Therefore, while candidates run as the “education governor,” Utah’s Constitution leaves the head of the state’s executive branch no authority over public education, which accounts for a whopping 52 percent of the state budget. What’s more, governors have little authority or accountability for higher education, including state colleges and universities and Utah College of Applied Technology.

As independent entities, public and higher education are forced to compete on more levels than just funding:

* public education complains that higher education doesn’t adequately prepare teachers;
* higher education complains that public education doesn’t effectively prepare students for college; and
* career and technical education provided by UCAT and others gets squeezed between public and higher education resulting in long waiting lists for students seeking 9-12 month technical certificates and licenses which employers sorely need.

Meanwhile there are no waiting lists for four-year psychology and political science majors.

In its remedy the EEC stated “there must be a clarification of roles and responsibilities for the Utah State Legislature, the Utah Board of Education, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the local school districts and a coherent management structure developed.”

Sen. Stuart Reid’s SB39, passed in the 2012 legislative session, solves the governance issue for Utah’s System of Higher Education and UCAT. The measure gives the governor authority to approve the Board of Regents selection of Commissioner of Higher Education and UCAT’s selection of its president.

In the 2013 session, Reid will sponsor a constitutional amendment to provide the general control and supervision of the public education system and higher education system to the governor. In order for the amendment to pass, it must receive two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate and voter approval in the 2014 election. Governors will appoint the state school board and state superintendent in consultation with state school board and confirmation of the Senate. This authority will end the confusion of so many hands on the steering wheel, enabling an efficient, seamless education system to fuel greater economic growth.

All but one of the top 10 performing states in student achievement identified by Education Week has gubernatorial authority over public education. The governor either selects the state school board or state superintendent or both. This change could elevate the State Office of Education to a Utah Department of Education with the state superintendent as a member of the governor’s cabinet.

It’s time Utah establishes that, when it comes to public education, the buck stops with the governor.

Howard Stephenson is a Utah State senator and the chair of the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee. Cody Jenkins is an intern from the Hinckley Institute of Politics.

Welcome to Day 45 of the Utah legislative session! Today is going to be a long, full one, so watch closely as we move through it.

* Follow the Reading Calendars! They are updated in real time and tell you what bills are on the floor, what is circled, etc.
* Tune in for our live press access time today after Morning Floor Time via Facebook. We’ll announce starting times on Twitter and Facebook.
* Floor Times:
-Morning: 8 a.m. – Noon
- Afternoon” 2:10 – 6 p.m.
-Evening: 7 p.m. – Midnight

Media Highlights

ESPN talks about Utah’s ski resort interconnect Here

Jenkins, R-Plain City, was the Senate sponsor of HB156, which would allow reservists who are assigned to Utah to pay in-state college tuition.Jenkins, a former member of the National Guard, said he supports the tuition break because it does not raise taxes on other people. Also, he said it helps the Guard and reserves attract recruits by offering tuition assistance. Read More in The The Salt Lake Tribune and Standard Examiner

The Utah Senate gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a bill that says carrying a gun in public is not, in itself, threatening behavior.  ”We have a situation where it is both legal and illegal to engage in legal behavior,” Thatcher said of carrying a weapon. The West Valley Republican said he crafted a bill to address the issue, but found Ray’s bill did a better job in dealing with the concerns. Read more at the Standard Examiner, Deseret News,and The Salt Lake Tribune.

Utah went one step closer to joining a compact with other states to opt out of federal health care reform Monday when the Senate passed Senate Bill 208 and sent it to the House for consideration. The vote count was 21-8.

SB208, sponsored by Sen. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, proposes Utah adopt the Health Care Compact, which could comprise of several states wanting to take control of health care from the federal government and put it in the states’ individual hands.

“We are the best managed state in the nation,” Sen. Adams argued during the morning’s floor debate. “We can manage these dollars better.”

The bill’s language asserts “the federal government has enacted many laws that have preempted state laws with respect to heath care, and placed increasing strain on state budgets, impairing other responsibilities such as education, infrastructure, and public safety.”

If the bill passes the House, is signed by the governor, accepted by the United States Congress and then the Compact is adopted by at least one other state, health care will be Utah’s responsibility. According to the bill’s language each member state of the compact will have the ability to legislate out “the operation of federal laws, rules, regulations, and orders regarding health care that are inconsistent with the laws and regulations adopted by the member state.”

An advisory commission comprised of the states in the compact would also be created under SB208. The purpose of this commission, as stated in the bill, would be to study health care issues and make non-binding recommendations to the member states. It will also exist to assess the health care programs of each state.

Programs such as Medicare and Medicaid would be funded yearly by federal block grants. According to the bill’s language, these mandatory grants would not be conditional of any action or adoption of a regulation, policy, law or rule, as many federal monies are. Concerns were voiced by other senators about the possible burden placed on health care programs if they fall under state control.

The eventual financial cost of state control could negatively impact these programs, such as higher taxes or health care cuts for seniors, said Sen. Patricia Jones, D-Holladay. ”This is more than a benign message bill,” she said.

Adams said state control will make changes to health care policy easier without the hassle of going through the federal government first.

Similar health care compact bills are going through eight other legislatures this year. The New Hampshire House of Representatives voted to join the interstate Health Care Compact February 15. The bill now goes to their Senate. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, four states signed health compact bills into law in 2011, and the 12 others attempted did not.

For more information, see this Sutherland Institute video of Sen. Adams explaining his bill:

Today is Day 42 of the Utah Legislative Session. With three days left, we’ve got a lot to cover in the Senate. Here’s what’s happening:

* The House sent its priority list over yesterday evening. All bills read not already on the Second Reading Calendar were put at the bottom. You can watch the reading calendars from the Legislature’s website.
* We have three floor times scheduled for today. However, depending on how much work needs to be done, evening floor time may be cancelled. Stream it live.
-Morning: 8 a.m. – Noon
-Afternoon: 2:10 – 4 p.m.
-Evening: 5 p.m. – As long as needed
*Executive Appropriations Committee meets at 4:10 p.m. in room 210.
*Watch live press access time on Facebook, and participate by texting your questions for the senators, today after floor time. Watch Facebook and Twitter for the starting times and where to text your questions.

In the Media Highlights:

State lawmakers think Utah can do a better job of managing Medicare and Medicaid funds than the federal government.  “I’ve never seen anything Washington touches that we can’t do more effectively and more efficiently,” said Adams during debate on the Senate floor.  Read more at the Standard Examiner, Deseret News,The Salt Lake Tribune,and The Daily Herald.

The Senate voted 29-0 Monday to advance SB286 which would let high school students know if they are truly ready for college, and if not, what they need to do to correct it.  Senator Urquhart said colleges do such testing when students arrive, but he would like to move that up to avoid the time and expense of taking remedial classes.  Read more in the The Salt Lake Tribune.

Utahns soon might be able to give more money to schools when filing their income tax returns  ”I would rather have fewer dollars as long as those dollars are distributed more equitably,” Thatcher said. “I believe having inequities in our education system based on the affluence of the area where you live is absolutely unacceptable.”  Read More at The Salt Lake Tribune.

On Friday the Senate granted final passage to House Bill 307, Factual Innocence Amendments. I sponsored this bill in the Senate. This bill sets up specific procedures to ensure only a bona fide and compelling factual innocence petition, with credible and reliable supporting evidence, will be heard by a court. Let me explain the background of factual innocence in Utah:

The Factual Innocence statute was enacted in 2008, and then amended in 2010. Basically, the statute allows for someone convicted of a felony offense to ask the court to hear the case again and reconsider its decision with new evidence. In order to be overturn a conviction, the court can’t just prove beyond reasonable doubt that a person didn’t commit the crime.They must decide for certain a person did not commit the crime they were convicted of, and that under the facts, there is no way the petitioner could have been guilty.

The petitioner in factual innocence cases carries a high burden of proving their innocence. Since this statute was enacted, only one conviction has been overturned. Various petitions have been brought forward to on behalf of people convicted of felony offenses, and in the process of litigation, a number of unaddressed issues were discovered. Because of these issues, a proper criminal conviction and sentence could be appealed, wasting valuable time and resources in our legal system better spent on convictions that have valid reason for factual innocence appeal.

So what do the amendments to the Factual Innocence statute in House Bill 307 do? They set up specific procedures for the court and petitioner to follow to make sure every factual innocence petition has merit. Also, credible and reliable supporting evidence must be presented in the petition. These changes are needed to ensure that only bona fide factual innocent claims are considered since there are other protections already in place, such as:

* Appeal,
* Post Conviction Relief, and
* Board of Pardons decisions.

This is simply one other option.

Another item this legislation ensures is that no payments are made by the State after the petitioner is deceased, and interest prior to judgment may be awarded in addition to the compensation provided if a conviction is overturned.

With this important legislation, we want to ensure convictions with legitimate reasons petition the courts for matters of factual innocence.

Originally Published March 3 in the Salt Lake Tribune.

In response to The Tribune’s editorial of Feb. 26, “Dunce cap: Spending cap unneeded and unwise,” this column sets forth the correct facts and illustrates the purpose of 1st Substitute Senate Joint Resolution 22.

If 1SJR22 is passed by both houses of the Legislature, Utahns would then be able to decide by popular vote whether to ratify this proposed change in the Utah Constitution.

The measure, titled “Joint Resolution on State Spending Limitations,” would require a three-fifths majority of both the House and Senate before the Legislature could approve an annual state budget that is greater than any of the annual budgets it passed in the previous five fiscal years.

1SJR22 would allow for the budget to fluctuate according to population growth and the rate of inflation in order to meet the growing needs of the state.

When lawmakers vote to increase spending, they express to the public which areas they believe need more funding. However, if the requisite three-fifths approval isn’t reached, any increase in state revenue would go toward reducing debt, increasing the rainy day fund or sending taxpayers a rebate.

It is factually incorrect and misleading to compare this legislation to the spending limitations passed by Colorado or any other state because 1SJR22 allows for more flexibility through statute.

So why fix something that isn’t broken?

When there is an increase in revenue — like there was this year — lawmakers’ first reactions are to spend it all. There is a “money grab” by special interest groups, which legislators tend to respond to.

1SJR22 will help our state address the growing financial storm that the federal government has created. The federal debt is at an alarming $15 trillion and growing, with spending at an all-time high. We are still experiencing the impacts of “The Great Recession” with no end in sight.

Where does that lead us?

There are three options for our nation’s financial future:

1) continue on the path we are on now, raising the debt ceiling and bankrupting the next generation,
2) taxes will be raised significantly to bring in more revenue in order to pay our debts, or
3) the federal government will cut the grants they issue to the states, but continue to mandate expensive programs (such as Medicaid) that will have to be paid for partly by state revenues.

All of these options will place a heavy strain on our economy, with the third option being the most likely scenario. So when federal funding to states is cut (27.6 percent of Utah revenue comes from the federal government), the states must be able to stand on their own financial feet.

No other state is better prepared to do that right now than Utah. This state has been nationally recognized as the best managed state in the Union and our economy is one of the best. State lawmakers have done a tremendous job keeping state spending within our means as well as being able to adapt to tight budget cuts.

However, a constitutionally mandated spending limitation would help ensure that Utah continues to be a fiscally well-managed state. Spending on things like education and research are investments that will yield greater economic prosperity, but with the possibility of losing federal grants we need to tighten our budget and be prepared for the future.

If (or when) the federal grants stop coming, Utah’s budget will shrink by up to $3.58 billion. We cannot be dependent on these grants.

If we start now by controlling our spending and making it difficult for future lawmakers to increase spending beyond the normal increase that comes with growth, this will put our state in a position to weather the growing economic storm caused by the fiscal mismanagement of our federal government.

Stuart C. Reid is a Republican representing District 18 – Davis, Weber and Morgan counties – in the Utah Senate, where he is chairman of the Senate Workforce Services and Economic Development Committee. Tyson Prisbrey, a student at Brigham Young University, is a Senate intern.

We’re down to the final week of the Utah legislative session, and today is Day 42. Find out what’s going on in the Senate today:

* The Education Standing Committee convened at 7 a.m. today. Listen to the stream on the legislature’s website.
*Floor Times:
-Morning 8 – 11:45 a.m.
-Afternoon 2:10 – 4 p.m.
-Evening 5 p.m.  - as late as needed
*Executive Appropriations Committee meets 4:10 – 5 p.m. in room 210
* Follow the Reading Calendars on the legislature’s website.
*Join live press access time today after morning floor time – around Noon, on our Facebook page. We’ll announce starting times on Twitter and Facebook.

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In the Media Highlights

The Senate passed SB178 by a vote of 24-1 on Friday.  The bill would allow school districts and charter schools negotiate the fees of online classes directly with providers on their own to try to save money.  ”We’re not going to attempt to fix fees because we believe those should be market-based,” Senator Stephenson said of the changes during initial floor debate Thursday.  Read more at The Salt Lake Tribune.

The Utah Senate on Friday overwhelmingly passed SB144, a bill to regulate non-attorney “immigration consultants.” Senator Mark Madsen, R-Lehi, said there is a definite need to regulate these businesses, some of which abet lawbreaking by helping illegal immigrants open bank accounts.  “I think we’ll catch some of these bad actors and there are many of them,” he said.  Read More at the Deseret News.

Republican Sen. Lyle Hillyard of Logan says Friday House Bill 52 would make sure victims get any profits a convicted criminal earns from books, movies or other media based off their story.  Read more in the Herald Times Reporter.

Tweets of the Week

* Sherrie Hall Everett: Thank you Senator Bramble for taking on GRAMA this session and building consensus to improve. http://bit.ly/AEoLp5 #utpol#curtbramble

* Utah Senate: ‘We turned the lights back on at the DABC.’ Sen Valentine talking about restoring Open Mtgs Act in SB 66. #utleg #utpol

* KVNU For the People: More listener email: “I like that #utleg gets us all participating and thinking, even in disagreement.” #utpol

* KVNU For the People: Even more listener email: “[@utahsenate] interns interview was great. I’d vote for them. #utpol#utleg”

* Utah Senate The bottom line is, it is about children. -Chamber of Commerce at@avosmond press conference for SB64#uted #utpol

* Senator Ben McTastic: Haven’t had this much fun presiding over a quorum since the singles ward in college. @gopTODD is your home teaching done? #utleg #utpol

In the Media 

* The state budget is starting to slowly come together as the 2012 legislative season moves into final week. “This gets to be a little bit tough right now, because every program out there is a good program,” said Senate Majority Leader Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City. “You wonder how government grows? This is how government grows, because these are good programs.  Read more at The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News.

* The Senate passed SB64 on Wednesday by 26-2, meaning it goes to the House for consideration. Senator  Osmond said Wednesday he knows “there is anxiety and concern from some members of the body that this may not go far enough, but I think we have to recognize this has a significant number of very positive and impactful changes. Read More at The Salt Lake Tribune.

* SB66, sponsored by Senator John Valentine-R, Orem went through a second reading Wednesday It is among many bills that have tried to this session to change Utah alcohol policy.  Read more at The Examiner.

* “This is a great kumbaya moment,” Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, said addressing the overwhelming support for SB64.  Read more at the Deseret News and watch a recap of the press conference by the Sutherland Institute.

A White House Bid?

Many of you have heard six of our interns were on the radio show KVNU For the People this week. Listen to the podcast, which includes an announcement about a White House bid:

http://podcast.cachevalleydaily.com/FTP-02-29-2012B.mp3

Flickr
Slideshow not showing up? Go to our Flickr page here.

-Dr. Seuss

Good Morning! It’s Read Across America Day, and also Day 39 of the Utah legislative session. Here’s what’s happening in the Senate today:

* Floor Time
-Morning: 8-11:45 a.m.
-Afternoon: 2:10-5 p.m.
* Executive Appropriations meets today at 4 p.m. Stream live on le.utah.gov
* The Third Reading Calendar has gotten rather long, so we’ll dispense from typing it out and let you peruse it from the legislature’s web page.
* Join the live press access time streaming on our Facebook today after morning floor time. Don’t be left out! We’ll announce starting times on Twitter and Facebook.

Media Hightlights

The state budget is starting to slowly come together as the 2012 legislative season moves into final week. “This gets to be a little bit tough right now, because every program out there is a good program,” said Senate Majority Leader Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City. “You wonder how government grows? This is how government grows, because these are good programs.  Read more at The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News.

By passing SCR11, the Senate would officially stand against the indefinite detention provisions of the bill and urge that Congress alter or abolish them. “Winning the war against terror,” SCR11 correctly and courageously states, “cannot come at the great expense of mitigating basic, fundamental, constitutional rights.”  Read More at The Salt Lake Tribune.

HB129 received preliminary approval in the Utah Senate. “If you’re being victimized, you can defend yourself without being sued by the person trying to take advantage of you or your property,” Senator Bramble said.  Read more in the Deseret News and KSL.com.

As a package of House bills moved to the Senate on Thursday, Senate leadership appears willing to challenge the federal control of public lands in Utah.”It’s our job to pass bills that our constituents want, and the courts can decide whether it’s unconstitutional,” Waddoups said. Read more in the The Spectrum.com.

HB108  passed the Senate unanimously“It preserves what Utah has been, which is a state that does not recognize gambling,” said Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem. Read more in The Salt Lake Tribune and KCPW.

Today is Day 38 of the Utah Legislative Session. We started out a little early this morning – 8 a.m. floor time. Still yawning, or are you wide awake? Read on!

Highlights of the Third Reading Calendar:
1HB 78 Utah Division of Consumer Protection Amendments
1HB 81 City or Town Option Sales and Use Tax Amendments
HB 108 Internet Gambling
1HB 95 Retail Sale of Tobacco Products
2HB 237 Child Welfare Amendments
HB 225 Child and Family Service Providers
3 HJR 6 Joint Resolution on Severance Tax Amendments

*Live press access time is a great way to stay informed on the workings of the Senate as well as let your questions be answered. We’ll stream right after morning floor time, around 11:45. We announce the starting time on Twitter and Facebook.
*  Our Senate interns are famous! Listen to the podcast of their segment on KVNU’s For the People from last night.

In the Media Highlights
The Senate passed SB64 on Wednesday by 26-2, meaning it goes to the House for consideration. Senator  Osmond said Wednesday he knows “there is anxiety and concern from some members of the body that this may not go far enough, but I think we have to recognize this has a significant number of very positive and impactful changes. Read More at The Salt Lake Tribune.

SB66, sponsored by Senator John Valentine-R, Orem went through a second reading Wednesday. It is among many bills that have tried to this session to change Utah alcohol policy.  Read more at The Examiner.

Happy Leap Day! Today is Day 37 of the Utah legislative session. Provo High School students visited the Senate today. Welcome! What’s happening in the Senate?

Third Reading Calendar
* 1SB 244 Reporting Options for Auto Insurance
* 2SB 85 Medicaid Cost Control Amendments
* SB 144 Immigration Consultants
* 1SB 164 Transportation Funding Amendments
* 1SB 235 Clarification of Stalking Injunctions and Protective Orders
* SB 261 Charter School Revisions
* SB 264 Judicial Code Amendments
* 1SB 229 Telecommunications Regulatory Amendments
* SB231 Disposal of Surplus Property by the Legislature
* 1SCR 11 Concurrent Resolution on the National Defense Authorization Act
* SB 200 Justice Court Amendments
* SB 280 Budget Reserve Account Amendments
* 1SB 191 Accountability for School Attendance
* 1SB 221 Revenue and Tax Amendments
* SB 275 Municipal Government Revisions
* 1SB 66 Alcoholic Beverage Control Related Amendments

* Join the live press conference today after Morning floor time via Facebook. We’ll announce starting times via Twitter and Facebook, and it’s usually around 11:45.
* It’s Maps Day on Capitol Hill. Check out all the interesting stuff on the Rotunda.
* Floor times:
-Morning 9:30-11:45 a.m.
-Afternoon 2:10-3:50

In the Media Highlights

The Senate Education Committee was scheduled to hear SCR13 this morning, a resolution in which the governor and Legislature would ask the state school board to reconsider its 2010 decision to adopt the Common Core standards.  ”We’re just trying to communicate to the state board that we’re concerned and we want them to evaluate and look at decisions related to the Common Core and make sure we can still maintain control of the development of our curriculum and tests for Utah students,” Senator Osmond said. Read more at The Salt Lake Tribune.

SB55, first substitute, which received no opposition on the Senate side, is, according to sponsor Senator Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, a cleanup bill that would offer “a voluntary mechanism for a birth mother to provide notice to the biological father,” when the mother decides to put the baby up for adoption.  Senator Weiler added, “It’s a baby step in the right direction.” Read more at The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News. 

There is a fine line to balance between the necessary transparency of doing the people’s business and protecting the personal private lives of those who work for and serve the people. Last year, HB 477 attempted to address those challenges and concerns. This year, after spending the summer working with the GRAMA working group, their recommendations have been incorporated into SB 177 and offer solid solutions to these problems.

Here is what the bill does:

* In an effort to avoid as many appeals and litigation issues as possible, SB 177 establishes the position of a government records Ombudsman to assist in navigating and resolving issues with GRAMA requests.

* SB 177 establishes online training and requires that records offices be required to complete annual online training.

* SB 177 resolves the ambiguity between the statute and the intent language of the Supreme Court “Deseret News” decision.

* SB 177 clarifies protected records provisions relating to attorney client privilege, work product and records prepared for or in anticipation of litigation so that GRAMA cannot be used to circumvent judicial rules of discovery and establish evidentiary standards of release of certain enforcement and litigation records.

* SB 177 removes the ambiguity regarding private communications relating to an individual’s capacity other than that of a government official or that are unrelated to the conduct of the public’s business.

Here are some news articles on the bill:

Victory for GRAMA - The Deseret News

Legislators Learning to Love the Sunshine - The Salt Lake Tribune

Here is an explanation video:

Senate Bill 67, Teacher Effectiveness and Outcomes Based Compensation, was designed to address the manner in which our teachers are compensated.

Current pay scales are structured based upon years served and degrees and are negotiated in collective bargaining agreements. This compensation system does not take into account what we value most in education – student outcomes. Our number one priority for education is and must be to ensure that our students are achieving learning gains and succeeding.

SB67 would combine learning gains or student progress with the teacher’s annual evaluation to determine their level of performance. This would then determine their ability to advance on the pay scale. Whether our finest teachers are in their third year, tenth year, twentieth year or anywhere in between, they are not compensated for their performance but rather receive pay advancement according to the antiquated system of steps and lanes. We need to pay and reward our very best teachers in conjunction with the great progress they are making with our students. This is impossible to do under the existing salary structure. Conversely, many poorly performing teachers end up being compensated at a much higher rate than our very finest teachers.

We have many high performing teachers in our state. We are losing some to administration and some out of frustration with a compensation system that does not recognize or value them for their accomplishments with the students they teach or the colleagues they mentor. We have difficulty attracting our very finest into this profession under a one-size-fits-all compensation for teachers. My goal is to have our master teachers, our very best teachers, make as much if not more than school and district administrators. This is the goal and purpose of my bill.

How we choose to compensate our teachers is a discussion that is long overdue. Utah has a high student population in relation to the number of income earners. This leaves us with the distinction of being the lowest funded per pupil in the nation. Our commitment to education is high, but our finding is unlikely to change when our state is already committing 51% of the state budget to education.

We must find meaningful solutions that better meet the needs of both our students and our teachers. Restructuring the educator pay scale will both reward and attract individuals into the profession who are equipped with the skills necessary to help our students achieve success.

Hello! Today is Day 36 of the Utah legislative session. It looks like Winter finally found us again. Here’s what is going on today at the Senate:

* Third Reading Calendar:
SB223 Pledge of Allegiance Amendments
SB227 Youth Court Amendments
SB 98 Amendments to Prohibition on Using a Handheld Wireless Communication Device While Operating a Vehicle
1SB 87 Predator Control Funding
1SJR 16 Joint Resolution Recognizing the Hole-in-the-rock San Juan Mission Historic Trail
1SB 209 Retention of Outside Counsel, Expert Witnesses, and Litigation Support Services
SB190 Research and Development
SB203 Audit Process Amendments
SB82 Equal Access for Education Employee Association Amendments
SB263 Education Requirements for Nursing Licensure Amendments
1SB 64 Public Education Employment Reform

* Join the Live Press Access Time today via Facebook after Morning Floor time. We’ll announce starting times, as usual, on Twitter and Facebook.
*  Floor Times:
-Morning: 9:30-11:45 a.m.
-Afternoon: 2:20-3:50 p.m.
* Today is Museum Day out on the Rotunda, complete with a Python exhibit. Come out and support your museums.

Media Highlights:

“This is a great kumbaya moment,” Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, said addressing the overwhelming support for SB64.  Read more at the Deseret News and watch a recap of the press conference by the Sutherland Institute.

A proposed interconnect between Park City area and Cottonwood canyons ski resorts won approval from a Senate panel Monday. “This would be a huge benefit to our state and we could do it with very minimal impact to the watershed and the sensitive areas in the Cottonwood canyons,” said Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, sponsor of SCR10.  Read More at the Deseret News, The Salt Lake Tribune, and Transworld Business.

SB223 passes the Senate. “I feel that we need to get back to the basics.” Osmond says. “Back to the way that it was at a time in our country when we valued loyalty to God and country and where we had an opportunity to express that loyalty to our country every morning as participating in a pledge of allegiance.” Read more KCPW.org, The Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News, and The Republic.