Legislature looking at easing up on distracted driving, clean-air buses, new voting system

Legislature looking at easing up on distracted driving, clean-air buses, new voting system

(Jordan Allred/Deseret News/File)


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SALT LAKE CITY — As the Utah Legislature gathered on Capitol Hill discussions ranged from new driving with phones laws, budget discussions and working on clean-air bills.

State legislator looking at easing up on distracted driving laws ================================================================

A state lawmaker wants to pull back a distracted driving law passed last year that prohibits dialing a cellphone and other activities with hand-held electronic devices while driving.

Rep. Jake Anderegg, R-Lehi, said the law goes too far and is hard for police to enforce. It comes down to a driver's word against an officer's word as to what was going on behind the wheel, he said.

HB63 would allow drivers to make or receive cellphone calls and use a device for GPS or navigational services and listening to music, including using a music app to access the Internet. It would prohibit accessing the Internet; composing, sending or viewing texts, videos and email; as well as manually entering data into an electronic device.

Will new primary system for 2016 election stay intact? ======================================================

A year ago, lawmakers reached an agreement that halted an initiative drive to replace Utah's unique caucus and convention system for nominating candidates with a direct primary election.

Now, with a lawsuit filed over the compromise legislation by the Utah Republican Party, there is a quiet push by some in the 2015 Legislature to alter or even scrap the deal made with the leaders of the Count My Vote initiative.

The stated intent of Count My Vote has always been to increase voter participation by making primary elections more competitive in the GOP-dominated state where many races are all but decided by delegates at party conventions.

'Crucial' change cuts proposed tax increase for education in half =================================================================

A Utah lawmaker sponsoring a bill to increase the personal income tax rate for education has made changes that he hopes will make the bill easier to swallow for Utah families and other lawmakers.

HB54 proposed increasing Utah's personal income tax rate by 1 percent, which would have meant an additional $575 in taxes each year for a median income family of four.

But a substitute bill cuts that amount in half, with an income tax increase of 0.5 percent, meaning $288 in additional taxes for the same family, according to bill sponsor Rep. Jack Draxler, R-North Logan.

State School Board explores budget cuts as part of state funding exercise =========================================================================

As part of a budgeting exercise to find savings and stress-test the state budget, lawmakers are aiming for a goal to reduce expenditures by 2 percent in all state agencies.

For K-12 education, that amounts to about $53 million in hypothetical budget cuts. The Utah State Board of Education on Thursday agreed on a recommendation to the Legislature on what cuts could be made to the state's education budget that would satisfy the goal.

The board agreed to subtract $23.1 million from a flexible allocation line item, which gives non-restricted funding to all districts and charter schools throughout the state, similar to the weighted pupil unit. Charter school funding would see a drop of $11.4 million, and Utah Science, Technology and Research centers would lose about $6.2 million.

2 bills seek more hunting, fishing opportunities for Utah youth ===============================================================

The House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee unanimously reccomended two bills for House approval on Thursday that would expand hunting and fishing opportunities for young Utahns.

Historically, Utah residents had to be at least 12 years old to hunt small game, such as grouse or pheasants. That age requirement was eliminated by a bill in 2011 for all areas of the state except commercial hunting areas — places where hunters can pay to pursue pen-raised birds. Currently, Utahns younger than 14 can hunt as long as they complete a hunter education course and are accompanied by an adult.

Referred to by bill sponsor Rep. Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, as a "cleanup bill," HB106 removes the age restriction for commercial hunting areas, applying the same regulations as other parts of the state.

Another bill, sponsored by Rep. Bruce Cutler, R-Murray, raises the age exemption for Utahns having to purchase a fishing license for group activities. DWR has permitted kids younger than 14 to fish without a license during official school or youth organization activities led by an adult with a valid fishing license. HB125 raises that age limit to 16 years.

Rep. Chris Stewart says he's working on 'freedom of conscience' bills =====================================================================

Rep. Chris Stewart expressed frustration with how Congress is and isn't doing its work.

The two-term Republican congressman said he is involved with a number of pieces of legislation that would define "a person's ability to exercise their free will, their freedom of conscience with regard to their freedom of religion" and praised the LDS Church's recent statements on protecting both LGBT and religious rights.

"I think it moves that conversation forward. But they were adamant, and I appreciate their commitment to recognizing that while we respect one another, we also need to respect that ability to exercise our religious rights. "

Utah lawmakers unveil $28 million in air quality proposals ==========================================================

State lawmakers unveiled two dozen air quality proposals Thursday, including a bill to spend $20 million replacing aging school buses with clean-fuel buses.

Measures ranging from buying transit passes for state workers to Utah-specific research to identify and control pollutants, seek nearly $28 million in one-time and ongoing money. Some of the measures are new, while others came up last year but didn't pass.

Lawmakers last year passed more clean air bills and appropriated more money to improve air quality than in the previous decade combined, said Rep. Patrice Arent, D-Millcreek, co-chairwoman of the Legislature's Clean Air Caucus.

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