Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Unemployment Insurance ModificationsThursday, Gov. Gary Herbert signed into law SB129 after it passed the House and Senate unanimously. The law takes effect immediately, and will lower the unemployment tax rate 2 percent -- from 9.4 percent to 7.4 percent.
Herbert said the state can cut the unemployment tax rate because Utah, with 6 percent unemployment — 2.3 percent below the national rate — is the best in the nation at getting people back to work, and its unemployment trust fund is well-managed.
SB100 passed the Utah Senate Thursday, which would create a self-help center within a court's law library and give Utahns access to legal assistance.
The bill creates the center and appropriates $279,300 for the center's operation. The center would help court patrons fill out document and offer information on court process, law and options. The center's attorneys would not provide legal advice.
Public Meetings During Party Caucuses
A bill that would prohibit cities and school districts from holding meetings on political caucus nights narrowly passed the House Thursday. HB90 was created to help Utahns do their civic duty, said Rep. Kraig Powell, R-Heber City.
Political parties hold neighborhood caucuses every two years to select delegates to county and state conventions. At the convention the delegates choose candidates to represent their party for election.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this month expressed concern about declining attendance at caucus meetings and urged its members to participate. It asked its local leaders not to schedule meeting on those nights. Neighborhood caucuses this year are scheduled for March 13 for Democrats and March 15 for Republicans.
Sales and Use Tax Allocations for Water Resources Construction Fund
A bill that proposes to earmark 15 percent of future sales tax growth for water development projects advanced Friday out of legislative committee on a 9-5 vote.
HB174, the "Lake Powell Pipeline" bill was met with opposition from the Utah Taxpayer Association and a children's advocacy group.
Painter said his bill is not project-specific but is designed to pay for critical water infrastructure needs over the next 30 years.
The bill would take 15 percent of the revenue generated by any growth in the sales tax and raise about $72 million which would be divvied out to water districts for projects.
Painter's measure, already vetted and endorsed last summer by the Utah Water Task Force, is seen as the funding mechanism to promote construction of the Lake Powell pipeline, which would convey 80,000 acre-feet of water per year to Kane, Washington and Iron counties.
Critics such as the Utah Rivers Council and Citizens for Dixie's Future said Washington County water users need to learn how to conserve before they should expect a financial handout from the entire state to augment their water needs.
Utah Senate gave preliminary approval Thursday to legislation that would create a mechanism for unmarried biological fathers to get notice of pending adoptions.
Under SB55, unmarried mothers would send a letter to the father notifying him of his rights to protest the adoption, from which time he would have 30 days to claim paternity. If the adoption doesn't occur, the father would be required to pay child support while the child is in its mothers care.
Contributing: Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Dennis Romboy, Marjorie Cortez and Ladd Brubaker
