SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Legislature discussed a myriad of topics this week, including gun owners whose criminal records are not fully expunged, complex water issues, a possible e-cigarette tax, election plurality and teacher training.

Read the following for a summary of the topics discussed.

Gun owners whose criminal records are not fully expunged may fall into 'legal trap ready to snap'

An expungement order by a Utah judge might not mean a clean slate where the federal government is involved, a defense attorney told a legislative panel Wednesday afternoon.

Mitch Vilos, a defense attorney who also specializes in gun rights issues, said Utahns who successfully petition courts to "cleanse" their criminal records and believe they are eligible to purchase or possess a firearm may inadvertently run afoul of federal law.

Lawmakers drill down on complex water issues

Legislative audits raising questions over how water is priced, the reliability of how it is measured, and how much will be needed in the decades to come prompted a trio of panel discussions on Utah's Capitol Hill on Wednesday, with most agreeing some system fixes are in order.

The types of changes implemented and how broad those are remain the big question, and if there exists political will to tackle the complex problems that accompany reform.

Sen. Scott Jenkins, co-chairman of the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee, moderated the discussions and afterward said there is high probability new legislation will emerge in 2016.

"The question will be whether we can pass something," said Jenkins, a Republican from Plain City who has had his own water-related experiences as chairman of the Bona Vista District.

Lawmakers resume deliberations of possible e-cigarette tax

Utah lawmakers are again considering whether to tax e-cigarettes.

When the Legislature passed HB415 this year, the law tightened regulations on e-cigarette products by requiring a license to sell e-cigarette products and outlining criminal penalties for vendors who violate license requirements.

Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, sponsored the bill and had originally contemplated implementing a tax in the bill early in the session, but it was ultimately not included in the passage of HB415.

The Revenue and Taxation Interim Committee was then tasked to consider such a tax, and the committee continued the discussion to Thursday.

The committee took no action and adjourned after a roughly 40-minute discussion. Lawmakers will continue considering the tax this summer.

Lawmakers may not agree on how to handle election plurality

Lawmakers may not be able to come up with a proposal during the legislative interim to prevent a candidate from winning a primary election without a majority vote, a co-chairman of a committee studying the issue said Wednesday.

"This one is an interesting one because we could do nothing and just see how things shake out in 2016," Rep. Jack Draxler, R-North Logan, said after the Government Operations Interim Committee's first hearing on the possibly of plurality.

Draxler, the committee's House chairman, said he'd be surprised if members can come to a consensus on how to handle the issue created by SB54, the compromise reached to stop the Count My Vote initiative that sought a direct primary.

Lawmakers push to set aside more money for teacher training

Professional development for teachers could return with renewed focus and support during next year's legislative session.

In an Education Interim Committee meeting Wednesday, lawmakers voted to begin drafting a bill for next year that would give money to qualifying schools to provide additional coaching and support for instructors.

Since the Legislature cut funding set aside for professional development programs in 2009 to increase the weighted pupil unit, Utah's formula for equalized school funding, districts have instead used those flexible dollars to sustain such programs.

In some places, professional development programs have been downsized as state funds were directed elsewhere.

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