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SALT LAKE CITY — Separate bills to overhaul the Utah Transit Authority and increase the numbers of counselors in Utah elementary schools both moved ahead on Capitol Hill Monday.
In the roundup below, click on the headline to read the full story.
Senate panel OKs UTA overhaul, hikes in taxes and fees on hybrids, hotel rooms
A sweeping transportation bill that overhauls how the Utah Transit Authority is run and boosts taxes and fees, including for electric and hybrid vehicles, was approved unanimously Monday by a Senate committee.
The vote by the Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy and Technology Committee advancing SB136 came after more than 1 1/2 hours of testimony. The bill now goes to the full Senate.
The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, co-chairman of the Legislature's Transportation Governance and Funding Task Force that met over the summer, said it represents a "new era" in transportation policy for a growing state.
Bill to create grant program for elementary school counselors gets committee nod
The House Education Committee endorsed legislation Monday that would authorize the Utah State Board of Education to award matching grants to increase numbers of counselors in Utah elementary schools.
Rep Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, sponsor of HB264, noted Utah's growing rates of suicide among youths ages 10 to 17. The youngest child to end their life last year was 11 years old, he said.
"I think starting a little earlier in elementary school (providing more counselors) is key to getting ahead of this situation," Eliason said.
Proposal for process to legally change gender raises questions in Utah Senate hearing
A bill attempting to clarify the way courts handle petitions to legally change one's gender raised more questions than answers in a legislative hearing Monday.
Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, said he was surprised to learn Utah's longstanding law regarding name and gender changes lacked factors for judges to consider in making the decision. Some judges routinely grant the applications, while others routinely deny them.
"I'm trying to bring some uniformity to the courts," he said.
SB138 establishes a list of factors, including a person filing a petition must live in the state for at least one year, not be involved in court action or on probation or parole, and not seek the change for fraudulent reasons or to avoid creditors.
A.G. fundraising during Utah legislative sessions targeted
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes plans to hold his annual campaign fundraiser at the posh Deer Valley Resort on the first weekend of March.
But under a bill filed Monday, prospective donors would be prohibited from contributing to the attorney general, lieutenant governor, state auditor and state treasurer while the Legislature is in session.
Legislators and the governor are already banned from raising money during the 45-day session that runs from the end of January to mid-March. The governor also isn’t allowed to solicit donations through the 20-day bill signing period after the session.
Bill that carves out rule-making authority over college civil liberties issues moves to House
A bill that would create limited rule-making authority over the Utah System of Higher Education with respect to civil liberties issues was endorsed by the House Education Committee on Monday.
HB116 moves to the House for further consideration.
The bill's sponsor Rep. Kim Coleman, R-West Jordan, said although the state system of higher education is not subject to rule-making, HB116 carves out "an exception to the exception" because college students' exercise of their civil liberties should be expressly protected by the Utah Legislature.
