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SALT LAKE CITY — The House passed a massive transportation bill that includes an estimated $50 million price tag for changing the name of the Utah Transit Authority. House members also OK'd a bill laying out the state budget for public education for the upcoming year.
For those and other stories from Utah's Capitol Hill Tuesday, click on the headlines of the stories below.
UTA's $50 million price tag for name change doesn't stop bill from passing
Even a $50 million price tag for changing the name of the Utah Transit Authority wasn't enough to derail a massive transportation bill in the House Tuesday.
SB136, which would change the name of UTA to Transit District of Utah, passed the House 54-14 and returns to the Senate because of new language that makes the Utah Attorney General's Office the agency's legal counsel.
The House sponsor of SB136, Rep. Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, dismissed the UTA estimate for the name change, saying signage could be changed over time to keep costs down.
Utah House approves $36 million for school enrollment growth
The Utah House of Representatives unanimously approved SB2 Tuesday, the state budget for public education for the upcoming year.
The budget contemplates spending more than $36 million for enrollment growth. Utah's public school enrollment is estimated to exceed 660,000 students this fall, an increase of some 7,681 students from the previous year.
SB2 provides for a 4 percent increase to the value of the weighted pupil unit, 2.5 percent for ongoing expenses, and 1.5 percent for "flexible allocation" pending further legislative action. The weighted pupil unit is the basic building block of public education funding.
Bill to delay initiatives fails, then advances in late-night Utah House vote
Lawmakers' efforts to push back the implementation date for ballot initiatives moved forward Monday night, following a pair of votes and late-hour debate in the House.
HB471 passed 46-25 in the House, after failing moments earlier by a 34-39 vote. Bill sponsor Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, successfully argued to bring the bill back to the floor for further debate, resulting another vote.
If passed by the Senate and signed by the governor this session, HB471 would delay the implementation of current ballot initiatives if they pass in November by at least 60 days.
Utah Gov. Herbert backs deal between Our Schools Now, lawmakers
Gov. Gary Herbert supports the proposed deal between state lawmakers and Our Schools Now to provide more money to education and doesn't want to see them "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."
"I'm impressed that they have been able to come together from some disparate points of view and we’re so close, I’d like to see them close the deal," he said Tuesday during a media availability at the Capitol.
The governor said his forceful position on the proposal doesn't stem from concern that some Republicans won't buy off on it.
Senate passes bill restricting noncompete contracts in Utah broadcast media
The Senate narrowly passed a bill Tuesday that would restrict the use of noncompete contracts in Utah broadcast media.
"The support from journalists has been overwhelming," said Sen. Dan Hemmert, R-Orem, the Senate sponsor of HB241. He said it "makes sense" to place restrictions on noncompete contracts to curb abuses in the broadcast industry.
Noncompete contracts prevent employees from going to work for a competitor or start a similar business for a prescribed period of time.
