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SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah state legislator is sponsoring a bill intended to protect college students in the state from 'predatory' professors.
Another lawmaker is seeking to make betting on horse races legal in Utah.
Here is a roundup of some of the latest stories coming from the Utah State Capitol this legislative session. Click on the headline to read the full story.
Bill intended to protect young Utah college students from 'predatory professors,' sponsor says
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A bill that adds college professors and teaching assistants at public and private colleges and universities to state law as adults in a position of special trust is a step to protect younger college students from "predatory professors," the bill's sponsor told the House Education Committee Tuesday.
"Students have a right to be safe in any setting, certainly in a K-12 setting. But increasingly, we are graduating students early," said Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan.
GOP lawmakers continue to question whether Utah governor's tax target is 'realistic'
Gov. Gary Herbert told Utahns that the state sales tax rate could drop to just 1.75 percent under what he's calling a tax modernization plan that imposes new taxes on services on top of a tax cut.
But the GOP lawmakers putting the plan into an as-yet unseen bill continued Tuesday to say the governor's goal is not realistic and would require new sales taxes on everything from real estate transactions to health care to gasoline.
Utah bill to mandate 911 call in emergency fails in House vote
Members of the House voted Tuesday against a bill to require someone with personal knowledge of a serious bodily injury or emergency to call 911 with a vote of 26-44.
House Minority Leader Brian King, D-Salt Lake City, is the sponsor for HB170. He presented similar legislation last year, which also failed in the House. King said the bill is meant to protect the vulnerable.
Utah lawmaker pushing bill to legalize betting on horse races
Gambling may be illegal in Utah, but a lawmaker is pushing a bill that could legalize betting on horse races.
Sen. David Hinkins, R-Orangeville — a horse racer himself — is sponsoring SB181, which would allow voters to decide on whether their counties should allow wagers on horse racing or "parimutuel betting."
