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SALT LAKE CITY — A sales tax increase is the best way to stop teen vaping in Utah, a group told lawmakers Wednesday. And, a bill to test for lead in water at day cares and schools advanced in committee.
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Students Against Electronic Vaping says raising sales tax best way to stop teen vaping in Utah
Of the bills presented at the Utah Legislature to help the "epidemic level" of e-cigarette use, Students Against Electronic Vaping says HB252, which increases the sales tax on electronic cigarettes to match other tobacco products, would be the most effective.
"We know that this tax is the solution, an 86 percent tax is the way to decrease youth usage of electronic cigarettes," said Cade Hyde, president of Students Against Electronic Vaping.
Hyde said with this tax increase, 28,000 youth would immediately stop using electronic cigarettes because of the increase in cost, and the number of youth smokers would continue to decrease. He said funds from the tax would be directed to youth cessation and prevention programs.
Water in schools, child care centers would be regularly tested for lead under Utah bill
Water in Utah schools and child care centers would be regularly tested for lead under a bill approved Tuesday by the House Education Committee.
HB360, sponsored by Rep. Steve Handy, R-Layton, also calls on the state Drinking Water Board to establish a lead concentration level in drinking water "at or above which schools and child care centers are required to undertake mitigation activities."
In 2017, there was a voluntary request to test for lead in water in schools, Handy said.
"Seventy-five percent of the schools participated. Ninety-two percent had detectable levels of lead. The other thing I came away with was there is no level of lead in water that is acceptable," Handy said.
Utah Senate passes Student Teacher Success Act, part of Our Schools Now compromise
The Utah Senate passed SB149 Wednesday, a bill that creates a process for disbursing funds set aside at the end of the 2018 legislative session as part of lawmakers' compromise with backers of the Our Schools Now citizen initiative.
"What this will allow us to do is have local control. The money is going to go directly to our schools and school personnel. Some of it can used for salary increases up to 25 percent in all schools and up to 40 percent in school districts that have teacher salaries that are below the statewide average," said Sen. Ann Millner, R-Ogden, the bill's sponsor.
In addition to local control, SB149 calls for local accountability. Most of the money will be used to fund school-level plans intended to improve academic achievement. Local school boards must approve all plans and hold schools accountable for improving performance. School community councils will have a role in creating their school's Teacher and Student Success plan.
Resolution calling for constitutional convention passes Utah Senate in close vote
A resolution calling for a convention to consider amendments to the U.S. Constitution that has opposition from both the right and the left barely passed the Senate Wednesday, 16-12.
SJR9 was described by sponsor Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, as "a tool we need to use" to get Congress to pay attention to concerns about balancing the federal budget and other issues.
The resolution, which now goes to the House, would add Utah to the list of states seeking to convene a convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution to address those issues.
