Week Two of the General Session
With only 45 days to debate hundreds of bills, every day is important and full of meaningful deliberation. Stay up-to-date and watch committee meetings or floor time at le.utah.gov.
My Bills
This week both HB166 and HB200 passed unanimously out of their respective committees.
HB166 adjusts licensing requirements for certain mental health professions to help boost the number of mental health providers here in Utah. It also sets up a program by which residents can seek out of state care via telehealth while they sit on waiting lists to receive care locally.
HB200 will allow the transportation of unregistered OHVs. Currently, it’s a citable offense to transport an unregistered OHV, even if it is on a registered trailer. You will still need to complete the registration process to operate the OHB on public lands, but upon passage of HB200, will safely be able to transport it from point A to point B without issue.
This coming week, HB180 and HB256 will both be heard in committee.
The Base Budget
Balancing the state budget is one of the most important constitutional responsibilities given to lawmakers. Utah is actually the ONLY state in the nation that allows all lawmakers to be a part of the budgeting process. All 104 lawmakers sit on an appropriation subcommittee, and this week, the House and Senate passed the base budget, which will help fund key areas in our state. My colleagues and I will continue to make adjustments to the state budget over the next several weeks. Social Services Appropriations, which I have the pleasure to serve as the vice-chair on, is the largest portion of the budget. We are also the only appropriations committee that meets every day.
Water Week
Next week is #WaterWeek, and we’ll be talking about preserving, conserving, and optimizing Utah’s water all week long.
School Visit
This week I had the opportunity to visit with students from Black Ridge Elementary. I proposed a new law where everyone would be required to own a puppy. These smart kids determined that wouldn’t be the best law to pass as some people are allergic, some can’t pay for dog food, and some just don’t like dogs.
Meet Anne
Lastly, meet Anne Minnick. Anne is my intern for this session and an invaluable part of the team. She works hard managing my schedule, tracking bills, and doing everything else needed so I can focus on issues. If you’d like to come to the capitol, reach out to Anne and she will schedule a VIP experience for you with everything from a tour of the capitol to sitting with me on the house floor while we debate the issues and cast votes. She can be reached at (385) 420-3103.
