Another Session Concludes
Congratulations to Utah’s 104 lawmakers, their families, and legislative staff for another busy and difficult session conducting the people’s business.
Here are session highlights as outlined by House GOP leadership:
Education. This legislative session continued Utah’s trend of strong support for education funding, with $340 million spent for public education ($200 million per year in new on-going money and $140 million in one time funding.) Fifty-seven percent of total available on-going revenue went to public education. Of these funds nearly $60 million went to teachers (teacher raises-$1,700 each).
Health System Reform. HB 133 sets in motion comprehensive health care reform in Utah based on consumer driven, free market principles. The bill includes a tax credit for those who are self-employed and pay their own health insurance.
CHIP Reform. Speaker Curtis sponsored a bill to allow year-round registration for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Now any child who qualifies for the program can sign up for insurance coverage.
Energy Resource and Carbon Emission Reduction Act. This law establishes a target for Utah electrical utilities to supply 20% of adjusted retail sales from cost effective renewable energy by 2025. It also encourages energy efficiency programs and other measures that reduce electricity demand. Also included is an extra tax credit for new solar projects in Utah.
Banks/Credit Unions Resolution. Unlike previous legislative sessions, this issue didn’t become a major distraction. Instead, a compromise between banks and credit unions modifies the Utah Credit Union Act changing restrictions on member-business loans as well as other loans.
Animal Torture. Utah now makes it a third-degree felony to harm a companion animal (dog or cat). This bill found common ground between concerned groups, including the Humane Society and agricultural groups, such as the Farm Bureau.
Jessica's Law. This law makes rape, object rape or sodomy of a child a minimum 25-year penalty. Now, Utah's laws for protecting children are some of the strictest in the nation.
Transportation. Speaker Curtis helped facilitate an $80 million donation of the right-of-way from private landowners for a new highway between I-80 and Utah Lake, west of Bangerter highway – the Mountain View Corridor. Along with on-going transportation funds allocated during the session for Utah County I-15 construction, major progress was made toward meeting Utah’s future transportation needs.
Veterans. This year veterans issues took center stage. The Legislature unanimously voted to appropriate $19.7 million for construction of an additional veterans' nursing home to be built in Ogden. Currently there is only one such facility in the state and the waiting list is double its capacity. Legislators also approved an tax credit for veterans receiving retired military pay.
Equalization. With school district splits a hot issue, the legislature tackled the issue of school district equalization. After many discussions and proposals, the issue was resolved by equalizing funding across Salt Lake County, in addition to appropriating funds for school buildings.
Open Caucuses. The Republican caucus has kept up its practice of holding open caucuses this year. Both members of the media as well as the public were welcome at the meetings.
Washington Watch
Hatch, Delegation Request More Officers
Sen. Orrin Hatch and the rest of Utah's congressional delegation send letters to Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff "urging him to provide the state with additional resources -- specifically 22 more officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) -- to combat the rising tide of crime connected to illegal immigration" (see press release).
Today in Political History
Mar. 6, 1820: The Missouri Compromise is enacted by Congress and signed by Pres. James Monroe, providing for the admission of Missouri into the Union as a slave state, but prohibiting slavery in the rest of the northern Louisiana Purchase territory.
Mar. 6, 1836: The 13-day siege of the Alamo ends when 3,000 Mexican troops under Santa Anna capture the mission fort defended by 180 Texans including Jim Bowie and Davey Crockett. (Source: Perspicuity)
Mar. 6, 1857: The Dred Scott decision by the Supreme Court holds that Scott, a slave, could not sue in federal court for his freedom. (Source: NBC5)
Wise Words
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."
-- John Paul Jones, 1778, letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont (Source: PatriotPost)
Political Trivia
"Utah has been the most Republican state in six of the last eight presidential elections. As recently as 1960, Richard Nixon carried Utah with just 55% of the vote, but by 1972 he won with 68%. Ronald Reagan won 73% here in 1980 and 75% in 1984. George Bush won 66% here in 1988 and George W. Bush 67% in 2000 and 72% in 2004. In 1992, this was also the least Democratic state: Ross Perot finished ahead of Bill Clinton, 27% to 25%." (Source: Almanac of American Politics, published by National Journal group)
National Politics
Best Stories From . . .
-- Politico: "For months, Democrats have congratulated themselves on an embarrassment of riches: Two larger-than-life politicians, both potential history-makers who symbolize the party's celebration of diversity. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama both won admiration from lots of people backing the other candidate. Well, forget all that. ... The clear-the-benches phase has begun -- a brawl that now is more likely than not to continue until the Democratic nomination in late August."
-- The Hill: "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) are split over whether superdelegates -- many of them lawmakers -- should pick the Democratic presidential nominee or merely reflect the popular vote. The divide ... reflects a growing split in their caucus over how party officials should use their special status."
-- TIME: "Despite his superstitions, John McCain likes to describe himself as 'the luckiest man you will ever meet.' Most of the time, he is speaking of the past -- the fire he narrowly escaped on the U.S.S. Forrestal in 1967 or the five years of torture and confinement he survived in Hanoi. But that luck continues to this day. His victories Tuesday in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont sealed for him both the Republican nomination and one of the most remarkable runs in modern political history."
Lighter Side
Bottle of Wine
For all of us who are married, were married, wish you were married, wish you weren't married, or glad you never married, this is something to smile about the next time you open a bottle of wine.
Sally was driving home from one of her business trips when she saw an elderly woman walking on the side of the road. As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the woman if she would like a ride.
With a silent nod of thanks, the woman got into the car. Resuming the journey, Sally tried in vain to make a bit of small talk with the woman. The old woman just sat silently, looking intently at everything she saw, studying every little detail, until she noticed a brown bag on the seat next to Sally.
"What’s in the bag?" asked the old woman.
Sally looked down at the brown bag and said, "It's a bottle of wine. I got it for my husband."
The woman was silent for another moment or two. Then, speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder, she said, "Good trade."
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