H.B. 28 Independent Entities Act (R. Bigelow)

This act recodifies provisions relating to the Legislative Quasi-governmental Entities Committee and its oversight functions and renames it the Legislative Independent Entities Committee. The act creates the Independent Entities Code, which includes the Independent Entities Act and the Independent Corporations Act, establishing legislative oversight and general provisions for independent corporations. This act takes effect July 1, 2002.

H.B. 36 Retirement Office Amendments (R. Bigelow)

This act allows a member to purchase service credit for the period of time for which disability benefits were paid if there was no benefit protection contract in place. The act allows an employing unit, when an employee leaves the system, to take the employee's vested contributions and transfer the contributions to another qualified plan. The act: makes post retirement restrictions consistent for all retirees; clarifies a payment process under domestic relations orders and prevents an alternate payee from receiving double benefits; clarifies which party bears the burden of proof in administrative hearings; clarifies that disability retirement benefits are not payable if a firefighter is no longer disabled and prohibits a firefighter from receiving double service for that period of time; specifies how service credit is accrued upon returning to work after a period of disability; and allows firefighter disability to be tax exempt in accordance with federal law.

H.B. 59 Workers' Compensation Fund (K. Garn)

This act allows an employer, whose purchase of insurance arises solely out of the purchase of workers' compensation products and service, to be insured against liability for compensation for job-related injuries through a Workers' Compensation Fund subsidiary. The act exempts the Workers' Compensation Fund from the Open and Public Meetings provisions.

H.B. 77 State Science Center (A. L. Tyler)

This act reduces the size of the Utah Science Center Authority's board from 17 to 13 members and clarifies that the scope of the authority includes the promotion of technology and engineering. The science center is required to have an extensive collaboration and outreach program that serves all regions of the state. The act repeals the Utah Science Center Authority's power to issue bonds. The act appropriates $225,000, nonlapsing, from the General Fund for fiscal year 2001-02, to the Utah Science Center Authority for the development of a state science center. The appropriation is conditioned on the center securing a contract of at least 30 years for the site. This act takes effect on July 1, 2001.

H.B. 386 Utah Housing Finance Agency Amendments (R. Bigelow)

This act authorizes public corporation status for the Utah Housing Finance Agency and renames it the Utah Housing Corporation. The act declares that the corporation is intended to operate with the power to issue tax exempt bonds to finance the purchase of mortgage loans to qualified buyers, to be a financially independent body with its debts payable solely from its own sources. The act exempts the corporation from the Revenue Procedures and Control Act and requires the corporation to comply with the Open and Public Meeting and Government Records Access and Management Act. The act applies the Utah Governmental Immunity Act to the corporation with specific exceptions related to failure by the corporation to fill its obligations. A copy of each annual independent audit report must be included in its budget request and the corporation must form an audit committee to select an independent CPA. The act also repeals authorization for state grants to the agency. This act takes effect on July 1, 2001.

S.B. 85 Public Safety Retirement Exception (B. Evans)

This act allows an elected sheriff who retires within the Public Safety Retirement System to receive a retirement payment and to continue in the office with a retirement exclusion. This act has an immediate effective date.

S.B. 171 State Retirement Formula Changes (J. Valentine)

This act authorizes the Utah State Retirement Board to provide an additional retirement benefit to retirees whose retirement allowance is less that 1.25% per year for years of service prior to July 1, 1967. This act takes effect on July 1, 2001.

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