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MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS STANDING COMMITTEE
ROOM 20, HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX
February 23, 2009

MEMBERS PRESENT:    Rep. Keith Grover, Vice Chair
        Rep. Douglas C. Aagard
        Rep. Ron Bigelow
        Rep. Jim Bird
        Rep. Ben Ferry
        Rep. Neil A. Hansen
        Rep. Neal B. Hendrickson
        Rep. John Mathis
        Rep. Larry B. Wiley                    
        
MEMBERS ABSENT:    Rep. Craig Frank, Chair
        
STAFF PRESENT:    Benjamin N. Christensen, Policy Analyst
        Sylvia Newton, Committee Secretary

Note:    A list of visitors and copy of handouts are filed with committee minutes.

Rep. Grover called the meeting to order at 8:34 a.m.

MOTION:    Rep. Wiley moved to approve the minutes of the February 19, 2009 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Ferry absent for the vote.

1st Sub. H.B. 260    School Employee Termination Amendments (Rep. C. Wimmer)

MOTION:    Rep. Aagard moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 3, Lines 60 through 61 :    

             60          [(4) A] (c) If a district intends to not renew or discontinue the contract of employment
             61      of a
{   professional   }        provisional       employee at the end of the then-current school year, the district shall notify [a]


2.    Page 4, Lines 98 through 99 :    

             98          (1) A provisional employee must work for a school district on at least a half-time basis
             99      for [three] at least
{   five   }        three       consecutive years to obtain career employee status.


The motion to amend the bill passed unanimously with Rep. Ferry absent for the vote.

Rep. Wimmer explained the amended bill to the committee, assisted by Steve Peterson, Utah School Boards Association and Utah School Superintendents Association.

MOTION:    Rep. Bigelow moved to proceed to the next item on the agenda. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Ferry absent for the vote.

H.B. 400    Pete Suazo Utah Athletic Commission Amendments (Rep. C. Oda)

MOTION:    Rep. Hansen moved to delete in title and body H.B. 400 and replace it with 1st Substitute H.B. 400. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Ferry absent for the vote.

Rep. Oda explained the substitute bill, assisted by Alan Dayton, chairman of the Pete Suazo Utah Athletic Commission.

MOTION:    Rep. Hansen moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 400 with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Ferry and Rep. Hendrickson absent for the vote.

H.J.R. 25    Joint Resolution Urging Employers to Hire Only Individuals Who Are Authorized to Work in the United States (Rep. C. Herrod)

MOTION:    Rep. Bigelow moved to amend the resolution as follows:

1.    Page 2, Lines 38 through 41 :    

             38          WHEREAS,
{   the Utah economy is further weakened when unauthorized workers

             39      transfer a significant portion of their earnings to foreign nations rather than spending them in
             40      Utah where they would support local businesses and contribute to Utah's sales tax collections;   }
  legal immigrants, who have made great sacrifices to follow the law, often suffer the most from these unauthorized workers and must wait longer to bring their family members to this country      

             41          WHEREAS, unauthorized workers are more likely to suffer exploitation and unfair

2.    Page 2, Lines 44 through 46 :    

             44          WHEREAS, 13% of all identity theft in Utah is employment related, and
{   1,629   }        1,626      

             45      companies were found to be paying salaries to individuals with Social Security numbers of

             46      Utah children on public assistance under age 13; and

3.    Page 2, Lines 49 through 51 :    

             49          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
             50      urges employers in Utah to take all steps possible to
  verify the documentation of an employee's legal status to       ensure that they preserve the jobs of

             51      American citizens and legal residents, protect Utah employers who comply with state and

The motion to amend the resolution passed unanimously with Rep. Ferry absent for the vote.

Spoke in favor of the resolution:    Ronald Mortensen, Citizens Coalition on Illegal Immigration
                        Brandt Goble, Painters Local 77
                        Michael Sanchez, citizen

MOTION:    Rep. Bigelow moved to pass H.J.R. 25 with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Ferry absent for the vote.

H.J.R. 17    Joint Resolution Urging Congressional and Presidential Opposition to Federal Bailouts and Promotion of Fiscal Responsibility (Rep. C. Frank)

H.J.R. 17 was not considered.

S.B. 143    Sunset Act and Repealers Reauthorizations (Sen. S. Killpack)

Sen. Killpack explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:    Rep. Bigelow moved to pass S.B. 143 with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hansen absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Bird moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hansen absent for the vote.

Rep. Grover adjourned the meeting at 9:36 a.m.





                    __________________________
                    Rep. Craig A. Frank, Chair