MINUTES OF THE

HOUSE REVENUE AND TAXATION

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 445, State Capitol

February 18, 2015

Members Present:                Rep. Daniel McCay, Chair

                                                Rep. Jeremy A. Peterson, Vice Chair

                                                Rep. Joel K. Briscoe

                                                Rep. Rich Cunningham                                   

                                                Rep. Gage Froerer

                                                Rep. Brian M. Greene

                                                Rep. Eric K. Hutchings

                                                Rep. Ken Ivory                                                           

                                                Rep. Brian S. King

                                                Rep. John Knotwell

                                                Rep. Mike K. McKell

                                                Rep. Douglas V. Sagers

                                                Rep. Jon E. Stanard

Staff Present:                        Mr. Leif G. Elder, Policy Analyst

                                                Ms. An Bradshaw, Secretary

NOTE: A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

Chair McCay called the meeting to order at 4:16 p.m.

MOTION:     Rep. Cunningham moved to approve the minutes of the February 17, 2015 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Froerer, Rep. Hutchings, Rep. Knotwell, and Rep. Sagers absent for the vote.

H.J.R. 14        Joint Resolution Calling for a Convention to Amend the Constitution of the United States (Rep. K. Ivory)

Rep. Ivory explained the resolution to the committee with the assistance of Mark Meckler, Citizens for Self Governance, and Rep. Merrill Nelson, District 68.

Spoke for the resolution:        William Tanner, citizen

                                                Dave Miller, Commissioner, Iron County

                                                Curtis A. Wood, citizen

Spoke against the resolution: Scott Bradley, citizen

                                                Gayle Ruzicka, Eagle Forum

                                                Jason Christensen, American Independent Party

MOTION:     Rep. Greene moved to pass the resolution out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. King, Rep. McKell, and Rep. Sagers voting in opposition and Rep. Froerer and Rep. Hutchings absent for the vote.

H.J.R. 7          Joint Resolution Calling for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Rep. K. Powell)

Rep. Powell explained the resolution to the committee. "Debts, Deficits, and the Balanced Budget Amendment" was distributed to the committee members.

Spoke for the resolution:        Bryce Christensen, Utah Federation of College Republicans

                                                Masen Christensen, Utah Federation of College Republicans

                                                David Luangrath, Utah Federation of College Republicans

                                                Debbie Besselievre, I Am American

Spoke against the resolution: Pieder Beeli, citizen

                                                Joseph Sorensen, citizen

                                                George Chapman, citizen

                                                Matthew Weinstein, Voices for Utah Children                       

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

1.    Page 2, Lines 51 through 57:   

51   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah respectfully

52requests that this application be considered as covering the same subject matter as the presently

53outstanding balanced budget applications from other states, including, but not limited to,

54previously adopted applications from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware,

55Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi,

56Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio,

57Pennsylvania,  South Dakota,  Tennessee, and Texas.

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Froerer, Rep. Hutchings, and Rep. King absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Ivory moved to pass the resolution out favorably as amended. The motion passed with Rep. McKell voting in opposition and Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Froerer, Rep. Hutchings, Rep. King, and Rep. Stanard absent for the vote.

H.B. 273         Interest Rate Swap Amendments (Rep. J. Knotwell)

Rep. Knotwell explained the bill to the committee with the assistance of David Damschen, Chief Deputy, State Treasurer's Office.

Spoke for the bill:       George Chapman, citizen

MOTION:     Rep. McKell moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Froerer, Rep. Hutchings, Rep. King, and Rep. Stanard absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Knotwell moved to place H.B. 273 on the Consent Calendar. The motion failed with Rep. McCay and Rep. Sagers voting in opposition and Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Froerer, Rep. Hutchings, Rep. King, and Rep. Stanard absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Peterson moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Briscoe, Rep. Froerer, Rep. Hutchings, Rep. King, and Rep. Stanard absent for the vote.

Chair McCay adjourned the meeting at 6:10 p.m.

Daniel McCay, chair