MINUTES OF THE

SENATE BUSINESS AND LABOR STANDING COMMITTEE

215 Senate Building, Utah State Capitol Complex

March 3, 2014

 

Members Present:     Sen. Curtis S. Bramble, Chair

                                    Sen. Gene Davis

                                    Sen. Deidre Henderson

                                    Sen. David P. Hinkins

                                    Sen. Karen Mayne

                                    Sen. Todd Weiler

 

Member Excused:     Sen. John L. Valentine

 

Staff Present:             Mr. Bryant Howe, Policy Analyst

                                    Ms. Karen Allred, Committee Secretary

 

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

 

At the request of Sen. Bramble, Sen. Weiler assumed the committee chair and called the meeting to order at 8:12 a.m. and announced that S.B.  246 will not be heard today. 

 

MOTION:  Sen. Hinkins moved to approve the minutes of the March 27, 2014 meeting.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Bramble and Henderson absent for the vote.

 

S.B.  72        Uninsured Motorist Provisions  (L. Hillyard)

 

Sen. Hillyard explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Hinkins moved to adopt the following amendments:

I.                    Page 1, Lines 12 through 15: 


             12        ▸     provides that the Motor Vehicle Division or a peace officer shall seize and take

             13 possession of any vehicle  {, vessel, or outboard motor}   that is being operated on a

             14 highway without owner's or operator's security in effect for the vehicle except in

             15 certain circumstances;


 

2.         Page 2, Lines 55 through 58:     


             55        (2) (a)  Subject to the restriction in Subsection (2)(b), the division or any peace officer,

             56 without a warrant, shall seize and take possession of any vehicle  {, vessel, or outboard motor}   that

             57 is being operated on a highway without owner's or operator's security in effect for the vehicle

             58 as required under Section 41-12a-301 unless the division or any peace officer makes a


 

3.         Page 3, Lines 59 through 61:     


             59        reasonable determination that  :

       (a)   the seizure of the vehicle  {, vessel, or outboard motor}   would

             60        present a public safety concern to the operator or any of the occupants in the vehicle  {, vessel, or

             61        outboard motor}    ; or

       (b) the impoundment of the vehicle would prevent the division or the peace officer from addressing other public safety considerations  .


 

4.         Page 6, Lines 155 through 156: 


                                155 under Subsection (4)(d).

                       (c) A person is not eligible for a reimbursement under Subsection (4)(d) unless the person applies for the reimbursement within six months from the date that the motor vehicle was impounded. 

                                156        Section 4.  Effective date.

 

The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Bramble and Sen. Henderson absent for the vote.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Davis moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended.  The motion passed

                     unanimously with Sen. Bramble and Sen. Henderson absent for the vote.

 

1st Sub. H.B.  332       Real Estate Amendments  G. Froerer)

 

Rep. Froerer explained the bill to the committee assisted by Jonathan Stewart, Director, Utah

Division of Real Estate.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Rick Southwick, Utah Association of Realtors

 

MOTION:  Sen. Hinkins moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Hinkins moved to place the bill on the Consent Calendar.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

1st Sub. H.B. 326        State Construction Code Revisions  ( R. Spendlove)

 

Rep. Spendlove explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:  Brent Urseneback, Salt Lake County Energy/Mechanical Code Official

 

MOTION:  Sen. Mayne moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

Sen. Henderson assumed the Committee Chair.

                    

2nd Sub. H.B.  56   Mechanics Lien Revisions  (M. McKell)

 

Rep. McKell explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Mayne moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

S.B. 249       Transportation Rights-of-way Safety Amendments  (C. Bramble)

 

MOTION:  Sen. Bramble moved to adopt the following amendments:

1.                  Page 1, Lines 15 through 16: 


             15        {used to divert}    for   pedestrians and   other   nonmotorized   {vehicle traffic away from a highway in

             16        order}     transportation  to enhance traffic safety and efficiency on the highway.


 

2.         Page 2, Line 53 through Page 3, Line 59:          


             53          {(13)  the construction and maintenance of a pathway:

             54        (a)  located within or adjacent to a highway right-of-way or an abandoned railroad

             55        right-of-way;

             56        (b)  intended for use by pedestrians and others using bicycles or other nonmotorized

             57        modes of transportation; and

             58        (c)  designed to divert pedestrians and other nonmotorized traffic away from a nearby

                                   59      highway in order to enhance traffic safety and efficiency on the highway.} 

                              (13) the construction and maintenance of a pathway:

       (a) for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other nonmotorized transportation; and

        (b) designed to enhance the safety and efficiency of a nearby highway.  

 

The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Weiler absent for the vote.

 

Sen. Bramble explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:         Sterling Brown, Vice President, Public Policy, Utah Farm Bureau

                                    Gary Williams, City Attorney, Ogden City

 

MOTION:  Sen. Bramble moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

S.B. 250       Public Duty Doctrine Amendments  (C. Bramble)

 

Sen. Davis moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.                  Page 3, Line 83 through Page 4, Line 91:     


             83        (4)  Except as permitted in Subsection (3)(c), no employee may be joined or held

             84        personally liable for acts or omissions occurring:

             85        (a)  during the performance of the employee's duties;

             86        (b)  within the scope of employment; or

             87        (c)  under color of authority.

             88        (5)  A general duty that a governmental entity   {or an employee}   owes to the public does

             89        not create a specific duty to an individual member of the public, unless   {the individual member

                                    90     of the public stands so far apart from the general public that }  there is a special     relationship

                                    91     between the governmental entity   {or employee}   and the individual member of the         public.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Sen. Bramble explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Steve Walkenhorst, Assistant, Office of the Attorney General

                                    Steve Sullivan, Utah Association for Justice

 

MOTION:  Sen. Bramble moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Hinkins moved to adjourn.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

Chair Bramble adjourned the meeting at 9:52 a.m.

 

 

 

________________________

Sen. Curtis S. Bramble, Chair