MINUTES OF THE

SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 415, Utah State Capitol

February 20, 2015

 

Members Present:     Sen. Margaret Dayton, Chair

                                    Sen. Luz Escamilla

                                    Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard

                                    Sen. David P. Hinkins

                                    Sen. Alvin B. Jackson

                                    Sen. Daniel W. Thatcher

 

Staff Present:             Rich North, Policy Analyst

                                    Brooke Parrish, Committee Secretary

 

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

 

Chair Dayton called the meeting to order at 7:58 a.m.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Jackson moved to approve the minutes of the February 18, 2015 meeting.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Escamilla, Sen. Hillyard and Sen. Hinkins absent for the vote.

 

S.J.R. 3        Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution – Regarding the Practice of Law (Sen. S. Urquhart)

 

Sen. Urquhart explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke against the bill:             Mr. Jim Gilson, President, Utah State Bar

                                                Mr. Steve Burt, small business owner

                     Mr. Richard Schwermer, Assistant Court Administrator, Administrative Office of the Courts

                     Mr. Steven T. Waterman, Co-Chair Admissions, Utah State Bar

                                                Mr. Jessie Nix, Attorney

 

MOTION:  Sen. Hillyard moved to table the bill.  The motion passed with Sen. Thatcher voting in opposition and Sen. Hinkins absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 122       State Surplus Property Amendments (Sen. T. Weiler)

 

Sen. Weiler explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Jackson moved to replace S.B. 122 with 1st Sub. S.B. 122.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hinkins absent for the vote.

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Rich Amon, Executive Deputy Director, Utah Department of Administrative Services         

 

MOTION:  Sen. Thatcher moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard and Sen. Hinkins absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 176       Governmental Immunity Act Amendments (Sen. C. Bramble)

 

Sen. Bramble explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Jackson moved to replace S.B. 176 with 1st Sub. S.B. 176.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Ms. Bridget Romano, Solicitor General, Utah Attorney General’s Office

                                                Mr. Brook Millard, President-Elect, Utah Association for Justice

                                                Ms. Tani Downing, Director, Utah Risk Management          

 

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 138       Service District Modifications (Sen. J. Stevenson)

 

Sen. Stevenson explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Hinkins moved to replace S.B. 138 with 1st Sub. S.B. 138.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

Spoke to the bill:         Mr. LeGrand Bitter, Executive Director, Utah Association of Special Districts

 

MOTION:  Sen. Hinkins moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

Sen. Dayton relinquished the chair to Sen. Hinkins.

 

S.B. 124       Land Use Amendments (Sen. J. Stevenson)

 

Sen. Stevenson explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved to adopt the following amendment:

1.     Page 14, Lines 415 through 422:           


             415             (c)  A municipality may not require that a plat be approved or signed by a person or

             416      entity who:

             417             (i)  is not an employee or agent of the municipality;   {or} 

             418             (ii)  does not:

             419             (A)  have a legal or equitable interest in the property within the proposed subdivision;

             420        {or} 

             421             (B)  provide a utility or other service directly to a lot within the subdivision  {.}    ;

       (C) own an easement or right-of-way adjacent to the proposed subdivision who signs for the purpose of confirming the accuracy of the location of the easement or right-of-way in relation to the plat; or

       (D) provide culinary public water service whose source protection zone designated as provided in Section 19-4-113 is included, in whole or in part, within the proposed subdivision; or

       (iii) is not entitled to notice of the subdivision pursuant to Subsection 10-9a-509(1)(b)(iv) for the purpose of determining the accuracy of the information depicted on the plat.   

             422             (3)  The municipality may withhold an otherwise valid plat approval until the owner of


 

2.     Page 30, Line 920 through Page 31, Line 927: 


                                     920   (c)  A county may not require that a plat be approved or signed by a person or entity

                                     921who:

                                     922   (i)  is not an employee or agent of the county;   {or} 

                                     923   (ii)  does not:

                                     924   (A)  have a legal or equitable interest in the property within the proposed subdivision;

                                     925  {or} 

                                     926   (B)  provide a utility or other service directly to a lot within the subdivision  {.}    ;

       (C) own an easement or right-of-way adjacent to the proposed subdivision who signs for the purpose of confirming the accuracy of the location of the easement or right-of-way in relation to the plat; or

       (D) provide culinary public water service whose source protection zone designated as provided in Section 19-4-113 is included, in whole or in part, within

the proposed subdivision; or

       (iii) is not entitled to notice of the subdivision pursuant to Subsection

17-27a-508(1)(b)(iv) for the purpose of determining the accuracy of the information depicted on the plat.   

                                    927            (3)  The county may withhold an otherwise valid plat approval until the owner of the

 

The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dayton and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Mike Ostermiller, Utah Association of Realtors

           

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved to pass the bill as amended out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dayton and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Jackson moved the bill be placed on the Consent Calendar.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dayton and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 139       Service District Amendments (Sen. J. Stevenson)

 

Sen. Stevenson explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved to replace S.B. 139 with 1st Sub. S.B. 139.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dayton and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. LeGrand Bitter, Executive Director, Utah Association of Special Districts

 

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dayton and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

H.B. 117      Public Meeting Notice Requirements (Rep. J. Stanard)

 

Rep. Stanard explained the bill to the committee.     

 

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dayton and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Escamilla moved the bill be placed on the Consent Calendar.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dayton and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

H.B. 172      Payroll Service Amendments (Rep. R. Spendlove)

 

Rep. Spendlove explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Joel Coleman, Superintendent, Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind

 

MOTION:  Sen. Thatcher moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dayton and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Thatcher moved the bill be placed on the Consent Calendar.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dayton and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

H.B. 166 Sub. 3          Election Revisions (Rep. R. Spendlove)

 

Rep. Spendlove explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Thatcher moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dayton and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

 

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

 

Chair Hinkins adjourned the meeting at 9:47 a.m.

 

 

________________________

Sen. Margaret Dayton, Chair