MINUTES OF THE HOUSE

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND

WORKFORCE SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 20 House Building

February 25, 2015

Members Present:                Rep. Becky Edwards, Chair

                                                Rep. John Westwood, Vice Chair

                                                Rep. Bruce Cutler

                                                Rep. Timothy Hawkes

                                                Rep. Bradley G. Last

                                                Rep. Curt Oda

                                                Rep. Angela Romero

                                                Rep. Scott Sandall

                                                Rep. Robert Spendlove

                                                Rep. Mark Wheatley

Members Absent:                 Rep. Sophia DiCaro 

                                                Rep. Brad Wilson 

Staff Present:                        Mr. Ben Christensen, Policy Analyst

                                                Ms. Linda Service, Committee Secretary

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

Vice Chair Westwood called the meeting to order at 4:19 p.m.

MOTION:     Rep. Cutler moved to approve the minutes of the February 24, 2015 meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

H.B. 336         Insurance Adjuster Amendments (Rep. C. Oda)

Rep. Oda explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Cory Stanger, President, Utah Auto Body Association

                                                Mr. Clay Hansen, Layton Collision Repair

                                                Mr. Scott Miller, Auto Glass Industries

                                                Mr. Chase Sawyer, Disaster Company

                                                Mr. Mike McKell, State Representative

                                                Mr. Guy DeHaan, Hinckley Automotive

Spoke against the bill:            Mr. Greg Curtis, Allstate Insurance

                                                Mr. Dan Adams, President and CEO, Bear River Insurance

                                                Mr. Kennedy Nate, American Family Insurance

                                                Mr. Chris Purcell, State Farm Insurance

                                                Ms. Chantel Nate, American Family Insurance

MOTION:     Rep. Edwards moved to replace H.B. 336 with 1st Sub. H.B. 336. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:     Rep. Sandall moved to hold the bill. The motion passed with Rep. Oda voting against the motion.

S.B. 159          Background Checks for State Accountants (Sen. D. Henderson) (Rep. S. Eliason)

Sen. Henderson explained the bill to the committee assisted by Mr. John Reidhead, Director, Utah State Division of Finance.

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

1.    Page 2, Line 52 through Page 3, Line 59:     

52   (iv) "State agency" means an executive branch:

53   (A) department;

54   (B) agency;

55   (C) board;

56   (D) commission;

57   (E) division;

58   (F) office; or

59   (G) state educational institution  with the exception of an institution defined in Subsection 53B-1-102(1)  .

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Oda absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Spendlove moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Oda absent for the bill.

S.J. R. 6         Joint Resolution Urging Congress to Support Equity and Sales Tax Fairness (W. Harper)

Sen. Harper explained the resolution to the committee.

Ms. Kay Bradshaw, Utah Retail Merchants, spoke for the resolution.

MOTION:     Rep. Last moved to pass the resolution out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Oda absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Spendlove moved to place S.J.R. 6 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Oda absent for the vote. 

S.J.R. 8          Joint Resolution Urging Adoption of the Regulation Freedom Amendment (Sen. T. Weiler) (Rep. V. Peterson)

Sen. Weiler explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:     Rep. Edwards moved to pass the resolution out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Romero and Rep. Wheatley voting against the motion. Rep. Oda was absent for the vote.

H.B. 216         Workplace Abusive Conduct Amendments (Rep. K. Stratton)

Rep. Stratton explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke for the bill:       Ms. Denise Halverson, Utah Healthy Workplace Advocates

                                   Mr. Todd Losser, Director, Utah Public Employees Association

MOTION:     Rep. Sandall moved to replace H.B. 216 with 2nd Sub. H.B. 216. The motion passed unanimously.

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

1.    Page 3, Line 79:  

79   (d) expand or diminish grounds for discipline that {  did not exist  }  existed  before July 1, 2015.

The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:     Rep. Cutler moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:     Rep. Hawkes moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously. Vice Chair Westwood adjourned the meeting at 6:19 p.m.

Rep. Becky Edwards, Chair