MINUTES OF THE

SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 415, Utah State Capitol

March 9, 2015

 

Members Present:     Sen. Margaret Dayton, Chair

                                    Sen. Luz Escamilla

                                    Sen. David P. Hinkins

                                    Sen. Alvin B. Jackson

                                    Sen. Daniel W. Thatcher

 

Members Absent:      Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard

 

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 4:14 p.m.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Hinkins moved to approve the minutes of the March 6, 2015 meeting.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Escamilla and Sen. Jackson absent for the vote.    

 

S.B. 293       Historic District Amendments (Sen. T. Weiler)

 

Sen. Weiler explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:                               Ms. Susan Hansen Porter, citizen

                                                            Mr. Steven Packhan, citizen

                                                            Mr. Stanton Hansen, citizen

                                                            Mr. Steven Hansen, citizen

                                                            Mr. Dave Winters, citizen

                                               

Spoke against the bill:                         Mr. Lynn Pace, First Vice President, Utah League of Cities and Towns

                                                            Mr. Charlie Luke, Salt Lake City Council, District Six

                                                Mr. Kirk Huffaker, Executive Director, Utah Heritage Foundation

                                                            Ms. Tracey Harty, citizen

                                                            Mr. Mark Stratford, Assistant Attorney, Ogden City

                                                            Ms. Kelly White, citizen

                                                            Ms. Lynn Pershing, citizen

                                                            Mr. Soren Simonsen, citizen

 

MOTION:  Sen. Thatcher moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed with Sen. Escamilla voting in opposition.

 

1st Sub. H.B. 357        Emergency Service Account Loan Amendments (Rep. C. Oda)

 

Rep. Oda explained the bill to the committee.

 

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

 

H.C.R. 10    Concurrent Resolution on Basing and Infrastructure in Support of National and State Defense (Rep. V. Peterson)

 

Rep. Peterson explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:                                 Mr. Aaron Drake, Major, Utah National Guard

                     Mr. Brian Garrett, Chair, Salt Lake Chamber Military Affairs

 

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

 

2nd Sub. H.B. 407       Scenic Byway Amendments (Rep. M. Noel)

 

Rep. Noel explained the bill to the committee.

 

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

 

1.         Page 3, Line 84 through Page 4, Line 88:          


             84        (d)  A state scenic byway, National Scenic Byway, or All-American Road is not

             85 required to be segmented under Subsection (3)(a)(ii) if the committee demonstrates, within   {30}    45 

             86 days of receiving the request, to an administrative law judge selected by agreement of the

             87 owner of real property and the committee where the non-scenic area is located, that the

                                    88property to be segmented is not a non-scenic area.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Spoke for the bill:                               Ms. Vicki Varela, Director, Utah Office of Tourism

                     Mr. Jared Johnson, Government Relations, Young Electric Sign Company

                                                            Ms. Nancy Dalton, Utah State Scenic Byway Committee

 

Spoke against the bill:                         Mr. Jim Smith, Davis County Commissioner

                                                            Mr. Stephen Trimble, citizen

                                                                                                           

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

 

1st Sub. H.B. 365        Local Elections Amendments (Rep. M. Nelson)

 

Rep. Nelson explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:                                 Mr. Mark Thomas, Chief Deputy/Director of Elections, Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office

 

Spoke for the bill:                               Mr. Julian Babbitt, Executive Director, Utah Republic Party

 

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

 

H.B. 323 Resource Management Planning by Local Governments (Rep. K. Stratton)

 

Sen. Hinkins explained the bill to the committee.

 

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

 

1.     Page 5, Lines 135 through 136: 


                                     135     [(5)] (6) Subject to Subsection 17-27a-403(2), the county may determine the

                                     136comprehensiveness, extent, and format of the general plan.

       (7) Nothing in this part may be construed to limit the authority of the state to manage and protect wildlife under Title 23, Wildlife Resources Code of Utah.   

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

Spoke to the bill:                     Ms. Robin Cahoon, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Darin Bushman, Piute County Commissioner

                     Mr. Andrew Jackson, Executive Director, MAG

 

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

 

1st Sub. H.B. 312        Reporting and Expenditure of Public Funds Amendments (Rep. S. DiCaro)

 

Rep. DiCaro explained the bill to the committee.

 

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

 

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

 

Chair Dayton adjourned the meeting at 5:40 p.m.

 

 

________________________

Sen. Margaret Dayton, Chair