MINUTES OF THE

SENATE BUSINESS AND LABOR STANDING COMMITTEE

215 Senate Building, Utah State Capitol Complex

                                                                 February 16, 2016

 

Members Present:     Sen. Curtis S. Bramble, Chair

                                    Sen. J. Stuart Adams

                                    Sen. Gene Davis

                                    Sen. Deidre M. Henderson

                                    Sen. Karen Mayne

                                    Sen. Ralph Okerlund

                                    Sen. Todd Weiler

 

Staff Present:             Mr. Joseph T. Wade, Policy Analyst

                                    Ms. Karen Allred, Committee Secretary

 

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

 

Chair Bramble called the meeting to order at 8:03 a.m.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Weiler moved to approve the minutes of the February 10, 2016 meeting.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Adams, Sen. Davis, Sen. Henderson, and Sen. Okerlund absent for the vote.    

 

S.B.   138        Health Insurance Coverage for Emergency Care (K. Mayne)

 

MOTION:  Sen. Mayne moved to adopt 1st Sub. S.B. 138.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Davis, Sen. Henderson, and Sen. Okerlund absent for the vote.

 

Sen. Mayne explained the bill to the committee assisted by Cathy Dupont, Attorney, Office of

                                    Legislative Research and General Counsel.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Travis Wood, Executive Director, Utah Health Plans

                                    Michelle McOmber, CEO, Utah Medical Association

                                 Jason Stevenson, Education and Communications Director, Utah Health

                                                                 Policy Project

 

Tanji Northrup, Assistant Commissioner, Utah Insurance Department, answered questions from the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Mayne moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.                  Page 3, Lines 59 through 64: 

 

                                    59              (5)  Notwithstanding Section 31A-2-308, if the commissioner finds an insurer has

                                    60      violated this section, the commissioner may:

                                    61              (a)  work with the insurer to improve the insurer's compliance with this section; or

                                    62              (b)  impose the following fines:

                                    63              (i)  not more than $5,000; or

                                    64              (ii)  twice the amount of any profit gained  from violations of this section  .

 

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

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

 

S.B.   141     Alcohol Amendments (J. Dabakis)

 

Sen. Dabakis explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:           Melva Sine, President, Utah Restaurant Association

 

Spoke against the bill:    Stan Rasmussen, Director of Public Affairs, Sutherland Institute

                                        Laura Bunker, President, United Families International

                                                                 (Also distributed a handout)

                                         Art Brown, citizen

                                         Pat Bird, Director of Operations, Utah Prevention Network

                                        

MOTION:  Sen. Davis moved to discuss the next two bills on the agenda before voting on this bill.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

S.B.   83       Alcoholic Beverage Control Budget (K. Mayne)

 

S.B.   84       Alcoholic Beverage Control Facilitator (K. Mayne)

 

MOTION:  Sen. Mayne moved that S.B. 83 and S.B. 84 be sent to Interim Study.

 

SUBSTITUTE MOTION:  Sen. Davis moved that S.B. 83, S.B. 84, and S.B. 141 be sent to 

                                               Interim Study.  The motion passed unanimously.

     

H.B.   230       Workers’ Compensation Fund Amendments (V. Peterson)

 

Rep. Peterson explained the bill to the committee.

 

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

                     unanimously with Sen. Davis and Sen. Okerlund absent for the vote.

 

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

                     unanimously with Sen. Davis and Sen. Okerlund absent for the vote.

 

S.B.   146        Workers’ Compensation Amendments (S. Urquhart)

 

Sen. Urquhart explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:     Jason Maughan, Deputy Commissioner, Utah Labor Commission

 

Spoke for the bill:   Gene Miller, Attorney, Workers’ Compensation Fund

                                Dave Davis, President, Utah Food Industry Association, Utah Retail

                                                     Merchants Association

 

Spoke against the bill:  Richard Burke, Attorney, Utah Association for Justice

 

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

                     unanimously.

 

MOTION:   Sen. Henderson oved to adjourn.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

Chair Bramble adjourned the meeting at 9:44 a.m.

 

 

 

________________________

Sen. Curtis S. Bramble, Chair