MINUTES OF THE

HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

STANDING COMMITTEE

Wednesday, February 8, 2017 • 3:00 p.m. • 30 House Building

Note: A list of others present, a copy of related materials, and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at le.utah.gov.

Vice Chair Thurston called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m.

MOTION:     Rep. Perry moved to approve the minutes of the February 2, 2017 meeting. The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-5.

1. S.C.R. 4 Concurrent Resolution Honoring Colonel Gail Seymour Halvorsen (Henderson, D.)

Sen. Deidre M. Henderson presented the resolution.

MOTION:     Rep. Perry moved to pass S.C.R. 4 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-2.

2. H.B. 158 State House Boundary Amendments (Peterson, J.)

Rep. J. Peterson presented the bill with the assistance of Rep. Curt R. Webb.

Mr. Mark Thomas, Director of Elections, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, spoke in favor of the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. Arent moved to pass H.B. 158 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-2.

MOTION:     Rep. Perry moved to place H.B. 158 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-2.

3. H.B. 230 Elections Revisions (Daw, B.)

Rep. Daw presented the bill.

Mr. Cory Holdaway, Voterize, spoke in favor of the bill.

Mr. Ricky Hatch, Chair, Clerks' Legislative Policy Committee, spoke in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Ty Markham, Chair, Democratic Party of Wayne County, Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.

Mr. Ryan Cowley, Elections Director, Weber County, spoke in opposition to the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. J. Peterson moved to amend H.B. 230 with Amendment #1:                

1.    Page 1, Lines 16 through 19:   

16question arises regarding a vote recorded on the paper ballot;

17   

18election entirely by absentee ballot  

19   ►      makes technical changes.

2.    Page 3, Line 78:  

78   (c) a

3.    Page 5, Line 134:       

134 (c) is

The motion failed with a vote of 4-4-2.

MOTION:     Rep. Arent moved to pass H.B. 230 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 6-3-1.

4. H.B. 221 Election Law Modifications (Cutler, B. R.)

Rep. Bruce R. Cutler presented the bill.

Mr. Brian McKenzie, Chief Deputy Clerk/Auditor, Davis County, spoke in opposition to the bill.

Mr. Ricky Hatch, Clerk/Auditor, Weber County, spoke in opposition to the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. Nelson moved to hold H.B. 221. The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-1.

5. H.B. 159 Amendments to Voter Registration (Handy, S.)

Rep. Stephen G. Handy presented the bill with the assistance of Mr. Brian McKenzie, Chief Deputy Clerk/Auditor, Davis County.

Mr. Chris Caras, Director, Drivers License Division, spoke to the bill.

Mr. Mark Thomas, Director of Elections, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, spoke to the bill.

Ms. Marina Lowe, Legislative Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.

Mr. Cory Holldaway, Voterize, spoke in favor of the bill.

Mr. Ricky Hatch, Chair, Clerks' Legislative Policy Committee, spoke in favor of the bill.

Mr. Ronald Mortenson, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. Arent moved to amend H.B. 159 with Amendment #1:

1.    Page 5, Lines 140 through 145:      

140 (c) within five days after the day on which the division receives a voter registration

141form, electronically transmit the form to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, including

       (i)  

142name, date of birth, driver license or state identification card number, last four digits of the

143social security number, phone number,

144address,  

       (ii) mailing address, if different from the individual's Utah residential address; and

       (iii) email address, if available  

145 (4) Upon receipt of an individual's voter registration form from the Driver License

The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-1.

MOTION:     Rep. Arent moved to pass H.B. 159 out favorably.

Rep. Arent withdrew her motion.

MOTION:     Rep. V. Peterson moved to go to the next item on the agenda. The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-1.

6. H.B. 204 Presidential Primary Amendments (Arent, P.)

Rep. Arent presented the bill with the assistance of Peter Carroon, Chair, Utah Democratic Party, James Evans, Chair, Utah Republican Party, and Ms. Pat Jones, former Democratic Senator.

Dr. Ellen Brady, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.

Ms. Peggy Carrico, President, Utah League of Women Voters, spoke in favor of the bill.

Ms. Terri Goodall, Wasatch County Democratic Chair, spoke in favor of the bill.

Mr. Scott Bell, resident, West Jordan, spoke in favor of the bill.

Ms. Seraya Amirthalingam, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. V. Peterson moved to replace H.B. 204 with 1st Substitute H.B. 204. The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-1.

MOTION:     Rep. Chavez-Houck moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 204 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 8-1-1.

7. S.B. 37 Statewide Crisis Line (Thatcher, D.)

Sen. Thatcher presented the bill with the assistance of Rep. Steve Eliason.

Ms. Aimee Winder Newton, resident, Salt Lake County, spoke in favor of the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. Perry moved to amend S.B. 37 with Amendment #2:               

1.    Page 3, Lines 68 through 69:   

68   (e) one

69

The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-1.

MOTION:     Rep. V. Peterson moved to pass S.B. 37 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-1.

MOTION:     Rep. McCay moved to adjourn. The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-1.

Vice Chair Thurston adjourned the meeting at 5:33 p.m.

_______________________________________

Rep. Jeremy A. Peterson, Chair