MINUTES OF THE
EXECUTIVE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
Thursday, February 21, 2019 • 4:10 p.m. • 445 State Capitol


Members Present:
Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson, Senate Chair
Rep. Bradley G. Last, House Chair
Sen. Don L. Ipson, Senate Vice Chair
Rep. Jefferson Moss, House Vice Chair
President J. Stuart Adams
Sen. Luz Escamilla
Sen. Daniel Hemmert
Sen. Jani Iwamoto
Sen. Derek L. Kitchen
Sen. Karen Mayne
Sen. Ann Millner
Sen. Evan J. Vickers
Rep. Francis D. Gibson
Rep. Brian S. King
Rep. Karen Kwan
Rep. Carol Spackman Moss
Rep. Val L. Peterson
Rep. Angela Romero
Rep. Mike Schultz
Speaker Brad R. Wilson

Staff Present:
Mr. Jonathan Ball, Director
Mr. Steven M. Allred, Deputy Director
Ms. Greta G. Rodebush, Administrative Assistant

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.

1. Call to Order/Approval of Minutes
Chair Bradley G. Last called the meeting to order at 4:12 p.m.
Mr. Steven Allred, Deputy Director, Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst (LFA), explained the contents of the Executive Appropriations Committee FY 2020 binders.
2. Subcommittee Budget Reports
a. Retirement and Independent Entities (Tab 8)
Sen. Wayne A. Harper and Rep. Craig Hall, Co-Chairs, and Rep. Adam Robertson, House Vice Chair, presented the subcommittee report. Dr. Thomas Young, Economist/Statistician, LFA, provided assistance.
2a-Retirement and Independent Entities Subcommittee Report (2019 GS)
b. Business, Economic Development, and Labor (Tab 2)
Sen. Scott D. Sandall and Rep. Val K. Potter, Co-Chairs, and Rep. Christine F. Watkins, House Vice Chair, presented the subcommittee report. Dr. Andrea Wilko, Chief Economist, LFA, and Mr. Tim Dinehart, Fiscal Analyst, LFA, provided assistance.
2b-Business, Economic Development, and Labor Subcommittee Report (2019 GS)
Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson commented on the subcommittee's work to better manage requests for appropriations.
MOTION: Sen. Stevenson moved to approve the minutes of December 10, 2018. The motion passed with a vote of 18-0-2.
Yeas - 18Nays-0Abs-2
Sen. L. Escamilla
Rep. F. Gibson
Sen. D. Hemmert
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Rep. B. King
Sen. D. Kitchen
Rep. K. Kwan
Rep. B. Last
Sen. K. Mayne
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. A. Romero
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. E. Vickers
Rep. B. Wilson
Sen. J. Adams
Rep. M. Schultz
c. Infrastructure and General Government (Tab 5)
Sen. Kirk A. Cullimore and Rep. Douglas V. Sagers, Co-Chairs, and Rep. Brady Brammer, House Vice Chair, presented the subcommittee report. Mr. Brian Wikle, Fiscal Analyst, LFA, and Mr. Chase Loftis, Fiscal Analyst, LFA, provided assistance.
2c-Infrastructure and General Government Subcommittee Report (2019 GS)
The Chairs responded to questions from Rep. Francis D. Gibson, Rep. Mike Schultz, and Chair Last.
d. Public Education (Tab 7)
Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard and Rep. Steve Eliason, Co-Chairs, and Rep. Steve Waldrip, House Vice Chair, presented the subcommittee report. Mr. Ben Leishman, Product Manager, LFA, and Ms. Emily Willis, Fiscal Analyst, LFA, provided assistance.
2d-Public Education Subcommittee Report (2019 GS)
Rep. Eliason responded to questions from Rep. Schultz, Chair Last, and Rep. Carol Spackman Moss.
Sen. Hillyard commented on the one-time funding request for the (USBE) Schools for the Deaf and Blind Springville Building Cost Overrun.
3. Requests for Appropriation
Rep. Karen Kwan presented the request for appropriation (RFA) for Census 2020 and distributed handouts.
3a-RFA Census 2020 Attachments (Kwan)
Mr. Cameron Diehl, Executive Director, Utah League of Cities and Towns, spoke about the importance of an accurate 2020 census count.
Rep. Kwan responded to clarifying questions from Chair Last and Sen. Luz Escamilla.
Rep. Ken Ivory discussed the RFA - Fair Taxable Value Appraisal Tool for Federally Controlled Land using a PowerPoint presentation. He introduced Mr. Mark Cressler, CEO, Geomancer Inc. and Ms. Carolyn Madden, Public Lands Issues, Senator Mike Lee's Office.
3b-RFA Fair Taxable Value Attachments (Ivory)
Ms. Madden discussed the merits of determining the fair taxable value for all federally controlled lands in the State of Utah.
Mr. Cressler, Rep. Ivory and Ms. Madden responded to questions from Rep. Gibson, Sen. Don L. Ipson, and Rep. Angela Romero.
Sen. Luz Escamilla presented the RFA - New Smiles for Veterans.
3c-RFA New Smiles for Veterans Attachments (Escamilla)
Mr. Dennis Matthews, Program Director, New Smiles for Veterans, explained the program.
Rep. Norman Thurston, Co-Chair, Occupational Professional Licensure Review Committee (OPLR), presented the RFA - OPLR Committee Support.
3d-RFA OPLR Committee Support Attachments (Thurston)
Sen. Todd Weiler, Co-Chair, OPLR, spoke to the funding request.
Sen. Weiler presented the RFA - UGF Veterans on Golf.
3e-RFA UGF - Veterans on Course Attachments (Weiler)
Mr. Dean Cottle, President, Utah Golf Foundation (UGF), discussed the UGF Veterans on Course program.
Mr. Scott Ulbrich, Vice President, UGF, discussed how the program has helped veterans with substance abuse disorders and PTSD.
4. Executive Appropriations Committee Agencies
Mr. Allred presented the budget information for the Executive Appropriations Committee agencies using the Compendium of Budget Information.
4a-Issue Brief - 2019 General Session - Capitol Preservation Board
4b-Issue Brief - 2019 General Session - Department of Veterans and Military Affairs
4c-Issue Brief - 2019 General Session - Utah National Guard
4d-Issue Brief - 2019 General Session - Legislature
Mr. Allred called attention to the Executive Appropriations Committee Report behind Tab 10 in the committee binders.
Capitol Preservation Board (CPB)
Ms. Allyson Gamble, Executive Director, CPB, highlighted the CPB programs and services outlined in the CPB FY 2018 Annual Report. Ms. Breanna Blood, Scheduling and Operations Manager, CPB, distributed a welcome card and a Utah State Capitol pin.
4a-Capitol Preservation Board Handout
Ms. Gamble responded to a question from Rep. Kwan.
Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (DVMA)
Mr. Dennis McFall, Deputy Director, DVMA, discussed Veterans Nursing Homes.
4b-Department of Veterans and Military Affairs Data Card
4b-Department of Veterans and Military Affairs Handout
Mr. Ted Fredericks, Director of Military Affairs, DVMA, discussed the Veteran First Time Homebuyer Program and USS Utah Commissioning Committee.
Rep. Carol Moss commented on the Veterans Nursing Home in Ogden. Mr. McFall responded.
Utah National Guard (UNG)
Brigadier General Tyler B. Smith, UNG, discussed personnel and training readiness needs. He was joined by Mr. Mike Norton, Resource Manager, UNG.
4c-Utah National Guard Handout
5. Other Business/Adjourn
MOTION: Sen. Stevenson moved to adjourn. The motion passed with a vote of 16-0-4.
Yeas - 16Nays-0Abs-4
Sen. J. Adams
Rep. F. Gibson
Sen. D. Hemmert
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Rep. B. King
Sen. D. Kitchen
Rep. K. Kwan
Rep. B. Last
Sen. K. Mayne
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. A. Romero
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. L. Escamilla
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. M. Schultz
Rep. B. Wilson
Chair Last adjourned the meeting at 6:00 p.m.