MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS STANDING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 12, 2020 • 3:40 p.m. • 450 State Capitol


Members Present:
Rep. Stephen G. Handy, Chair
Rep. Merrill F. Nelson, Vice Chair
Rep. Cheryl K. Acton
Rep. Kim F. Coleman
Rep. James A. Dunnigan
Rep. Val K. Potter
Rep. Marie H. Poulson
Rep. Susan Pulsipher
Rep. Lawanna Shurtliff
Rep. Elizabeth Weight
Rep. Logan Wilde

Staff Present:
Samantha D. Brucker, Policy Analyst
An Bradshaw, Committee Secretary

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

Chair Nelson called the meeting to order at 3:49 p.m.
MOTION: Rep. Handy moved to approve the minutes. The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-1.
Yeas - 10Nays-0Abs-1
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. J. Dunnigan
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. M. Nelson
Rep. V. Potter
Rep. M. Poulson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. L. Shurtliff
Rep. E. Weight
Rep. L. Wilde
Rep. K. Coleman
1. H.B. 257 County Government Form Amendments (Brammer, B.)
Rep. Brammer explained the bill with the assistance of Jenney Rees, Mayor, Cedar Hills, and Andrew Jackson, Executive Director, Mountainland Association of Governments.
Mike Kohler, resident, spoke against the bill.
Rep. Dunnigan moved to amend H.B. 257 with Amendment #1.
Amendment 1
H.B. 257
1.        Page 11, Lines 319 through 324: 
319                 [(d) specifies whether the members of the county council are to be elected from
320         districts, at large, or by a combination of at large and by district;]
321                 (d) specifies that { at least a majority of members of } the council are to be elected from
322         districts;
323                 (e) specifies county council members' qualifications and terms and whether the terms
324         are to be staggered;

Rep. Dunnigan's motion to amend H.B. 257 with Amendment #1passed with a vote 11-0-0.
Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-0
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. K. Coleman
Rep. J. Dunnigan
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. M. Nelson
Rep. V. Potter
Rep. M. Poulson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. L. Shurtliff
Rep. E. Weight
Rep. L. Wilde
Rep. Dunnigan moved to hold H.B. 257.
Rep. Dunnigan's motion to hold H.B. 257passed with a vote 9-2-0.
Yeas - 9Nays-2Abs-0
Rep. J. Dunnigan
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. M. Nelson
Rep. V. Potter
Rep. M. Poulson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. L. Shurtliff
Rep. E. Weight
Rep. L. Wilde
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. K. Coleman
2. H.B. 198 Eminent Domain Limitations (Pulsipher, S.)
Rep. Pulsipher presented the bill with the assistance of Paige Norton, farm owner, and Ryan Loose, South Jordan City Attorney and representing the League of Cities and Towns.
Garrett Paul, Utah Farm Bureau, spoke for the bill.
Rep. Shurtliff moved to pass H.B. 198 out favorably.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Rep. Coleman moved to amend H.B. 198 with Amendment #1. The substitute motion passed with a vote of 11-0-0.
Amendment 1
H.B. 198
1.        Page 1, Line 26 through Page 2, Line 33: 
26                 78B-6-501. Eminent domain -- Uses for which right may be exercised.
27                 [Subject] (1) { (a) } As used in this section, "century farm" means real property that is:
28                 { (i) } (a) assessed under Title 59, Chapter 2, Part 5, Farmland Assessment Act; and
29                 { (ii) } (b) owned or held by the same family for a continuous period of 100 years or more.
30                 { (b) "Century farm" includes real property designated as a century farm and ranch by the
31         Utah Farm Bureau Federation. }
32                 (2) Except as provided in Subsection (3) and subject to the provisions of this part, the
33         right of eminent domain may be exercised on behalf of the following public uses:

Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-0
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. K. Coleman
Rep. J. Dunnigan
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. M. Nelson
Rep. V. Potter
Rep. M. Poulson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. L. Shurtliff
Rep. E. Weight
Rep. L. Wilde
MOTION: Rep. Pulsipher moved to pass H.B. 198 out favorably as amended. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-0.
Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-0
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. K. Coleman
Rep. J. Dunnigan
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. M. Nelson
Rep. V. Potter
Rep. M. Poulson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. L. Shurtliff
Rep. E. Weight
Rep. L. Wilde
MOTION: Rep. Potter moved to adjourn. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-0.
Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-0
Rep. C. Acton
Rep. K. Coleman
Rep. J. Dunnigan
Rep. S. Handy
Rep. M. Nelson
Rep. V. Potter
Rep. M. Poulson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. L. Shurtliff
Rep. E. Weight
Rep. L. Wilde
Chair Nelson adjourned the meeting at 5:15 p.m.