MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS STANDING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 • 2:00 p.m. • 30 House Building


Members Present:
Rep. Calvin R. Musselman, Chair
Rep. Michael J. Petersen, Vice Chair
Rep. Bridger Bolinder
Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost
Rep. Stephanie Gricius
Rep. Sahara Hayes
Rep. A. Cory Maloy
Rep. Val L. Peterson
Rep. Candice B. Pierucci
Rep. Norman K Thurston
Rep. Douglas R. Welton

Members Absent:
Rep. Andrew Stoddard

Staff Present:
Lisa Sorensen, Policy Analyst
Ashley Dibble, Committee Secretary

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

Chair Musselman called the meeting to order.
MOTION:Rep. Dailey-Provost moved to approve the 2/3/23 minutes.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-3.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 3
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. J. Dailey-Provost
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. S. Hayes
Rep. A. Maloy
Rep. C. Musselman
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. N. Thurston
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. D. Welton
1.H.B. 347 Ballot Drop Box Amendments (Petersen, M.)
Rep. M. Peterson presented the bill.
Ricky Hatch, Weber County Clerk/Auditor, Utah Association of Counties, spoke in favor of the bill.
Whit Cook, UT Eagle Forum, spoke in favor of the bill.
Mike Brown, spoke in favor of the bill.
Aaron Davidson, Utah County Clerk, spoke to the bill.
Fred Hayes, Election Researcher, spoke in favor of the bill.
Greg Duerden, State Chair, Independent American Party of UT, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Maloy moved to pass H.B. 347 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 7-3-2.
Yeas - 7Nays- 3Abs- 2
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. A. Maloy
Rep. C. Musselman
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. D. Welton
Rep. J. Dailey-Provost
Rep. S. Hayes
Rep. N. Thurston
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. A. Stoddard
2.H.B. 253 Federalism Commission Amendments (Ivory, K.)
Rep. Ivory presented the bill w/ assistance of Samuel Hill, Senior Researcher, FIP, CCS.
Jen Brown, President, UT Citizens for the Constitution, spoke in favor of the bill.
Whit Cook, UT Eagle Forum, spoke in favor of the bill.
Greg Duerden, State Chair, Independent American Party of UT, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Petersen moved to replace H.B. 253 with 2nd Substitute H.B. 253.The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-2.
Yeas - 10Nays- 0Abs- 2
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. J. Dailey-Provost
Rep. S. Hayes
Rep. A. Maloy
Rep. C. Musselman
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. N. Thurston
Rep. D. Welton
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. A. Stoddard
MOTION:Rep. Petersen moved to pass 2nd Substitute H.B. 253 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-2.
Yeas - 10Nays- 0Abs- 2
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. J. Dailey-Provost
Rep. S. Hayes
Rep. A. Maloy
Rep. C. Musselman
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. N. Thurston
Rep. D. Welton
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. A. Stoddard
3.H.B. 355 Utah Data Research Center Amendments (Peterson, V.)
Rep. V. Peterson presented the bill w/ assistance of Geoffrey Landward, Deputy Commissioner, Higher Education, UT Data Research Alliance.
3 UDRC Commerce Presentation
Jeff Shumway, OPLR, spoke in favor of the bill
David Burton, spoke to the bill.
Sydney Groesbeck, UT Health Workforce Information Center, spoke to the bill.
Leah Hansen, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Dailey-Provost moved to pass H.B. 355 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-3.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 3
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. J. Dailey-Provost
Rep. S. Hayes
Rep. A. Maloy
Rep. C. Musselman
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. D. Welton
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. N. Thurston
Chair Musselman announced a break in the schedule.
Chair Musselman called the meeting to order.
4.H.B. 155 Independent Election Audits (Lyman, P.)
Sen. Lyman presented the bill w/ assistance of Dr. Doug Prawitt, Witness.
Rep. Petersen assumed the chair.
David Burton, spoke in favor of the bill.
Yasmin Alvarado, Elections Coordinator, LGO, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Kristen Richie, spoke in favor of the bill.
Nikila Venngopal, Director of Campaigns, ACLU of UT, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Jen Brown, President, UT Citizens for the Constitution, spoke in favor of the bill.
TJ Ellerbeck, Executive Director, Rural UT Project, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Whit Cook, UT Eagle Forum, spoke in favor of the bill.
Jay Jackson, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Mike Brown, spoke in favor of the bill.
Sophia Anderson, spoke in favor of the bill.
Karen Ballash, GOP Chair, Summit County, spoke in favor of the bill.
Jared Dallen, spoke in favor of the bill.
Thomas Cook, spoke in favor of the bill.
Cindy Whinhane, spoke in favor of the bill.
Aaron Davidson, Utah County Clerk, spoke in favor of the bill.
Ricky Hatch, Weber County Clerk/Auditor, Chair - Clerk's Legislative Committee, spoke to the bill.
Nate Affleck, spoke in favor of the bill.
Fred Hayes, Election Researcher, Box Elder County, spoke in favor of the bill.
Leah Hansen, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Greg Duerden, State Chair, Independent American Party of UT, spoke in favor of the bill.
Wendy Godlewski, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Rep. Pierucci moved to hold H.B. 155.
MOTION:Rep. Pierucci moved to replace H.B. 155 with 1st Substitute H.B. 155.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-3.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 3
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. J. Dailey-Provost
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. S. Hayes
Rep. A. Maloy
Rep. C. Musselman
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. N. Thurston
Rep. D. Welton
MOTION:Rep. Pierucci moved to hold H.B. 155.
Rep. Maloy raised a Point of Order: Questioned if the motion to hold H.B. 155 needed to be restated.
Rep. Musselman assumed the chair.
MOTION:Rep. Pierucci moved to hold H.B. 155.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-3.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 3
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. J. Dailey-Provost
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. S. Hayes
Rep. A. Maloy
Rep. C. Musselman
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. N. Thurston
Rep. D. Welton
MOTION:Rep. Hayes moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-3.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 3
Rep. B. Bolinder
Rep. J. Dailey-Provost
Rep. S. Gricius
Rep. S. Hayes
Rep. A. Maloy
Rep. C. Musselman
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. N. Thurston
Rep. D. Welton
Chair Musselman adjourned the meeting.
NOTE: S.B. 0017 was not discussed in the meeting.