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MINUTES OF THE HOUSE BUSINESS AND LABOR
STANDING COMMITTEE
Room W010, West Office Building, State Capitol Complex
January 30, 2008


Members Present:    Rep. Stephen D. Clark, Chair
            Rep. Jim Dunnigan, Vice Chair            
            Rep. Jackie Biskupski
            Rep. David Clark            
            Rep. Ben Ferry
            Rep. Gage Froerer
            Rep. Kevin Garn
            Rep. Neil A Hansen
            Rep. Todd E. Kiser
            Rep. Michael T. Morley
            Rep. Paul Neuenschwander
            Rep. Mark Walker

Members Absent:    Rep. Carl W. Duckworth        
             
Staff Present:    Allison Nicholson, Policy Analyst            
            Linda Error, Committee Secretary

Note:        List of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with committee minutes .

Vice Chair Dunnigan called the meeting to order at 8:13 a.m.

MOTION:    Rep. Biskupski moved to approve the minutes of the January 29, 2008 meeting. The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Ferry, Rep. Garn, Rep. Hansen, Rep. Morley, and Rep Walker absent for the vote.

S.B. 27    Trustees Sale - Process for Excess Proceeds (Sen. G. Davis)

This bill was not heard.

H.B. 133    Health System Reform (Rep. D. Clark)

Rep. D. Clark introduced the bill to committee (handout)

MOTION:    Rep. D. Clark moved to delete in title and body H.B. 133 and replace it with 1st Substitute H.B. 133. The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Ferry, Rep. Garn, Rep. Morley, and Rep. Walker absent for the vote.


MOTION:    Rep. D. Clark moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 3, Line 63 :    

             63          This bill repeals the Health System Reform Task Force on November 30,
{   2010   }        2008       .


2.    Page 31, Lines 953 through 954 :    

             953          (2) Subject to Subsection (3),
  and except as provided in Subsection (4)       for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2008, a

             954      claimant may claim a nonrefundable tax credit equal to the product of:

3.    Page 32, Line 966 :    

             966          (4)
  A claimant may not claim a tax credit under this section if the claimant is eligible to paticipate in insurance offered under a health benefit plan maintained and funded in whole or in part by:

    (a) the claimant's employer; or
    (b) another person's employer.
    (5)  
A claimant may not carry forward or carry back a tax credit under this section.


The motion to amend passed unanimously, with Rep. Garn and Rep. Morley absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Hansen moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 33, Lines 1002 through 1005 :    

             1002          
  (1)       The Governor's Office of Economic Development shall coordinate the efforts of the

             1003      Office of Consumer Health Services, the Department of Health, the Insurance Department, and
             1004      the Department of Workforce Services to assist the Legislature with developing the state's
             1005      strategic plan for health system reform described in Section 63-38f-2405 .
 

    (2) The Governor's Office of Economic Development shall convene an advisory group with membership from the business community, labor, health care consumers, health care insurers, health care providers, and individuals who receive health care subsidies from the state for the purpose of obtaining comments and recommendations for the development of the strategic plan for health system reform.  



The motion to amend failed, with Rep. Biskupski and Rep. Hansen voting in favor. Rep. Morley was absent for the vote.

Spoke to the bill:    Karen Crompton, Voices for Utah Children
            Tom Metcalf, Intermountain Pediatric Society
            Craig Hammond, Power Engineering
            Tammy Diaz, Jobs with Justice
            Bill Lee, citizen
            Kim Henage, Boys and Girls Clubs of South Valley
            Andy Schoenberg, citizen (handout)

Spoke for the bill:    John T. Nielsen, Governor's Office
            Bruce Reese, United Way of Salt Lake
            Elizabeth Garbe, Utah Health Policy Project (handout)
            Kelly Atkinson, Utah Health Insurance Association
            Luke McDermott, Utah Association of Health Underwriters
            Dr. Richard Sperry, Utah Hospital Association
            Candace Daly, National Federation of Independent Business
            Suzette Green-Wright, Utah Insurance Department
            Steve Hatch, Hatch Family Chocolates (handout)
            
MOTION:    Rep. Biskupski moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 36, Lines 1104 through 1106 :    

             1104      contribution for health insurance to the bidder's employees;
{   and   }

             1105          (16) requiring insurers to accept premium payments from multiple sources, including
             1106      state-funded subsidies
  ; and

    (17) the relationship between the Utah Premium Partnership for Health Insurance Program and the Utah Children's Health Insurance Program and enrollment policies that will provide appropriate and effective coverage for children  
.


The motion to amend failed, with Rep. Biskupski, Rep. Froerer, Rep. Hansen, and Rep. Neuenschwander voting in favor. Rep. Morley was absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Neuenschwander moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed, with Rep. Biskupski and Rep. Hanson voting in opposition. Rep. Morley was absent for the vote.




H.B. 114    Minimum Wage Provisions (Rep. N. Hansen)

Rep. Hansen introduced the bill to the committee

Spoke against the bill:    Jim Olsen, Utah Food Industry
                Tom Bingham, Utah Manufacturers Association
                Candace Daly, National Federation of Independent Business

MOTION:    Rep. Ferry moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed, with Rep. Biskupski and Rep. Hansen voting in opposition. Rep. Morley and Rep. Kiser were absent for the vote.

Vice Chair Dunnigan adjourned the meeting at 10:00 a.m.

















                    _________________________
                     Rep. Stephen D. Clark, Chair