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                     MINUTES OF THE HOUSE
PUBLIC UTILITIES & TECHNOLOGY STANDING COMMITTEE

Room W025, West Office Building, State Capitol Complex

February 8, 2008

                                
MEMBERS PRESENT:        Rep. Michael Noel, Chair    
                    Rep. Aaron Tilton, Vice Chair
                 Rep. Jim Bird
                    Rep. Mel Brown                
                    Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck
                    Rep. Janice Fisher
                     Rep. Lynn Hemingway
                    Rep. Fred Hunsaker
                    Rep. Steven Mascaro
                    Rep. Kay McIff
                    Rep. Bradley Winn
        
STAFF PRESENT:            John Q. Cannon, Managing Policy Analyst
                    Linda Black, Committee Secretary        

NOTE:    A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

Rep. Noel called the meeting to order at 8:05 a.m.

MOTION:    Rep. Mascaro moved to approve the minutes of February 5, 2008. The motion         passed unanimously with Rep. Bird, Rep. Fisher, Rep. Winn and Rep. Tilton         absent for the vote.

H.B. 295    Public School Electronic Device Policies (Rep. S. Allen)

Rep. Allen presented the bill.

Spoke for the bill:    Michelle Beus, Legal Issues Specialist, Davis County School District

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


1.    Page 1, Lines 17 through 19 :    

             17          .    
{   allows   }        requires       the State Board of Education to make rules that provide:

             18              .    additional direction for school district and charter school policies; and
             19              .    a model policy for local boards of education and charter schools.

2.    Page 3, Lines 60 through 64 :    

             60          (4) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act,

the
             61      State Board of Education

{   may   }        shall       make rules that provide:

             62          (a) additional direction for school district and charter school policies; and
             63          (b) a model policy governing the use of electronic devices for consideration or
             64      guidance to local boards of education and charter schools.

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Winn and Rep. Tilton absent for the vote.

Spoke in favor
of the bill:    James Graf, teacher, Cedar City, Iron County

MOTION:    Rep. Mascaro moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Rep.         Bird voting in opposition. Rep. McIff, Rep. Tilton, and Rep. Winn were absent for         the vote.

H.B. 341    Damage to Underground Utility Facilities Amendments (Rep. D. Clark)

Rep. D. Clark presented the bill. (handout)

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

1.    Page 3, Lines 64 through 65 :    

             64          [(2)] (3) "Emergency" means an occurrence
  or suspected natural gas leak       necessitating immediate action to prevent

             65      or mitigate loss of, or damage to, life, health, property, or essential public services.

2.    Page 5, Lines 140 through 145 :    

             140          (b) The requirements of Subsection (1)(a) do not apply:
             141          (i) if there is an emergency;
             142          (ii) while gardening;
{   [   } or      {   ]   }

             143          (iii) while tilling private ground
{   [   } .      {   ]   }      {   ; or

             144          (iv) while probing with an industry-approved probe bar to determine the presence or
             145      extent of a natural gas leak in the ground.  
}


3.    Page 6, Line 155 :    

             155          (i) location
  , with reasonable specificity       ;


4.    Page 7, Line 204 :    



             204          (ii) notify the excavator, by telephonic
  or electronic       message or indication at the excavation site, that


5.    Page 9, Line 266 :    

             266          (b) An operator may waive
  , in writing or electronically,       the requirement that the excavator determine the exact


6.    Page 10, Lines 286 through 289 :    

             286          (b) An excavator is [not] liable for damage
{   to an underground facility   }        incurred by an operator       if [an operator

             287      has failed to comply with Section 54-8a-5 or 54-8a-9 .]:
             288          (i) the operator complies with Section 54-8a-5 ; and
             289          (ii) the damage occurs within 24 inches of the operator's markings.

7.    Page 10, Lines 297 through 298 :    

             297          (b) immediately call 911 if the excavation
{   results   }        may result       in      {   the escape of a flammable gas or

             298      toxic or corrosive gas or liquid, or damages an electrical line  
}
  an immediate risk to human life       .


8.    Page 11, Lines 311 through 321 :    

             311          (3) Notwithstanding Subsection (2)(a) a penalty under this chapter may not be
             312      imposed
{   :

             313          (a)  
}
on an excavator
  or operator       unless the excavator        or operator       fails to comply with this chapter and damages

             314      an underground facility
{   ; or

             315          (b) on an operator unless:
             316          (i) (A) the operator fails to respond to a location request under Section 54-8a-5 in order
             317      to prevent damage to the facility; or
             318          (B) the operator fails to take reasonable steps, in response to a location request, to
             319      ensure accurate marking of the facility in order to prevent damage to the facility; and
             320          (ii) damage occurs to an underground facility as a result of the operator's failure under


             321      Subsection (3)(b)(i)(A) or (B)  
}
.

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. McIff, Rep. Tilton, and Rep. Winn absent for the vote.

Rep. Noel relinquished the Chair to Rep. Hunsaker (8:40 a.m.).
Rep. Hunsaker relinquished the Chair to Rep. Tilton (8:45 a.m.).
Rep. Noel assumed the Chair (9:00 a.m.).

Spoke to the bill:    Vaughn Shosted, Questar
            Mike Ostermiller, Questar
            Gary Hansen, Executive Director, Blue Stakes of Utah
            Mark Stanley, Salt Lake City Public Utilities
Spoke in opposition
of the bill:        Karianne Lisonbee, citizen

MOTION:        Rep. McIff moved to further amend the bill as follows:


1.    Page 1, Line 21 :    

             21
{  
         .    addresses liability of an excavator;   }


2.    Page 10, Lines 290 through 291 :    

             290     
{       (3) Notwithstanding Subsection 54-8a-4 (1)(b)(i), an excavator is liable for damage to

             291      an underground facility that occurs during an emergency.  
}



SUBSTITUTE
MOTION:        Rep. Tilton moved to amend the bill as follows:


1.    Page 10, Lines 290 through 291 :    

             290          (3) Notwithstanding Subsection 54-8a-4 (1)(b)(i), an excavator is liable for damage to
             291      an underground facility that
{   occurs during   }        causes       an emergency.


The motion failed with Rep. Tilton voting in favor.


SUBSTITUTE
MOTION:        Rep. Tilton moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended.                  The motion failed with Rep. Bird, Rep. Brown, Rep. Chavez-Houck, Rep.             Hunsaker, Rep. McIff, and Rep. Winn voting in opposition.

MOTION:        Rep. Brown moved previous question on the original motion. The motion             passed unanimously.

Rep. McIff's original motion to amend passed with Rep. Fisher, Rep, Noel, Rep. Tilton, and Rep. Winn voting in opposition.


MOTION:        Rep. Tilton moved to adjourn. The motion failed with Rep. Bird, Rep.             Brown, Rep. Hunsaker, Rep. McIff, Rep. Mascaro and Rep. Winn                  voting in opposition.

MOTION:        Rep Mascaro moved to pass the bill out favorably as further amended.             The motion passed with Rep. Noel voting in opposition.

MOTION:        Rep. Brown moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously. Rep.             Noel adjourned the meeting at 10:00 a.m.    


                            

                            _______________________________
                             Rep. Michael Noel, Chair