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MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE

ROOM 415, STATE CAPITOL

February 11, 2011


Members Present:    Rep. Francis Gibson, Chair
            Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck, Co-Chair
            Rep. Roger Barrus
            Rep. Tim M. Cosgrove
            Rep. John Dougall
            Rep. Neal Hendrickson
            Rep. Brian King
            Rep. Rhonda Menlove
                
Staff Present:        Mr. Michael E. Christensen, Director, OLRGC
            Ms. Barbara Bryner, Committee Secretary

Rep. Francis Gibson called the meeting to order at 12:35 p.m.

1.     H.J.R. 4    Joint Rules Resolution Providing Ethics Requirements for Legislators Elect (Rep. P. Arent)

    Rep. Arent explained the resolution to the committee.

    Ms. Dixie Huefner, Utahns for Ethical Government, spoke for the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. King moved to pass the resolution with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Dougall absent for the vote.

2.    H.B. 274    Lobbyist Disclosure and Regulation Act Amendments (Rep. P. Arent)

MOTION :    Rep. Chavez-Houck moved to adopt the following amendments:

1.    Page 5, Lines 141 through 147 :    

             141          (10) (a) "Legislator elect" means an individual who:
             142          (i) has received a certificate of election from the lieutenant governor in accordance
             143      with Section
  20A-4-304 or       20A-4-306 ; and

             144          (ii) has not begun the individual's term of office in accordance with Utah Constitution
             145      Article VI, Section 3 or 4.
             146          (b) "Legislator elect" does not include an individual who becomes a legislator by
             147      appointment by the governor.
             
        The motion to amend passed unanimously with Rep. Dougall absent for the vote.





    Rep. Arent explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:    Rep. Cosgrove moved to pass the bill with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously.

3.    H.B. 164    Campaign Contributions Limits (Rep. R. Chavez-Houck)

    
Rep. Chavez-Houck explained the bill to the committee. Hand outs were provided..

Speaking for the bill were:    Ms. Dee Rowland, Government Commission on Democracy
                Ms. Gigi Brandt , League of Women Voters
                Ms. Dixie Huefner, Utahns for Ethical Government
                Ms. Laura Polacheck, AARP Utah
                Mr. Weston Clark, Chairman for Salt Lake County Democrats

MOTION:    Rep. King moved to pass the bill with a favorable recommendation

SUBSTITUTE
MOTION:    Rep. Dougall moved to hold the bill in committee. The motion failed with Rep. Barrus, Rep. Dougall, Rep. Hendrickson, and Rep. Menlove voting in favor of the motion. Rep. Cosgrove, Rep. King, Rep. Chavez-Houck, and Rep. Gibson voted in opposition.

        The original motion to pass the bill with a favorable recommendation failed with Rep. Cosgrove, Rep. King, and Rep. Chavez-Houck voting in favor of the motion.

4.    H.J.R. 22    Joint Rules Resolution for Fiscal Notes on Criminal Penalty Bills (Rep. K. Sumsion)

    Rep. Sumsion explained the resolution to the committee.

MOTION:    Rep. Dougall moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously.

The Chair adjourned the meeting at 1:55 p.m.





                    ___________________________________
                        Rep. Francis Gibson, Chair