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MINUTES OF THE
SENATE REVENUE AND TAXATION STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING
ROOM 215 STATE CAPITOL

JANUARY 26, 2012
2:10 P.M.

Members Present:    Sen. Curtis S. Bramble, Chair
    Sen. Stuart Adams
    Sen. Howard A. Stephenson
    Sen. Ben McAdams
    Sen. Ross I. Romero

Members Excused:    Sen. Wayne L. Niederhauser
    Sen. John L. Valentine

Staff Present:    Mr. Phillip V. Dean, Policy Analyst
    Ms. Kathy Helgesen, Committee Secretary
    
A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the Committee minutes.

Acting Committee Chair Romero called the meeting to order at 2:28 p.m..

Approval of Minutes

MOTION:    Sen. Adams moved to approve minutes of the January 24, 2012 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. McAdams absent for the vote.

S.B. 124    County Amendments (Sen. C. Bramble)

Sen. Bramble introduced and explained the bill.

MOTION:    Sen. Bramble moved to replace S.B. 124 with 1st Sub. S.B. 124. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. McAdams absent for the vote.

Spoke for the bill:    Michael Jensen, Salt Lake County Council    


Spoke to the bill:    Jason Rose, Legal Counsel, Salt Lake County Council
        Ricky Hatch, Weber County Clerk

MOTION:    Sen. Stephenson moved to pass 1st Sub. S.B. 124 out favorably. The motion passed unanimously.

S.B. 129    Unemployment Insurance Modifications (Sen. C. Bramble)

Sen. Bramble introduced and explained the bill.

MOTION:    Sen. Bramble moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 3, Lines 65 through 76 :    

             65          (2) (a) Subject to Subsection (2)(b), the division shall [calculate] determine the social
             66      contribution rate by dividing all social costs as defined in Subsection 35A-4-307 (1) applicable
             67      to the preceding four fiscal years by the total taxable wages of all employers subject to
             68      contributions for the same period, calculated to four decimal places, disregarding any
             69      remaining fraction, and [rounded] rounding the result to three decimal places[, disregarding any
             70      further fraction,] as follows:
             71          (i) if the fourth decimal place is
{   .0004   }        four       or less, [or rounding up to the next higher

             72      number,] the third decimal place does not change; or
             73          (ii) if the fourth decimal place is
{   .0005   }        five       or more, rounding the third decimal place up.

             74          (b) For calendar year 2012 only, if the calculation of the social contribution rate under
             75      Subsection (2)(a) is greater than .004, the social contribution rate for calendar year 2012 is
             76      .004.

The motion passed unanimously.



Spoke for the bill:    Bill Starks, Unemployment Insurance Director, DWS
        Tom Jackson, Utah Manufacturer's Association
        Candace Daly, State Director, NFIB for Utah        

MOTION:    Sen. Bramble moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously.

S.B. 43     Bonds and Other Obligations (Sen. D. Hinkins)
was not considered.

Sen. Bramble assumed the chair.

S.B. 138    Health Insurance Mandate Accountability Amendments (Sen. T. Weiler)

Sen. Weiler introduced and explained the bill.

MOTION:    Sen. Adams made a motion to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 4, Lines 93 through 95 :    

             93          (2) health coverage offered to public school districts, charter schools, and institutions
             94      of higher education under Subsection 49-20-
{   301   }        201       (1)(b) shall comply with the provisions of

             95      Section 31A-22-605.5 .

The motion passed unanimously.

Spoke for the bill:        Patti Harrington, Utah School Superintendents Association

Spoke to the bill:    Peter Cannon



MOTION:    Sen. Adams moved the pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed, with Sen. McAdams voting in opposition.

H.B. 34    Sales and Use Tax Act Revisions (Rep. W. Harper) (Sen. C. Bramble)

Rep. Harper introduced and explained the bill.

Spoke for the bill:        Bruce Johnson, Commissioner, Utah State Tax Commission

MOTION:    Sen. Adams moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously.



MOTION:    With the bill sponsor's consent, Sen. Adams moved to place the bill on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously.

H.B. 36    Sales and Use Tax - Computer Software and Other Tangible Personal Property Amendments (Rep. W. Harper) (Sen. C. Bramble)

Rep. Harper introduced and explained the bill.     
MOTION:    Sen. Adams moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:    With the bill sponsor's consent, Sen. Romero moved to place the bill on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:
    Sen. McAdams moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.    

Chair Bramble adjourned the meeting at 3:44 p.m.

Minutes reported by Kathy Helgesen, Secretary.



        
         Sen. Curt S. Bramble, Committee Chair