MINUTES OF THE

HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 30, House Building

March 5, 2015

Members Present:                Rep. Jack Draxler, Chair

                                                Rep. Brad Daw, Vice Chair

                                                Rep. Patrice Arent

                                                Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck 

                                                Rep. Fred Cox

                                                Rep. Merrill Nelson

                                                Rep. Lee Perry

                                                Rep. Val Peterson 

Members Absent:                 Rep. Keith Grover

Members Excused:               Rep. Dean Sanpei

Staff Present:                        Mr. Brian Bean, Policy Analyst

                                                Ms. Kathy Gessel, Committee Secretary

Note:     A list of visitors and handouts are filed with committee minutes.

Vice Chair Daw called the meeting to order at 8:05 a.m.

MOTION:     Rep. Draxler moved to approve the minutes of the March 3, 2015, meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Nelson and Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

H.B. 412         Revisions to Elections (Rep. D. McCay)

Rep. Daniel McCay explained the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. Peterson moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion failed with Rep. Cox, Rep. Peterson, and Rep. Daw voting in favor and Rep. Nelson and Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

H.B. 329         Western States Presidential Primary Amendments (Rep. J. Cox)

Rep. Jon Cox explained the bill.

Spoke to the bill:        Mark Thomas, Office of the Lieutenant Governor

Spoke for the bill:       Mark Thomas, Office of the Lieutenant Governor

James Evans, Chairman, Utah Republican Party

Jennifer Morrell, Utah Clerks' Association

Matt Lyon, Former Executive Director of the Utah Democratic Party

MOTION:     Rep. Perry moved to pass the bill out favorably.

SUBSTITUTE

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

1.    Page 5, Lines 123 through 124:      

123 (2) For the 2016 Western States Presidential Primary election only, a county clerk {  shall  }  may 

124provide voting via the Internet, by a voter described in Subsection (1), that electronically

The motion passed with Rep. Perry and Rep. Peterson voting in opposition.

MOTION:     Rep. Chavez-Houck moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed with Rep. Draxler voting in opposition.

H.B. 410         State and Local Energy Efficiency Programs (Rep. J. Draxler)

Rep. Draxler explained the bill with the assistance of John Herrington, Energy Director, Division of Facilities and Construction Management. A handout, "Support H.B. 410, State and Local Energy Efficiency Programs," was distributed to the committee.

Spoke for the bill:       Kevin Emerson, Utah Clean Energy

MOTION:     Rep. Arent moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Perry absent for the vote.

H.B. 291         Procurement Changes (Rep. K. Stratton)

Rep. Keven Stratton explained the bill with the assistance of Scott Bean, Kids on the Move; and Kent Beers, Director, Division of Purchasing and General Services.

Spoke for the bill:       Linda Hull, Utah Department of Transportation

MOTION:     Rep. Arent moved to replace H.B. 291 with 2nd Sub. H.B. 291. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:     Rep. Arent moved to pass out 2nd Sub. H.B. 291 favorably. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:     Rep. Perry moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Peterson absent for the vote.

Vice Chair Daw adjourned the meeting at 9:22 a.m.

__________________________

Rep. Jack Draxler, Chair