MINUTES OF THE

HOUSE RETIREMENT AND INDEPENDENT ENTITIES STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 215, Senate Building

                                                            February 27, 2015

Members Present:    Rep. Kraig Powell, Chair 

Rep. Rich Cunningham, Vice Chair

                                    Rep. Sophia DiCaro 

Rep. Susan Duckworth

Rep. Steve Eliason

                                    Rep. Brad Last 

Rep. Justin Miller

Rep. Marie Poulson

Rep. John Westwood

Staff Present:            Mr. Benjamin N. Christensen, Policy Analyst

Ms. Kathy Gessel, Committee Secretary

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

Rep. Powell called the meeting to order at 12:37 p.m.

MOTION:     Rep. Cunningham moved to approve the minutes of the February 20, 2014 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Duckworth, Rep. Last and Rep. Miller absent for the vote.

H.B. 368         Executive Office Compensation (Rep. B. Wilson)

Rep. Wilson explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke for the bill:       Roger Tew, Chairman, Executive Judicial Compensation Commission

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

1.    Page 2, Lines 37 through 40:   

37   (A) lieutenant governor:                        {  90%  }  95%  of the governor's salary;

38   (B) attorney general:                            95% of the governor's salary;

39   (C) state auditor:                            {  90%  }  95%  of the governor's salary; and

40   (D) state treasurer:                                 {  90%  }  95%  of the governor's salary.

The motion failed with Rep. Eliason, Rep. Westwood and Rep. Cunningham voting in favor of the bill.

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

1.    Page 2, Lines 41 through 42:   

41   (iii) Beginning on January 1, 2017, until the Legislature sets the salary of the governor

42in an appropriations act, the governor's salary is {  $150,000  }  $113,197  per year.

SUBSTITUTE

MOTION:     Rep. Eliason moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Duckworth, Rep. Miller and Rep. Poulson voting in opposition.

H.B. 347         Retirement Window Amendments (Rep. R. Cunningham)

Rep. Cunningham explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke to the bill:        Dee Larsen, Utah Retirement Systems

Spoke for the bill:       Cameron Diehl, Utah League of Cities and Towns

MOTION:     Rep. Westwood moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed out unanimously.

MOTION:     Rep. Eliason moved to place H.B. 347 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously.

H.B. 255         State Employee Health Plan Amendments (Rep. N. Thurston)

Rep. Thurston explained the bill to the committee and declared a conflict of interest with the bill.

Spoke to the bill:        Chet Loftis, Director of Public Employees Health Plan

The chair moved to the next item on the agenda.

Vice Chair Daw assumed the chair.

1st Sub. S.J.R. 9        Joint Resolution on Small Business Retirement Plan Availability (Sen. T. Weiler)

Rep. Powell explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke for the bill:       Danny Harris, AARP

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

1.    Page 3, Lines 80 through 82

Senate Committee Amendments

       2-4-2015:     

80Utah Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Association of Independent Insurance Agents, the Utah

81Insurance Department, the Utah Small Business Development Center, Ŝ➔ the Utah Association of

81aCertified Public {  Accounts  }  Accountants  , the American Association of Retired Persons, Utah Chapter, Ŝ

81band the members of

82Utah's congressional delegation.

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Miller absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Powell moved pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed with Rep. Eliason voting in opposition and Rep. Miller absent for the vote.

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

Vice Chair Cunningham adjourned the meeting at 1:38 p.m.

___________________________________

Rep. Kraig Powell, Chair