Welcome to The Senate Site

Monday, March 15, 2010

Budget Report to the Board of Directors

It didn't come easy, but the state budget is balanced.

Here is a pretty clear overview (PDF) followed by a committee-by-committee summary of the Utah State Budget.

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Ghost Town: Monday after Session

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Friday, March 12, 2010

Friday Morning (OK, afternoon...) Workout

  1. Out of Context: Some Legislative Levity (Gehrke on Sen. Liljenquist's serenade)
  2. Watch it here at the Senate Channel
  3. Hesterman Report on the legislative session (SenateSite)
  4. Daily Herald: Lawmakers finish up 45 days of heavy lifting
  5. KUER: 2010 Legislative Session Ends
  6. KSL: Lawmakers: The 2010 Legislative Session was a success
  7. Bernick: 2010 Legislature to be remembered for budget, ethics
  8. Fox13: Utah's 45-day legislative session coming to an end
  9. SLTrib: The states' rights session
  10. Davis Co. Clipper: 2010 Legislature
  11. Daily Herald: Herbert: First session went well, even with tobacco tax increase
  12. Roche: Gov. Gary Herbert listens, compromises in first session as governor
  13. KSL: Utah legislative Democrats say bipartisanship hit a high note
  14. SLTrib: E-Verify bill clears Utah House, ready to be signed
  15. DNews: Lawmakers urge feds to relinquish disputed rural roads
  16. DNews: No dollars for new state road projects
  17. St. George Spectrum: $35M approved for DSC building
  18. Daily Herald: UVU science building close to a done deal
  19. SLTrib: School districts to get break on funding rules
  20. KCPW: Lawmakers Reach Deal on Charter School Funding
  21. DNews: Lawmakers drop charter issue to resolve education budget
  22. Schencker: Schools' budget spared heavy cuts
  23. DNews: Charter schools get boost in funding, seat on board
  24. KCPW: Last-Minute Effort to Ban Paid Union Leave Fails
  25. SLTrib: Utah Legislature calls on Congress to allow local control of old roads
  26. DNews: Animal euthanasia not limited to lethal injection
  27. SLTrib: Utah senate rejects animal euthanasia standards
  28. SLTrib: Utah lawmakers urge health care transparency
  29. DNews: Teen cell phone bill fails
  30. SLTrib: Driving-while-phoning ban fails in Legislature
  31. SLTrib: Teens get break on skills test
  32. KSL: Utah bicyclists won't be allowed to run lights
  33. SLTrib: State pension plan gets overhaul
  34. DNews: Higher education dealt minor changes, remains optimistic
  35. SLTrib: Utah senator-grading bill ready for signature
  36. DNews: Herbert won't veto cigarette tax hike
  37. SLTrib: Herbert expects to approve $1 per-pack tobacco tax
  38. DNews: Lack of support dooms anti-affirmative action proposal
  39. SLTrib: Utah backers of amendment to ban affirmative action abandon fight
  40. KCPW: Equalization Repeal Law Passes After Several Revisions
  41. DNews: Student reading bill passes
  42. SLTrib: Lawmakers approve transit-oriented districts
  43. DNews: Legislators approve DNA collection bill
  44. SLTrib: Independent panel gets OK, cap on gifts fails
  45. Davis Co. Clipper: Rob Miller: The ‘best’ and ‘worst’ of the 2010 Legislature
  46. Davis Co. Clipper: Todd Weiler: The ‘best’ and ‘worst’ of the 2010 Legislature
  47. Tooele Transcript: Big election year kicks off Friday
  48. KCPW: Bison, Deer, & Bighorn Sheep Hunting to Be Allowed on Antelope Island
  49. KSL: Ban on nicotine-flavored candies fails to pass

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Thursday, March 11, 2010

Last Day of 2010 Session part-2

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Sine Die

Sine Die - ADVERB: abbr. s.d. Without a day specified for a future meeting; indefinitely: The Senate adjourned sine die.

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Final Day of the Legislative Session

Today will move fast. Twitter is probably the best way to track it.

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Hesterman Report - Final Look on 2010 Session

As the 2010 Legislative session comes to a close I wanted to share with you some of the sound bytes from the session that stood out to me. In the final Hesterman Report you'll hear about the budget, State's Rights, and Ethics. Listen here. (MP3)

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Last Day of 2010 Session part-1

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Media Briefing: March 11

Today's media briefing included President Waddoups and Senator Jenkins recapping some of the accomplishments of the Senate during this session. Also, Senator Stephenson spoke on SB 2. Watch the full briefing here. Listen to it here. (MP3)

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Senator Stowell on Streambed Access

By Dennis E. Stowell
Senator, District 28

It is important that we bring the escalating confrontations between property owners and recreationists to a close. SB 141 affirms the right for a person to float or fish, while floating in public waters over private property. It also is designed to confirm the constitutional protection for private property owners.

Recreationists should know that they can still gain access to areas of rivers on private property through a program run by the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) called the “Walk-in Access” program.

This is how the Walk-in Access program works: The DWR can lease a tract of private land for hunting, trapping and/or fishing privileges for the use of public recreation. Those who travel on foot, hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers can enter and use the land without obtaining special permission or paying a separate fee. This partnership between the state and private landowners helps maintain important wildlife habitat on private lands and improves public access for wildlife-related recreation on private property.

Fishers should also know that there is still access available on streams that flow through private lands without walk-in access. Where access has historically existed, anglers will be able to walk within three feet of the water on either bank, and are also able to port around obstacles.

This bill is not meant to create dissonance between recreationists and private land owners. This bill is about ensuring that private property owners are receiving the constitutional protection for private properties. Thus making certain private property is not taken or damaged for public use without just compensation. Anglers are still welcome to enjoy the rivers and streams in the state of Utah but are expected to respect the rights that belong to those that own the property on which they use.

To further help open private areas we have passed SB 281Public access to Stream Beds, Utah Waterways Task force. This task force will be made up of 12 legislators that will study, during the 2010 interim session, areas of the state which have conflicts between fishermen and landowners. The task force will hold public hearings to allow the landowners and fishermen testify about the conflicts in these areas. This process will help the legislature better understand how the problem may be solved. The task force will also address funding issues in regards to expanding the DWR Walk-in Access program, funding to permanently purchase access rights from landowners, and establishment of cooperative fishing management units (CFMU’S).

Public Hearings for areas being studied will be announced on the Senate Site as they are scheduled. Please be involved.

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Extra blessings for the final day of session

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Staff Highlights: Secretary of the Senate





By Krystle Whitney
Intern in Exile

As the final member of The Circle, Secretary of the Senate Annette Moore was pretty tough to track down for an interview. With illness, session duties and my being stationed in Exile, I count it close to a miracle that we were able to meet up.

Having a long history with the Utah State, Annette is a key player and source of stability. She supervises session staff, certifies the transfer of bills from Senate to the House of Representatives and enforces Parliamentary Procedure (having read and learned the 100 page manual). With this being her 19th Session, she said she is always learning new things about the Legislative process.

"In 19 years I have not missed one day of Session...if you’re sick you just come to work," she said. "But, there’s been a virus going around and I was one of the unfortunate ones and I was just really impressed by the way the staff...just stepped up. I was impressed by the team effort."

To hear more about Annette’s Senate Highlights or her favorite “funny moment” during her 19-years of working for the Legislature, listen to her interview above.

Click HERE for the podcast.

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Last Day of the Session Workout

  1. The Final 24 Hours
  2. KCPW: Senate Votes to Keep Pay the Same
  3. Daily Herald: Lawmakers vote to keep last year's pay cut
  4. ABC4: Utah legislators decide not to take pay hike
  5. KSL: Winners and losers of the 2010 Legislative Session
  6. SLTrib: Senate backs new campaign finance reporting rules
  7. SLTrib: Regents could get more rural
  8. DNews: Public education budget bill comes down to last day
  9. SLTrib: Will charter schools sink education funds deal?
  10. DNews: Districts to help fund charter schools?
  11. ABC4: Lawmakers make 10 million dollar cut to public education
  12. DNews: Senate Oks bill limiting scholarships
  13. KCPW: Teachers Will Still Get Paid Association Leave
  14. SLTrib: Anti-gang measure heads to guv's desk
  15. DNews: Gang prevention bill passes
  16. SLTrib: Legislature approves holiday for Browning
  17. KCPW: Watered-Down Prosthetic Parity Bill Clears Senate
  18. SLTrib: Senate paves way for road upgrades in Salt Lake County
  19. DNews: Rally at Capitol urges lawmakers to address climate change
  20. Fox 13: Utah House resources Rep and former SLC Mayor debate climate change
  21. Standard Ex: Antelope Island hunting part of budget legislation
  22. Out of Context: Political Cornflakes
  23. Sausage Grinder: Morning of the Last Day

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

24

Day 45. The final day of session. The Senate will work on House Bills. The House will work on Senate Bills. We'll concur (or not) with House amendments to Senate Bills. The House will concur (or not) with Senate amendments to House Bills.

Watch for conference committees throughout the day. (A conference committee is the small negotiating team that will resolve differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.) In a bygone era you could find them by listening for the shouting. These last few years - not so much.

Leadership of both bodies will trade priority lists. Senate Leadership will prioritize senate bills for the House to consider. House Leadership will prioritize house bills for the Senate to consider.

Bills are debated and acted on faster than normal. You’ll see hopes rise and fall as the clock hurtles toward midnight.

We might end early this year. We'll see. The state constitution indicates the last possible moment we can vote a bill up or down is the stroke of midnight.

Follow along on the Twitter Site.

Or watch or listen live via our official site. We'll be here all day, if you need us.

It's been a tough but productive session.

Thanks for paying attention.

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The Phantom Student Phase Out

Senator Howard Stephenson explains the Phantom Student Phaseout and fair funding of public schools in SB2.

video

Share the Youtube version of the Video by visiting here.

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