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

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

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