Category Archives: Legislature

Interim day: license plate scanning and Common Core

Posted on May 16, 2012 by

Tweet Today, the Utah Legislature held its first interim committee meetings of the year. These meetings occur once each month from May through November, except in July. Legislators address a range of issues, including ideas for future bills, implementation of … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Legislature | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Sutherland hands out Legislative Scorecard for 2012

Posted on March 20, 2012 by

Tweet Sutherland Institute announced today its 2012 Legislative Scorecard. Using 12 pieces of legislation from the 2012 legislative session for the Senate score and 13 for the House, Sutherland produced an individual score for each legislator and an overall score … Continue reading →

Posted in Legislature | Tagged | Leave a comment

Would limits on number of bills improve Legislature’s work?

Posted on March 14, 2012 by

Tweet After six consecutive years of passing more bills than the year before, the Utah Legislature passed fewer bills this year. In 2012, lawmakers passed 478 bills (including resolutions) out of a total 891 bills filed – 26 fewer passed … Continue reading →

Posted in Legislature | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Sutherland’s daily updates from the Hill begin

Posted on January 23, 2012 by

Tweet   During the 2012 legislative session, Sutherland Institute will provide insight and analysis of votes, meetings, debates, legislation and policy from a conservative perspective. The goal is to provide our readers with in-depth coverage of issues vital to them … Continue reading →

Posted in Capitol Daily, Legislature | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Untangling the politics of hair braiding

Posted on October 21, 2011 by

Tweet   Hair braiding. Why would the state Legislature spend even a minute worrying about hair braiding? Representative Holly Richardson is wondering the same thing. As it stands, hair braiding is regulated by state government. It seems that it’s an … Continue reading →

Posted in Legislature, Limited Government, Regulation | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Utah redistricting ‘a crime against humanity’? Really?

Posted on October 18, 2011 by

Tweet   In the Daily Herald’s opinion, “The Utah Legislature has committed a crime against humanity” in the Legislature’s redistricting process. I Googled “crimes against humanity.” I found these stories: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimes_against_humanity http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/ http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/C/CrimesAgainstHumanity.aspx http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/13/pope-crimes-humanity-victims-abuse http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/un-backed-trial-of-cambodians-khmer-rouge-leaders-set-for-late-november/2011/10/18/gIQAgaDDuL_story.html http://www.religioustolerance.org/genocide0.htm Funny, I didn’t find … Continue reading →

Posted in Legislature, Politics | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Why Democrats can only sing the redistricting blues

Posted on October 17, 2011 by

Tweet   Just a quick thought about the Utah redistricting kerfuffle. The key point, in my mind, is not the process the state Republicans are using to come out with the map. That is an issue, and it is debatable, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legislature, Politics | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Redistricting: Why Utah ought to carve up S.L.

Posted on October 10, 2011 by

Tweet   Here is my advice to the state Legislature on redistricting: Carve up Salt Lake City and dilute the more liberal parts of Salt Lake County. I say this as a conservative, as someone who works each and every … Continue reading →

Posted in Legislature, Politics | Tagged , | 26 Comments

July legislative interim day roundup

Posted on July 21, 2011 by

Tweet   Yesterday, the Utah Legislature met for its monthly interim day meetings. During these meetings legislators discuss items that may lead to legislation in the annual general session that begins in January. This month, they also attended to several … Continue reading →

Posted in Legislature | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Guest commentary: the next steps for immigration reform

Posted on May 13, 2011 by

Tweet At the same time President Obama was giving his speech about immigration in El Paso, Texas, I was sitting in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups while he issued a temporary restraining order on the controversial … Continue reading →

Posted in Federalism, Immigration, Legislature | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Does the Utah State Legislature pass too many bills?

Posted on May 10, 2011 by

Tweet The Salt Lake Tribune reported that 351 new laws took effect today, addressing issues from foster care to fireworks. During this year’s legislative session, legislators passed 504 bills (many of which were resolutions that didn’t create any new laws) … Continue reading →

Posted in Legislature, Limited Government | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Maturation, online learning and other education tidbits

Posted on May 5, 2011 by

Tweet The Utah State Board of Education met today for its monthly meeting. Here are a few tidbits and observations from the meeting: 1. The board approved a motion to apply rules related to sex education (parental consent, local curriculum … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Legislature | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

House committee puts a halt to Wimmer’s tax bill

Posted on January 27, 2011 by

Tweet A bill that would require a two-thirds vote for any tax increases in the state failed Thursday to make it past a House committee. HJR001, a bill sponsored by Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, failed on a 7-7-2 vote. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Legislature, Limited Government, Taxes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hillyard warns budget cuts are going to sting

Posted on January 25, 2011 by

Tweet With a $313 million structural imbalance in the Utah budget, state lawmakers are considering multiple options for cuts – and regardless of which option the Legislature chooses, some agencies are going to hurt. “There’s going to be people impacted … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Legislature | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

10th Amendment a major theme in 2011 Utah Legislature

Posted on January 24, 2011 by

Tweet “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” – The 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution With the … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitution, Legislature | Tagged , , | 2 Comments