Utah State 2010 Legislature Highlights: Week 6

March 1st – 6th
Rep. Jim Dunnigan

This week marks the last week of the 2010 Utah State Legislative Session. It will end on Thursday, March 11th, at 12:00 a.m. Up until then, legislators will work on finalizing the budget and will address remaining hot spots.

2S.H.B. 388 - Mobile Home Revisions -Mar. 8th, 2010 - 74/0 - Sponsored by Rep. James A. Dunnigan (R-Taylorsville)

This bill does the following:

• Gives residents the right to form and operate residents' associations, and to participate in regional, state, or national residents' association.
• Prohibits harassment, interference, and other unfair tactics toward resident associations.
• Allows residents and non-commercial entities to pass out flyers or canvass peacefully in the community, subject to reasonable rules as to time, place, and manner.
• Prohibits retaliation against a resident simply for the exercising the right to join an association, making complaints about conditions in the community or exercising other similar rights.

This proposed section will not be construed to prohibit a park operator from evicting a manufactured homeowners as provided in other provisions of the Mobile Home Residency Act.

Utah State 2010 Legislature Highlights: Week 5

February 22nd – 26th
Rep. Jim Dunnigan

Last week, House Republicans reached an agreement on balancing next year's budget proposal without a tax hike or making education cuts knowing that they will have to make cuts in other areas.

As for ethics reform, on Monday, amendments were made to the House ethics bills in the Senate committee and on Tuesday, three bills cleared the Senate with unanimous approval and now head to the House for their consideration. The main bill SJR3 would set the structure and rules for a new independent ethics commission that would screen complaints against lawmakers to determine if allegations have merit.

H.B. 51 Family Employment Program - Jan 27 - 71/0 votes - Cash Assistance to a Single Minor Parent - Sponsored by Rep. James A. Dunnigan (R-Taylorsville)

In modifying the provisions of the Family Employment Program regarding the requirements for a single minor parent to receive cash assistance, this bill brings the program into compliance with federal law as to employment and education, or training requirements.

Under current law, if minor parents do not have a high school diploma, the federal regulations requires them to be in school, progressing toward completion, to be eligible for temporary direct assistance. Current Utah statute says minor parents can choose to go to work instead. The proposed change clarifies that the minor parent does not have a choice - they must attend school. That does not mean they cannot have a job as well. Simply put, by statute they will not be allowed to opt out of school anymore.

Utah State 2010 Legislature Highlights: Week 4

February 16th - 19th
Rep. Jim Dunnigan

During the fourth week of the legislative session, legislators were given final budget figures with state revenues estimated to be an additional $50 million short in the next fiscal year. House Budget Chairman Ron Bigelow says the budget gap for next year now stands at $700 million and that revenue estimates could have been worse and that this means Utah has seen the worst of it.

1S.H.B. 39 – Insurance Related Amendments – Feb. 19th 2010 – 73/0 – Sponsored by Rep. James A. Dunnigan (R-Taylorsville)

This bill modifies the Insurance Code and related provisions to make various amendments including the following:

• Mental health provisions were revised to come into compliance with recent federal legislation.
• New provisions were needed to provide a new special enrollment to ensure persons whose Utah mini-COBRA have terminated will have the same right under state law as under the recent federal extension of Federal COBRA. This will allow employees involuntarily terminated from a small employer to continue their health insurance for up to 15 months with the Federal Government paying 65% of the cost.
• A vehicle owned or leased by a named insured, a named spouse, or a dependent of a named insured is now included in the definition "under-insured motor vehicle."
• The bill also provides that an individual health insurance policy, group health insurance policy, or health maintenance organization, shall continue force coverage for a dependent through the last day of the month in which the dependent ceases to be a dependent. This will help dependent children who upon marriage or turning age 26, lose coverage as of the day of the event. This bill provides that the coverage will continue until the end of the month in which the event occurs.

Utah State 2010 Legislature Highlights: Week 3

February 8th - 12th
Rep. Jim Dunnigan

During week 3 of the Legislative Session, the Utah House of Representatives passed key ethics reform measures. The senate is currently considering those measures and we look forward to a robust debate on those issues shortly. This week, Legislative members will be given an update on the budget which will give them the exact amount of money they have to work with for the 2011 fiscal year.

H.B. 40 – Utah Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association Amendments – Feb. 8 – 72/0 votes – Sponsored by Rep. James A. Dunnigan (R-Taylorsville)

This bill modifies the Utah Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association Act to make various amendments. It increases the coverage limit on annuities from $200,000 to $250,000. Instead of providing $500,000 combined for life and health insurance, it divides the two categories and provides $500,000 for life and an additional $500,000 for health. It provides Utah consumers with a greater benefit should their insurance company become insolvent.

Utah State 2010 Legislature Highlights: Week 1

January 25th - 29th, 2010
Representative Jim Dunnigan

The 58th session of the Utah State Legislature convened Monday, January 25th, 2010. This session, state lawmakers must tackle a combined 700 million dollar shortfall and spending must be trimmed from the current budget and the 2010-2011 budget year, starting July 1st.

H.B. 15 – Deferred Deposit Lending Amendments – Jan. 26 – 65/8 votes – Sponsored by Rep. James A. Dunnigan (R-Taylorsville)

This bill would alter the Check Cashing and Deferred Deposit Lending Registration Act so that they would address operational requirements related to deferred deposit lending. It would change the permissible length of rollovers from 12 to 10 weeks, impose restrictions related to communication at the place of employment, and provide an extended payment plan option.

Constituent Surveys 2010

Thanks to all those who completed and returned a survey. Your input is very important as it is my duty to represent you, my constituents. Below, you will find each survey question with the results in bold. The following results are based on all of the surveys received (280 surveys).

Question 1:
It is estimated that the state budget will be short approximately $800 million in 2010. Please rank the following options for filing that gap from 1 to 5, with 1 being your most preferred option.

Answers in order of average ranking:

• Increase taxes and/or fees (2.68)
• Combination of spending cuts and tax/fee increases (1.88)
• Use Rainy Day Funds (1.83)
• Cut spending (1.53)
• Other (1.03)

Question 2:

If spending was cut, where would you prefer to see those cuts implemented? Please rank the following options fro 1 to 8, with 1 being your most preferred option.

Answers in order of average ranking:

• Public Education (4.37)
• Public Safety/Corrections (3.87)
• Healthcare (3.79)
• Higher Education (2.92)
• Transportation (2.56)
• Rainy Day Funds (2.43)
• 3% cuts all across all departments (2.24)
• Other (1.58)

Question 3:
In an effort to make up for a decrease in revenue, various tax increases have been proposed. What do you think should happen in the following areas:

Answers in order of importance:

Sales Tax on food

• Stay the same (52%) - Decrease (23%) - Increase (19%)

Tobacco Tax

• Increase (75%) - Stay the same (16%) - Decrease (6%)

Income Tax

• Stay the same (63%) - Decrease (19%) - Increase (10%)

User Fees

• Increase (46%) - Stay the same (36%) - Decrease (12%)

Question 4:
In 2009 the legislature banned gifts over $50 and required disclosure on gifts over $10; prevented legislators from becoming lobbyists within one year of resigning from the legislature, etc. Would you support or oppose the following additional measures:

Answers in order of importance:

An independent ethics panel to address legislative ethics complaints

• Support (72%) - Oppose (14%) - Undecided (11%)

Campaign contribution limits

• Support (84%) - Oppose (10%) - Undecided (5%)

Disclosure on gifts of any value

• Support (82%) - Oppose (10%) - Undecided (8%)

Question 5:
A series of bills dealing with civil rights based on sexual orientation has been proposed. Do you support or oppose the following:

Answers in order of importance:

Creating housing rights based on sexual orientation

• Oppose (44%) - Support (34%) - Undecided (15%)

Prohibiting job termination based on sexual orientation

• Support (60%) - Oppose (26%) - Undecided (10%)

Question 6:
Ways to improve motor vehicle safety are being considered in this legislative session. Which of the following do you support?

Answers in order of importance:

A ban on cell phones

• Support (65%) - Oppose (23%) - Undecided (9%)

Limiting cell phone use to hands free devices while driving

• Support (55%) - Oppose (26%) - Undecided (11%)

A ban on cell phone use while driving for those under 18

• Support (83%) - Oppose (6%) - Undecided (3%)

Question 7:
Due to the economic downturn, the Utah Retirement System is under serious financial distress and lost $6.5 billion (over 30%) in 2008. Please mark the types of state employee pension reforms you support.

Answers in order of importance:

• Eliminate double dipping by state employees (77%)
• Increase the minimum retirement age for state employees (50%)
• Require state employees to contribute more (49%)
• Do nothing, and have the State pay $400 million a year for the next 25 years to cover the gap(10%)

Question 8:
The legislature has saved $419 million and placed it in a "Rainy Day Fund." How would you like to see those savings distributed?

Answers refer to average percent:

• (35%) should be spent this year
• (64%) should be saved for the future years

Question 9:

Should state agencies be prohibited from implementing any new unfunded federal healthcare mandates?

Answers in order of importance:

• Yes (58%) - Undecided (23%) - No (16%)

*Results based on surveys received from 280 constituents.*

Grandkids visit Capitol

Representative Dunnigan's grandkids Preston and Brielle visit the Capitol.

Representative Dunnigan gives his 10 month-old granddaughter a kiss on the last night of the session.