SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah State Legislature looks to tackle an ambitious list of items over the next year.
On Wednesday, the Legislative Management Committee approved a lengthy list of study items to tackle in interim hearings leading up to the 2024 legislative session. The lists were compiled by the House and Senate committee chairs.
The topics include:
- Water conservation and legal changes to account for "saved" water, including the impacts of secondary metering, agriculture optimization and turf removal. The Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee chairs also wrote they want to explore "methods for taking conserved water ... and shepherding it to the Great Salt Lake."
- While the state enjoys a low unemployment rate, there are still jobs that are unfilled and lawmakers were looking at ways to fill in those gaps.
- Examine noncompete restrictions in the private sector and whether noncompete restrictions should be prohibited.
- State labor laws "related to minors that conflict with federal labor laws."
- A review of "Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)" policies.
- Motion picture film incentives for rural Utah and whether incentives should continue.
- Ongoing issues related to homelessness and shelters, and how people experiencing homelessness interact with the criminal justice system and ensuring people who are unsheltered have access to state services.
- A legislative audit on housing affordability in Utah, as well as further ways to incentivize home ownership in the state.
- The Education Committee said it would be examining the constitutional line of authority that includes both the legislature and Utah State Board of Education and what school districts are doing to enact legislation that is passed.
- The impacts of recent legislation on "curriculum transparency" including what materials are taught in classes and "sensitive materials in schools." The committee noted it would "determine if further legislation is needed around related issues, like political neutrality in classrooms and parental access to curricular materials."
- The Judiciary Committee signaled it would look at whether the legislature ought to intervene in approving legal settlements involving universities. Some schools, it noted, "are settling lawsuits prior to legislative approval of those settlement agreements."
- Victim-defendant mediation, a new concept in Utah. "Currently, courts usually prohibit any interaction or communication between victims and defendants, which may result in all-or-nothing outcomes that are poorly tailored to the unique circumstances of individual cases," the study item noted.
- Examining when death row inmates can be — or should be — held in a general prison population. The committee chairs noted it was "informed by the news about death row inmate Doug Lovell’s transfer to the general population at the Utah State Prison."
- Staffing in correctional facilities statewide as well as prison security and a follow-up to a blistering audit on prison health care.
- "Agritourism" which involves farms near urban areas and potential issues agriculture producers might face.
- State park fees.
- The Political Subdivision Committee chairs signaled they would explore the controversies around drag shows, writing they wished to "study how the state and political subdivisions can protect children from adult-oriented events that are scheduled to be held in public spaces."
- Nuclear power, geothermal, and others such as right-of-way renewable energy production and the use of water in energy production.
- An audit of the state's cybersecurity measures and whether they are adequate.
- A review of property taxes, including a review of exemptions that include "religious, charitable, or educational purposes" as well as "impacts and benefits from property tax relief for low-income households."
- Water district property tax rates (a nod to a bill that failed to advance carving water use out of property taxes to force conservation).
- Scrutiny of Utah Transit Authority including its ridership and cost per riders, how the entity spends its money on projects, and "ski bus service solutions."
- Electrification of the state's transportation system including UTA's Frontrunner system.
House Speaker Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville, added a study of power transmission security.
"That's an area I want to make sure we're paying close attention to," he said Wednesday.
Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, added a social work licensing compact with other states to the list for study. Members of the committee, made up of Republican and Democratic legislative leadership, approved both items.
House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, encouraged committee chairs to have a "balanced, robust conversation" on issues. She complained that sometimes hearings bring only "one perspective." Senate President J. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said he agreed with her and would encourage committee chairs to do so.
Interim hearings allow lawmakers to take testimony and prepare for legislation in a general session. If an committee agrees to open a bill file and it gets unanimous, bipartisan consent in interim? It can get fast-tracked and move directly to the floor in a general session, skipping the typical committee process.
Read the full interim study list here:
