After some back and forth between the two legislative bodies this afternoon, the Utah House and Senate have officially repealed House Bill 477. The divisive law eliminates access to certain electronic records of government officials. Although he voted to repeal the bill, Senate Majority Leader Scott Jenkins said there are several issues that still need to be addressed in current GRAMA law.
The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission is calling on the governor to veto the liquor law reform package that was passed this session in the Utah legislature. Commissioners say it’s too tight of a grip on their agency. And as KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, this comes at the same time as budget cuts that are forcing the commission to close several state liquor stores.
Governor Gary Herbert opened up today about why he fired Division of Indian Affairs Director Forrest Cuch. Herbert said his service had been sub-par, and it was hurting relations between Native American tribes and the governor’s office. He also described Cuch as insubordinate. But the last straw, said Herbert, was Cuch’s attempt to cancel the Utah Native American Summit.
Senator Orrin Hatch and Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff claim to have business on their side when it comes to the federal health care law. This morning, they visited with the owner of Utah Metal Works, who denounced the effects the law will have on small business. But as KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, another local business owner is defending the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
A preview of Salt Lake City’s 2012 budget shows a slight increase in revenue, but the bright spots are being overshadowed by rising health insurance and skyrocketing fuel costs. The city will likely budget for a modest increase in sales tax revenue, and more revenue from commercial permits, but Mayor Ralph Becker says it will take a lot more to bring the city back to pre-recession numbers.
Salt Lake City’s “Complete Streets” efforts are coming into focus. The city council last night discussed some specific initiatives for making city streets bike, pedestrian and driver friendly. KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports.
Utahns for Ethical Government is suing the Lieutenant Governor for not releasing the signature count on an ethics initiative petition they submitted last year, and failing to give them 12 months to gather signatures. But as KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, the Lieutenant Governor’s office says the group still hasn’t met the requirements to get their initiative on the ballot.
The Salt Lake City Planning Commission wants to ban electronic billboards in the city, as part of the city’s efforts to eventually eliminate billboards altogether. Right now there are six electronic billboards in Salt Lake City, three of which Planning Commission Chairman Michael Fife says the city contends are illegal, because they were erected during an electronic billboard moratorium that was implemented last fall. He says billboards are not something the city wants to promote.
Republican Representative Carl Wimmer says lawmakers should repeal HB 477 when they meet for a special session this summer, instead of using that time to amend the controversial open records law. Wimmer supported the bill as it soared through the legislature the first time, but voted against it the second time. The lawmaker admits he didn’t realize the impact that it would have on the state’s Government Records Access and Management Act, or GRAMA.
Construction ceased today on parts of the City Creek development in Downtown Salt Lake City as workers formed a picket line on Main Street to protest low wages and few benefits. KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports.
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