Editors Note: This article was originally published in the Feb. 14, 2024 issue of the Chronicle Progress. Some information may be outdated.
I am happy to report that we are halfway through the 45-day legislative session, and as the state with the shortest session in the nation, we have a very limited period of time remaining to consider legislation.
At this point, we have passed more than 70 bills that address topics from transportation infrastructure to environmental policies. You can see a list of the bills we’ve passed on the legislative website (le.utah.gov).
My bill S.B. 27 Behavioral Health System Amendments, moved forward in the legislative process this week. S.B. 27 creates a behavioral health commission within the Department of Health and Human Services. The commission combines several existing behavioral health entities which will more effectively and efficiently address behavioral health concerns in the state. I appreciate input I’ve received on this bill and look forward to continued feedback as the bill moves forward.
I am also pleased with the progress of my bill S.B. 201 Municipal Incorporation Amendments. Last session, we made some adjustments to the process of incorporating a municipality. During the interim, I have continued discussing additional changes to the incorporation process. While S.B. 201 makes several adjustments to Utah code, the only policy change proposed in this bill is regarding the cost of a feasibility study. Under the current code, if a municipality would like to be incorporated, a feasibility study must be performed. The Lieutenant Governor’s office, using taxpayer dollars, pays for the feasibility study and seeks reimbursement after incorporation. However, if the reimbursement is not received, the cost of the feasibility study is absorbed by the Lieutenant Governor’s office. S.B. 201 changes this process so that a feasibility study will be paid for by incorporation petitioners rather than the Lieutenant Governor’s office. The petitioners can then seek reimbursement from the incorporated municipality later. This bill will save taxpayer dollars by changing the reimbursement process for municipality incorporation.
In addition to moving legislation forward, I had the opportunity to meet with several public safety officials this week. I spoke with the Utah Highway Patrol Association and learned about their priorities. I also met with several firemen from Cedar City and heard about their work as first responders in rural Utah. I am grateful for these individuals who willingly put themselves in harm’s way to protect our community.
I also welcomed the SUU Iron Leaders Academy to the Senate. The academy provides an intensive 9-month training program for up-and-coming community members, providing opportunities to contribute to our region now and in the future. My son, Robbie, is currently participating in the program; I have enjoyed hearing first-hand about his positive experiences learning from SUU and the Iron Leaders Academy.
I look forward to representing our area during the remaining half of the legislative session. We’ll continue to get busier as the end of the session approaches, but I hope you will continue to be involved and informed about the important work we do on Capitol Hill. Please reach out anytime with feedback, questions, and ideas.
