This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns, wants to protect elderly Utahns from scams and identity theft by listing unscrupulous businesses on a Crimes Against Seniors Registry.

Rep. Steve Mascaro, R-West Jordan, thinks morbid obesity should be defined as a disease and its treatment covered by health insurance.

Barely minted Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Riverton, already has several ideas for a better Utah, including outlawing gang membership.

The annual legislative session is approaching and every state lawmaker with a dollop of vision or a spasm of ambition is meeting with constituents, lobbyists and state lawyers with an eye toward changing Utah - one small piece at a time. They are drafting proposed bills, sometimes by the half-dozen, in anticipation of the Legislature that begins meeting Jan. 15.

Often the more high-profile proposals are constitutionally questionable "message bills," such as Sen. Chris Buttars' attempt to give the Legislature more control over the judiciary and yet another bill from the West Jordan Republican that would challenge the separation of church and state.

But most offerings from legislators tackle mundane, nuts-and-bolts issues of government - water conservation, school discipline, small-business health insurance coverage.

The list grows every day, but here is a preliminary roundup of legislation coming down the assembly line:

* Crimes Against Seniors Registry. Hutchings' bill would expand this crime database beyond elder-bashing to fraud and identity theft. "Seniors are very vulnerable, and this is a huge growth area in crime," Hutchings said. "Seniors usually have no idea who or where to go to on these issues. A lot of these crimes go unreported." His registry would warn seniors of scams and even list specific companies to avoid.

* Morbid Obesity Insurance Coverage. Mascaro says that the economic and social impact of obesity argues for it being covered as a disease by medical insurance plans. He acknowledges that insurance companies likely will oppose the addition as being too costly.

* Utah Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act. Freshman Wimmer wants to increase the penalties for any crime committed for the benefit of a gang. The law also would make it illegal to join a gang, a dicey constitutional issue.

* Extending the state's health insurance plan to small businesses. Small businesses struggle to provide health coverage to employees. Mascaro wants to allow them to join the state's public employee health plan.

* Increase Penalty for Offender Convicted a Second Time. Wimmer wants to stiffen penalties against the most serious child sex offenders, by giving perpetrators only two strikes before being eligible for the death penalty. Providing the death penalty for crimes not involving homicide raises constitutional questions. "In many of these cases, a life is taken," Wimmer argues. "Many children never recover and are dealing with this for the rest of their lives."

* School Discipline and Conduct Amendments. In what he calls his pet bill for the year, Hutchings wants to close a gap in school discipline between the school administration and the courts. Chronic troublemakers would be designated "ungovernable students." Repeated infractions would land the student and his or her parents in front of a judge. "These students are habitual pains in the neck," Hutchings said. "The idea [behind the bill] is to force early intervention."

* Revolving Door Limitations for Public Officials to Become Lobbyists. Rep. Carol Moss, D-Holladay, unsuccessfully has been running a bill for a few years to mandate a one-year cooling off period before a former lawmaker can return to lobby his or her colleagues. This year, Moss is considering adding another dimension to the bill that would bar lawmakers-turned-lobbyists from the legislative floor, despite courtesy rules that allow it. "No other lobbyist is allowed to go on the floor and whisper in legislators' ears," Moss said.

* Local Landscaping Ordinances. Sometimes a bill doesn't even have to get beyond the discussion stage before it has an effect. Rep. Brad King has already pulled his proposal to explore statewide requirements for water-wise landscaping. "We have been convinced that education of the cities will be more effective than putting it into statute," the Price Democrat said of discussions he has had with the League of Cities and Towns. "If we find there are still problems, we can do legislation later."

*To see the complete list of proposed bills: http://www.le.state.ut.us/

Click on 2007 General Session Bill Requests