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Days before a DHS shut down, GOP lawmakers clash over plans. Senate gives initial approval to Healthy Utah. Senate also kills 'Count My Vote' delay.
Happy Wednesday. It was inevitable with Republicans controlling both sides of Capitol Hill that the two chambers would end up in a showdown, and now, two days from a shutdown of the nation's Homeland Security Department, the stalemate between the House and the Senate continues. The House, and its conservative bloc of members, isn't too happy with a new Senate funding plan and the next 48 hours will show whether they can find common ground. [Politico]
Topping the news: Gov. Gary Herbert's Healthy Utah plan won initial approval in the Senate yesterday, but House Speaker Greg Hughes says it doesn't have the votes in the House. [Trib] [DNews] [Fox13] [UtahPolicy]
-> The Senate killed a bill yesterday that would have delayed last year's "Count My Vote" compromise until after the 2016 elections. [Trib] [DNews] [KUER] [UtahPolicy]
-> Herbert said he is concerned that a newly unveiled "Death with Dignity Act" would encourage suicide. [Trib]
-> Some 55 percent of Utahns support the effort of the state to take over federal lands within its boundaries, a new poll shows. [UtahPolicy] Senators, meanwhile, passed a bill yesterday that would set a deadline for Utah to file a lawsuit claiming more than 31 million acres of federal land. [Trib]
Tweets of the day: From @nicdunnutah "So #HealthyUtah passed by a wider margin than the state dog bill."
From @ProfJeffJarvis: "Disappointing. '@ZekeJMiller: Hillary: "I'm not in a wearable frame of mind yet.'"
Happy Birthday: To The AP's Lita Baldor.
Tune in: Former state Sen. Pat Jones of the Women's Leadership Institute, Ann Burkholder of YWCA of Utah, former Rep. Sheryl Allen of the Utah Women's Forum and Dr. Susan Madsen of Utah Valley University join Jennifer Napier-Pearce to talk about the confidence gap and how to improve the status of women in the state. Watch Trib Talk live at 12:15 p.m. MST on sltrib.com.
Congrats: To Utah Senate staffer Kirsten Frank and Troy Rappleye on their recent engagement. They will be married on May 14. A pic of the proposal: [Imgur]
From Capitol Hill: A "Right to Try" bill was passed by a Senate committee and heads to the entire Senate. The bill would allow terminally ill patients to try experimental drugs that haven't been approved by the FDA yet. [Trib] [DNews] [KUER] [Fox13]
-> A bill that would make not wearing a seatbelt a primary offense passed through a Senate committee and will be sent to the full Senate for a final vote. [Trib]
-> The Prison Relocation Commission says it might take until May or June to make a final selection on the new location for the state prison, and its asking for the authority from the Legislature to make that final decision. [Trib] [UtahPolicy]
-> A new bill would set statewide standards for the use of body cameras, requiring all officers to wear them and keep the recordings for 30 days. [Trib]
-> New legislation targets a glaring loophole in anti-prostitution laws that now say anything other than money exchanged for sex isn't illegal. [UtahPolicy]
-> A Senate committee advanced a controversial bill yesterday that would allow motorized travel on Bear Lake's beaches. [Trib]
-> A bill to give Utah's scrap metal processors more freedom from state regulations stalled in a Senate committee yesterday with a tie vote. [Trib]
-> Because alternative-fuel cars largely escape the gasoline tax, one lawmaker is proposing to hike their yearly registration fees by as much as $70 to help contribute to transportation funding. Registration fees for fossil-fuel cars would also increase. [Trib] [DNews]
-> The House passed an amended bill that would enable the Utah Division of Air Quality to pursue "different" rather than "more stringent" air quality standards than the federal government. [DNews]
-> A new bill would limit the contingency fees for outside counsel hired by the Utah Attorney General. [UtahPolicy]
-> Lawmakers are seeking to clarify a previous bill that allowed parents to opt their children out of some school tests. [DNews]
-> A bill to set campaign contribution limits for the first time in Utah passed a House committee yesterday. [DNews]
-> The golden retriever came this much closer to becoming the state domestic animal after passing with the bare minimum number of votes in the Senate. [Trib]
-> In other canine news, a group of animal activists traveled to the Capitol yesterday to lobby their support for two bills related to animal rights. [DNews]
-> The Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would stop police from snooping into a state database with Utahns' prescription medicine records without a warrant. [Trib]
-> Paul Rolly discusses the Legislature's move last week to overturn a Salt Lake City ordinance regarding drive-thru service and what makes a "heavy-handed government." [Trib]
-> A House committee passed a bill yesterday that would loosen restrictions on police using drones for search-and-rescue operations without a warrant. [DNews]
-> A new bill would help Utah prepare for the day when the FDA approves the first biosimilar drugs. [Trib]
-> The House unanimously passed a resolution yesterday to designate Jan. 16 as "Religious Freedom Day." [DNews]
-> Doctors are criticizing an upcoming bill that would merge the state agencies that oversee radiation and waste disposal. [KUER]
-> A House committee approved a bill yesterday that would allow adults to learn the medical histories of their genetic mothers or fathers. [Trib]
-> And here's today's Legislature schedule: [Trib]
In other news: A recently released report card gave Utah an overall grade of C+ for the condition of its water, transportation and waste facilities, saying they will require more than $60 billion of improvements during the next 20 years. [Trib] [DNews] [ReportCard] [KUER] [ABC4]
-> Lobbyists, lawyers, landowners and lawmakers are all players in a battle over a land dispute on the banks of the Jordanelle Reservoir involving $41 million in liabilities. [Trib]
-> A new report shows that Utah's tourism industry has successfully bounced back since the recession, with tourists spending a record $7.5 billion in Utah in 2013. [ABC4]
-> The Salt Lake City Council finally came to a recommendation that the city should close three of its golf courses to save the struggling program. [Trib]
Nationally: President Barack Obama exercised his veto power for the first time in five years yesterday, following through with previous threats to veto a bill approving construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. [CNN] [Reuters] [WhiteHouse] [WSJ] [WaPost] [USAToday] But supporters say it's not over yet. [Politico]
-> House Republicans met privately today to discuss a proposal by Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to separate the issue of funding the Department of Homeland Security, which is at risk of a shut down, from the issue of immigration executive actions. However, they have yet to reach a decision. [AP] [CNN] [NYTimes] [Politico]
-> Huge budget cuts for the IRS means your chance of being audited this year is the lowest in a decade. [AP]
Where are they?
Rep. Jason Chaffetz attends Oversight hearings and meets with Canada Consul General Marcy Grossman.
Rep. Chris Stewart attends a House intel briefing and meets with the National Association of Letter Carriers, the Utah Medical Association and the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs
Gov. Gary Herbert attends Tourism Day on the Hill.
Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox meets with the Governor's Commission on Education Excellence and attends a Legislative Action Discussion.
SLC Mayor Ralph Becker attends an airport redevelopment meeting and the Mountain Accord Open House at Skyline High School.
SL Co. Mayor Ben McAdams judges at the Community Nursing Services' Art & Soup Night.
President Barack Obama meets with immigration advocacy leaders and travels to Miami, Florida to participate in an immigration town hall.
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [Trib]
— Thomas Burr and Erica Palmer
Twitter.com/thomaswburr and Twitter.com/erica_palmer