HB100: House passes school porn bill

Lawmakers in the House unanimously passed a bill that would make it a criminal offense for students to download pornography while at school. Colleges and universities are exempt.

The bill would allow school administrators to suspend or expel students for accessing pornographic materials on school property. It would also make downloading the porn a class B misdemeanor for minors and a class A misdemeanor for adults.

The bill's sponsor Rep. Bud Bowman, R-Cedar City, said the bill would give "teeth" to the punishment students receive for accessing hardcore pornography at school.

Next step: Goes to a Senate committee

- Dustin Gardiner

Road funds could get $2.4M bump

HB383: Would increase local road funds

Road funds for cities and counties could get a $2.4 million bump under a bill approved Thursday by a House committee. Sponsored by Rep. Becky Lockhart, R-Provo, the bill would send the 1/16-cent sales tax now dedicated for city and county roads to the Utah Department of Transportation. Though that tax this year realized about $24.7 million, state law allows no more than $17.5 million to go to local roads.

But Lockhart's bill would then give cities and towns 30 percent of state highway user taxes, fees, and sales and use taxes instead of the 25 percent the local governments now get, resulting in an annual net gain of $2.4 million.

UDOT would net an increase of about $3.6 million under the proposal to reallocate the 1/16-cent tax. The bill also would ensure that counties get 120 percent of their 1997 allocation for local roads, up from the current 110 percent.

The League of Cities and Towns and the Utah Association of Counties support the bill.

Next step: Goes to the full House.

-Patty Henetz