A measure that would allow off-highway vehicles - if fitted with headlamps, taillights and mirrors - to roll on streets and highways stalled in the House because of safety concerns.

Rep. Mike Noel's proposal would permit OHV users to drive vehicles on streets if the machines are made street-worthy with headlamps, taillights and rear-view mirrors.

Several fellow Republicans opposed Rep. Mike Noel's bill on safety grounds, saying few OHVs are engineered to handle corners at highway speeds. Noel was forced to withdraw the bill until he can address their concerns.

Could return to House.

- Glen Warchol

HB422: Would monitor Nevada water deal

A proposal to create an oversight committee to look out for Utah's water interests in deals with other states was approved overwhelmingly by the House after protections for ecosystems and threatened species were removed.

Utah and Nevada have been negotiating a groundwater sharing agreement since last spring to tap wells on the Nevada side of the line as part of a massive multi-billion dollar project that would pipe groundwater to Las Vegas.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Jackie Biskupski, D-Salt Lake City, said Nevada water officials are not taking seriously a resolution (HJR1) passed by the Utah Legislature that calls for all ongoing scientific studies to be completed before the deal is completed.

"This bill gives us a voice," she said.

Next step: Goes to Senate.

- Glen Warchol

HB250: Would require hospitals to itemize expenses

A House committee on Wednesday approved a measure requiring health care organizations, hospitals and physicians to provide patients, upon request, with lists of charges for professional services and information on discounts. Rep. Eric Hutchings said his bill creates a "transparency" for uninsured patients who are uneducated about the high costs of health care before undergoing treatment. But Judi Hilman from the Utah Health Policy Project argued against buying into the "fantasy [of] consumer-driven health care." She said Utah's insurance rate is twice the national average because "our economy is dominated by small businesses." Next Step: goes to the House

- Kelly Keiter

HB470: Would authorize use of of so-called photo cop

Drivers could be ticketed if caught on camera running a red light under a bill that came up for its first legislative hearing Tuesday. But the House committee voted to send the bill back for study for consideration in next year's legislative session.

Chris Burbank, Salt Lake City chief of police, said law enforcement is hard pressed to monitor traffic light violations.

"We do not have the staff and resource . . . to adequately cover the number of intersections that we have in (the city) alone," he said.

Next step: Is expected to go to interim study.

- Dustin Gardiner

SB242: Would grant a tax credit for college savings

Parents saving for their children's college tuition would receive a tax credit under a bill passed by the Senate Tuesday.

The bill would encourage contributions to the tax-exempt Utah Educational Savings Plan by awarding a $3,240 tax credit for every account to which a couple contributes (half that for single filers), said sponsor Sen. Gregory Bell, R-Fruit Heights.

The bill passed the Senate with a single dissenting vote from Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, who said it was unfair to low-income families who scrape by to put their kids through college but can't afford to save in advance.

Next step: Goes to a House committee.

- Nicole Stricker

SB248: Would restrict rights of unmarried, non-biological parents

A bill that would have ensured that a biological parent's rights supercede those of a non-biological parent was abandoned by its delighted sponsor.

Sen. Curt Bramble said his bill was rendered unnecessary by a 4-1 majority decision of the Utah Supreme Court last week that found the court's recognizing a "new class of parents" would invade the territory of lawmakers.

The ruling came in the case of a 5-year-old girl artificially conceived in a lesbian relationship. The girl's biological mother says she is no longer gay and has fought her former partner's visits.

Sen. Scott McCoy, the Senate's only openly gay member, said that though law provides protections for traditional families in cases of divorce and estrangement, no comparable law exists for the growing numbers of unmarried straight and gay couples with children.

Next step: Goes to dead-bill file.

- Glen Warchol