Republican lawmakers Monday rejected a bill that would do away with the straight party vote option currently allowed on Utah ballots.
Sponsoring Rep. LaWanna Shurtliff, an Ogden Democrat, said taking the option away through HB231 would force voters to become more educated about candidates. Trying to assuage her Republican colleagues' fears, Shurtliff noted such a change is unlikely to change the conservative party's control of Utah politics.
But Republican members of the House Government Operations panel said the bill would shrink voter choice.
"I don't feel it's the right thing to do to take this opportunity away from the voter," said Rep. Craig Buttars, R-Lewiston.
- Rebecca Walsh
Contact lens consumer measure advances
With debate about free enterprise and putting undue burdens on optometrists, state senators approved the Contact Lens Consumer Protection Act Monday.
The legislation is meant to prevent collusion between eye doctors and contact companies. But some wondered if the bill is written to benefit Utah-based 1-800 Contacts.
"We're going a whole step further because we have a large vendor. We're trying to make sure they can get their hands on every major brand," said Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights. The bill now goes to the House.
- Rebecca Walsh
Home-school diploma variation wins backing
Senators gave preliminary approval Monday to legislation that would allow home-schooled children to receive a new kind of high school diploma simply for passing two tests: the Utah Basic Skills Competency Test and the ACT college entrance exam.
Sponsoring Sen. Mark Madsen, a Lehi Republican, said he doesn't want SB204 to be used to let home-schooled children into college too early when they would require a lot of remedial classes.
Murray Democratic Sen. Patrice Arent said that's exactly what Madsen's bill might do.
"If a student isn't doing well in school, failing in citizenship, failing history, but they test well, they're going to have a diploma. I think that's wrong. A diploma should mean more."
But Republican senators lauded Madsen for "thinking outside the box" and testing what a student knows rather than how much time they spend in school.
- Rebecca Walsh
