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UPDATE FROM CAPITOL HILL

Representative Walt Brooks

District 75

Week 5 of the General Session

With just two weeks left, things at the Capitol are busier than ever. Representative Brooks is honored to serve each member of his district and pass legislation that will improve the lives of families and individuals. You can follow along with the process at le.utah.gov.

Largest Tax Cut in State History

Over the last two years, the Legislature reduced taxes by nearly $300 million. This session, we are proposing an additional $400 million in tax relief. H.B. 54 Tax Revisions will be heard in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee early next week and provides tax relief to individuals and families in all stages of life by:

• Cuting the income tax rate from 4.85% to 4.65%.
• Expanding social security tax credit eligibility to individuals earning between $0 to $75,000 per year.
• Providing a tax benefit for pregnancy by allowing a double dependent exemption for children the year of their birth.
• Increasing the earned income tax credit (EITC) from 15% to 2-% of the federal credit.

Brooks's Bills

This week, Representative Brooks made substantial progress on bills he's been working on. Early this week, the senate heard HB131 Vaccine Passport Prohibition, it passed the Senate's second and third reading and is tabled on the third calendar, as is the process for any bills that have a fiscal note.

His bills HB72 Medical Cannabis Governance Revisions, and HB94 Reverse Mortgage Amendments Passed the House and Senate on Friday and are waiting to be signed by the Governor. 

Social Credit Score Amendments

House Bill 281  - Social Credit Score Amendments prohibits governmental entities in Utah from using, enforcing, or providing data for a system that discriminates or gives preferential treatment to an individual.

Vote: Yes

Over the last several years, Americans and Utahans have seen efforts to use non-financial criteria to skew financial markets and opportunity. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards imposed on businesses and financial institutions distort the free market and place real costs on the people of Utah. As a Legislature, Representative Brooks and his colleagues are taking proactive measures against investment schemes based on assessments of businesses’ and individuals’ political beliefs.                                                                                                                    House:         Senate:                  

Committee:                  10-0-5                 

Floor:                            57-13-5                         

Status:                          Waiting to be heard in the Senate.

Summer Education Grants

House Bill 363 - implements a grant system that requires schools to meet goals and standards set by government officials.

Vote: No

Representative Brooks does not support the bill due to its burdensome nature on to teachers. This bill seeks to add one more program to the long list of responsibilities and workload to an already over-programmed system. Rep Brooks believes we need to allow teachers to teach. It is our talented and creative teachers that make our system work, not mandated programs that turn them into a facilitator rather than someone that can change their method to reach the individual. 

                                                                                                                                                                       House:         Senate:                  

Committee:                  10-1-5                 

Floor:                            42-22-11                         

Status:                          Waiting to be heard in the Senate.

Voluntary Fire Arm Keeping Amendments

House Bill 199  Prohibits a law enforcement agency from returning firearms to a person charged with domestic violence that were turned in earlier by a cohabitant for safe keeping. 

Vote: Yes

Initially, this Representative Brooks had some serious concerns with this bill. Representative Brooks recognizes that there is a serious concern with an individual who has committed domestic violence, getting out of jail quickly, and having access to weapons. The system has a time gap before the perpetrator meets with a judge and serious crimes have happened. Rep Brooks worked with the sponsor to fix the time gap AND ensure due processes. Now if a person is arrested, and booked in jail, he/she will be in front of a judge within 24 hours (usually remotely) to validate the severity and evidence of a threat. The sponsor, victim advocates, and 2nd amendment supporters appreciated his substitute to the bill.

                                                                                                                                                                      House:         Senate:                  

Committee:                   9-1-3                 

Floor:                            64-5-6                        

Status:                          Waiting to be heard in the Senate.

Medical Record Access Amendments

House Bill 239  - Mandates a shared information database of all patient records that can be access by all medical providers in the State of Utah for all that opt in. 

Vote: No

While this bill has good intentions, this bill centralizes all data into one database that has the potential to be a serious security risk to the safety of all patient records. Mandating the use of one system has the potential to be greatly problematic. There are few things more valuable than your private health records and having all health systems with access is not a good idea. There is a way to accomplish the intent of the bill, but this is not the way to do it.

                                                                                                                                                                      House:         Senate:                  

Committee:                   7-3-4                 

Floor:                            28-41-6                        

Status:                         This bill failed in the House.

Energy Security Amendments

House Bill 425  - Promotes the state of Utahs energy independence by prioritizing the use of energy generated within our state, promotes the use of clean energy, and protects our existing energy production facilities in the state of Utah. 

Vote: Yes

Recently we've seen in other states around the country encounter severe energy crises that led to significant problems in their infrastructure. Rep. Brooks supports this bill because not only does it promote the use of Utah based energy but it promotes independence in the face of a crisis where we as a state are equipped and well prepared to address these issues. This bill also ensures that government manufactured products and services should be produced at the lowest price possible and this bill encourages just that 

                                                                                                                                                                      House:         Senate:                  

Committee:                   7-2-2                 

Floor:                            58-12-5                        

Status:                          Waiting to be heard in the Senate.

Bills Passed By The House This Week

H.B. 19 Rape Crisis Center Modifications

H.B. 23 Forensic Mental Health Amendments

H.B. 51 Railroad Right of Way Amendments

H.B. 63 Office of Rail Safety

H.B. 70 Continuing Care Retirement Facilities Amendments

H.B. 82 School Assembly Notice Requirements

H.B. 105 Public Employee Disability Benefits Amendments

H.B. 116 Intergenerational Poverty Solution

H.B. 121 Wildlife Habitat Account Amendments

H.B. 130 Adoption Tax Credit

H.B. 138 Sensitive Material Requirements

H.B. 139 Sex and Kidnap Offender Registry Requirements

H.B. 177 State Hospital Amendments

H.B. 186 State Land Purchase Restrictions

H.B. 189 International Baccalaureate Program Amendments

H.B. 199 Voluntary Firearm Safekeeping Amendments

H.B. 204 Child Welfare Proceedings Testing Requirements

H.B. 208 Criminal Trespass Amendments

H.B. 231 Low Income Housing Property Tax Exemption

H.B. 232 Railroad Crossing Maintenance Amendments

H.B. 234 University Recognition for International Baccalaureate Achievement

H.B. 247 Alcohol Control Amendments

H.B. 249 Education Related Amendments

H.B. 253 Federalism Commission Amendments

H.B. 260 Property Tax Income Requirements

H.B. 280 Local Government Construction Project Bid Notice

H.B. 281 Social Credit Score Amendments

H.B. 284 Public Library Background Check Requirements

H.B. 288 Opioid Dispensing Requirements

H.B. 290 Medicaid Waiver for Medically Complex Children Amendments

H.B. 299 Infrastructure Related to Water

H.B. 301 Transportation Tax Amendments

H.B. 303 Elections Record Amendments

H.B. 305 Child Abuser Education Restrictions

H.B. 306 School Community Council Amendments

H.B. 308 School Grading Modifications

H.B. 309 County Recorder Amendments

H.B. 313 Suspect Metal Amendments

H.B. 314 Remedies for Victims of Domestic Violence Amendments

H.B. 318 Prime Pilot Program Amendments

H.B. 327 Pollinator Pilot Program Amendments

H.B. 330 Civil Commitment Amendments

H.B. 335 Alternative Concurrent Enrollment Options for Capacity Flexibility

H.B. 339 Crime Penalty Amendments

H.B. 340 Trailer Registration Requirements

H.B. 341 Electronic Stamp Designation

H.B. 345 Local District Property Tax Amendments

H.B. 347 Ballot Drop Box Amendments

H.B. 348 Participation Waiver Amendments

H.B. 349 Water Reuse Projects Amendments

H.B. 351 County Recorder Modifications

H.B. 352 Law Enforcement Data Amendments

H.B. 353 Sales Tax Return Requirements

H.B. 355 Utah Data Research Center Amendments

H.B. 358 County Auditor Amendments

H.B. 357 Decentralized Autonomous Organizations Amendments

H.B. 360 Unclaimed Property Amendments

H.B. 362 Criminal Justice Data Management Task Force Sunset Extension

H.B. 363 Summer Education Grants

H.B. 368 Inmate Identification Amendments

H.B. 369 DUI Amendments

H.B. 370 Utility Infrastructure Amendments

H.B. 371 Working Farm and Ranch Protection Fund

H.B. 373 Law Enforcement Training and Recruitment

H.B. 375 Traffic Violation Exemptions

H.B. 376 Cosmetologist Regulation Modifications

H.B. 378 Fireworks Amendments

H.B. 380 Competency to Stand Trial Amendments

H.B. 382 Automatic Renewal Contract Requirements

H.B. 383 Indigent Defense Amendments

H.B. 388 Statutes of Limitation Amendments

H.B. 389 Electrical Power Delivery Quality Amendments

H.B. 390 Child Custody Amendments

H.B. 392 Rural County Health Care Facilities Tax Amendments

H.B. 397 Urban Farming Assessment Amendments

H.B. 399 Corporation Reinstatement Amendments

H.B. 400 School Absenteeism Amendments

H.B. 405 School Bus Owner Requirements

H.B. 407 Incentives Amendments

H.B. 409 State Construction and Fire Codes Amendments

H.B. 416 Transient Room Tax Amendments

H.B. 417 Motor Vehicle Tax Amendments

H.B. 430 State Olympic Coordination Amendments

H.C.R. 8 Concurrent Resolution Addressing the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

S.B. 17 Voting and Voter Residency Amendments

S.B. 42 Massage Therapy Practice Act Amendments

S.B. 43 Public Notice Requirements

S.B. 46 State Holiday Modifications

S.B. 49 Juvenile Custodial Interrogation Amendments

S.B. 56 Child Welfare Amendments

S.B. 62 Hydrogen Amendments

S.B. 64 Bureau of Emergency Medical Services Amendments

S.B. 65 Charter School Authorizers Modifications

S.B. 70 Victim Amendments

S.B. 75 Sand and Gravel Sales Tax Amendments

S.B. 78 Naturopathic Physician Licensing Amendments

S.B. 79 Executive Residence Commission Amendments

S.B. 80 Driver License Suspension and Revocation Amendments

S.B. 82 Sales Tax Amendments

S.B. 84 Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone Amendments

S.B. 85 License Plate Requirement Amendments

S.B. 86 Drug Testing and Paraphernalia Amendments

S.B. 91 Medical Cannabis Regulation Amendments

S.B. 92 Special License Plate Designation

S.B. 95 Foreign Driver License Reciprocity Amendments

S.B. 98 Legal Costs Recovery Amendments

S.B. 108 Animal Shelter Revisions

S.B. 112 Aquatic Invasive Species Amendments

S.B. 113 Local Agricultural Amendments

S.B. 119 Per Capita Consumptive Use

​​S.B. 126 Hospital Assessment Amendments

S.C.R. 1 Concurrent Resolution Supporting the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

S.C.R. 2 Concurrent Resolution Regarding the Environmental Impact of Vehicle Idling

I would love to hear from you!

wbrooks@le.utah.gov

(385)-420-3095

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