February 5, 2021 Newsletter - Week 3 (of 7)
Newsletter for Utah House District 43
Representative Cheryl Acton
Vol. 5 Issue 2
Thank you for the opportunity to represent District 43 in the People’s House! I’ve received many emails, calls, and texts about the bills we’re hearing this session. Your engagement in the process makes me a more confident, informed legislator.
Please reach out to me on bills you feel strongly about. The best way to do so quickly is via text (801-809-3571) or email (cacton@le.utah.gov). I always read your words, even when I cannot immediately respond. I realized recently that communicating with constituents is my favorite thing about this job!
TOWN HALLS
I hope you will join me on Saturday, February 6, 2021 (11am-Noon) for our second virtual Town Hall. I will be hosting a third virtual Town Hall on Saturday, February 20 (11am-Noon). Email me with the word “Zoom” in the subject line, and I will be sure to send you an invitation/link.
EDUCATION NEWS
Already this session we have made the biggest investment in education in state history! Utah will be the only state in the Union increasing education funding this year. Later in the session we will have a bill to equalize per pupil spending in an effort to end “discrimination by zip code.” The best thing we can do to increase equality of opportunity for all Utah children is to ensure that they receive a great education.
APPROPRIATIONS NEWS
This week in the appropriations subcommittee I co-chair, we heard from the following entities with their budget requests. Some things I learned:
· Corrections: During the pandemic, inmate families have had a hotline to prison staff to check on their loved ones. The new prison, opening summer 2022, will be flooded with natural light. Corrections’ #1 request is increased pay for their officers to improve recruitment and retention.
· State Treasurer David Damschen’s Office: Utah’s cash position is strong with a AAA bond rating across the board. Utah bonds are more desirable on the market than federal bonds! Some advice from David Damschen: “When it comes to financial matters, it’s not what you know, it’s what you do.”
· Governor’s Office: The governor is creating a new position, Homeless Services Coordinator. He also wants to coordinate agencies better to prevent redundancies for people who receive state services.
· State Auditor John Dougall’s Office: An incredibly efficient office of only 10 people! They presented their amazing web sites: transparent.utah.gov (what everything in state government costs); projectkids.utah.gov (where every education dollar goes); healthcost.utah.gov (compare prices for procedures at various hospitals); and hotline.utah.gov (to report government fraud and waste)
Our dogs waiting for me to to come home from the Capitol after our “Snirt” event (snow mixed with dirt off the west desert.)
HOW TO READ AND FOLLOW BILLS ONLINE:
Use the browser called Chrome. Go to Google and enter “Utah Law Formatting,” then download the extension. Now when you pull up a bill in Chrome at le.utah.gov, it will show new wording in yellow, deleted wording in red. Makes it much, much easier to read bills!
A FEW INTERESTING BILLS THIS WEEK:
· HB86 Social Security State Tax Exemption (Brooks) for Social Security income of less than $50,000 (Passed the House unanimously, now on its way to the Senate)
· SB156 Criminal Offense Amendments (Davis) would increase penalties for “porch piracy” to be equivalent to the theft of U.S. Mail.
· HB159 Higher Education Speech (Teuscher) clarifies that all students at state institutions of higher education have free speech rights, even if the ideas they express make others uncomfortable (short of harassment, defamation, etc.)
· HB70 Tracking Ballots (Johnson) allows voters to request an electronic notification regarding the status of their ballot.
· HB113 Shared Medical Costs (Brammer) allows a woman to use the Office of Recovery Services to recoup half of all out-of-pocket prenatal and delivery costs from the biological father of her child
MY TURN TO HOST THE PRAYER & PLEDGE:
The Rev. Greg Johnson and I just before he offered the prayer and pledge on February 5th. Rev. Johnson represents Standing Together Ministries. He works closely with leaders in all faiths to stand together on issues of faith.
I invited the Rev. Greg Johnson of Standing Together Ministries to offer Friday’s Prayer and lead the House in the Pledge of Allegiance. It was great to see him at the Capitol!
The Super Bowl predictions in the last minute of floor time.
SUPER BOWL WEEKEND FUN IN THE HOUSE
We spent the last minute of floor time today taking a vote on who we’re rooting for in this weekend’s Super Bowl. Coach Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs won our vote by a landslide! (Yellow for Chiefs, Red for Buccaneers.)
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*My first bill for this session will be coming to the Health & Human Services Committee on Monday. I will report on how that goes next newsletter.*
Please reach out to me for more information or to express concerns about issues. I am always taking notes!
Rep. Cheryl Acton
Text (801) 809-3571
Email cacton@le.utah.gov