KVNU's For the People on SB208

http://kvnuforthepeople.com/2009/03/06/bad-bills/

Hypocrisy raises my eyebrows, especially when it’s in the form of legislation. Two examples:

As I’ve said elsewhere, when you have some of the most anti-union organizations around (not to mention a majority of Utah Republicans in the House) “standing up” for the rights of union employees — in a right to work state, nonetheless — something is up.

And when you have Steve Urquhart (eternal victim of Utah’s “liberal media”) sponsoring a bill (SB208), with the support of these same Republican representatives, that claims government can do something better than private industry while also taking away a large chunk of a private industry’s (newspapers) revenue, it’s worth at least asking a few more questions. Shouldn’t they be telling us the free market can handle this problem? And normally, that’s exactly what they would be doing. Did Steve realize the error of his conservative ways, or is there more to the story? What gives?

Maybe I’m just a cynic. Maybe they’re hoping we’ll buy it. Either way, I’d bet my reputation neither of these pieces of legislation are as black and white as their sponsors and supporters would have us believe.

If SB208 doesn’t meet with a vote today, it’s sure to be buried in the ever present end of session Ombibus, and it seems — based on noted hypocrisy alone — to deserve more scrutiny than it’s getting.

SB208 Second Substitute, which removes legal notices from newspapers Salt Lake
Utah,Davis, Weber and Washington, passed the Senate 18-8 along party lines.
Sens. Valentine, Bramble and Greiner were absent.

http://le.utah.gov/~2009/bills/sbillint/sb0208s02.htm

This bill now only applies to the following counties:



In smaller counties the notice must be provided on the Web site and in
the newspaper.



58th LEGISLATURE
2009 GENERAL SESSION

2SSB 208 RCS# 632
PASSAGE ON SECOND 3/06/2009 3:31:35 PM
2nd Reading

Utah Public Notice Website Amendments

Urquhart


18 YEAS 8 NAYS 3 ABSENT PASSED


YEAS 18

Bell Hinkins Madsen Urquhart
Buttars Jenkins Niederhauser Van Tassell
Christensen Killpack Okerlund Waddoups
Dayton Knudson Stephenson
Hillyard Liljenquist Stowell


NAYS 8

Davis Jones McCoy Robles
Goodfellow Mayne Morgan Romero


ABSENT 3

Bramble Greiner Valentine

Update on SB208 and HB122

SB208
The bill is currently on the 2nd reading calendar and is likely to
come up sometime today. It is 22nd on the calendar. We are hoping for
defeat of the bill, but will likely see amendment from Sen. John
Valentine. We know the work of UPA publishers is working. We have been
told that support for this measure is eroding. I will send out an
alert when this is on and all can listed on the Internet if they
wish...
go to
http://www.le.state.ut.us/

and view What's Happening Today... There should be blinking icons for
both audio and video for the Senate.


H.B. 122 came before the full Senate today. The amendment to which
the media coalition agreed passed, and the bill was approved (vote was
27-1) for possible final passage (likely tomorrow or Friday) on the
Senate's third reading calendar. No attempt was made to further amend
the bill today, but Tribune attorney Michael O'Brien supposes
amendments could be raised tomorrow, but probably not by Bramble. As
you may have heard, Ogden city officials had proposed three awful
amendments to this bill.

I'll post more as the day progresses.

See live updates at upalegislativewatch.blogspot.com


Joel