SALT LAKE CITY -
The 2010 Legislative Session ends in one week, and lawmakers are debating several key bills in the House focusing on education funding, a tobacco tax and a measure to make it illegal for teens to talk on a cell phone while driving.
House Bill 196
House Bill 296 proposes raising the tobacco tax by $1.00, raising the total tax on a pack of cigarettes to $1.70. The controversial bill made it to the Senate floor without any amendments and if it passes, it would generate $44 million for the state. The money will be used to fund health care programs and will outset the layoffs of 29 Utah Highway Patrol troopers.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert opposes tax increases, but the bill's sponsor, Rep. Paul Ray (R), said he does not think Herbert will veto the bill if it passes.
"The tobacco tax is looking longterm," said Rep. Ray. "You know if we can get people to stop smoking and keep kids from starting smoking that ten years down the road, we're going to have a much better budget when it comes to medicaid and the health and human services end of it. And that's the reason why I'm running this is that long term budget in my view is going to be able to save some money."
House Bill 149
House Bill 149 deals with funding charter schools and removing the cap on charter school enrollment. Getting rid of the cap, lawmakers say, will open the door to more federal funding. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Ron Bigelow (R), said education as a whole in Utah is facing a major crisis. One of the most important issues, Bigelow said, is the Jordan School District and it's $30 million budget shortfall. He said the split of the district caused the problem.
"The split was like a divorce and now both sides are now unhappy as is typical in most of these situations," said Rep. Bigelow (R). "Each one feels that they were wronged. There is no real solution unless we go to a full equalization of funding across the state, but that's probably not going to happen this session."
Senate Bill 113
Senate Bill 113 will make it illegal for teens to talk on their cell phones while driving. Sen. Romero said this bill started with a lot of teeth, but is now watered down and will now make driving while on a cell phone a secondary offense. Rep. Romero said this is just the beginning to legislation that he plans on proposing in future legislative sessions.
FOX 13's Nineveh Dinha reports.
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House Bill 196
House Bill 296 proposes raising the tobacco tax by $1.00, raising the total tax on a pack of cigarettes to $1.70. The controversial bill made it to the Senate floor without any amendments and if it passes, it would generate $44 million for the state. The money will be used to fund health care programs and will outset the layoffs of 29 Utah Highway Patrol troopers.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert opposes tax increases, but the bill's sponsor, Rep. Paul Ray (R), said he does not think Herbert will veto the bill if it passes.
"The tobacco tax is looking longterm," said Rep. Ray. "You know if we can get people to stop smoking and keep kids from starting smoking that ten years down the road, we're going to have a much better budget when it comes to medicaid and the health and human services end of it. And that's the reason why I'm running this is that long term budget in my view is going to be able to save some money."
House Bill 149
House Bill 149 deals with funding charter schools and removing the cap on charter school enrollment. Getting rid of the cap, lawmakers say, will open the door to more federal funding. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Ron Bigelow (R), said education as a whole in Utah is facing a major crisis. One of the most important issues, Bigelow said, is the Jordan School District and it's $30 million budget shortfall. He said the split of the district caused the problem.
"The split was like a divorce and now both sides are now unhappy as is typical in most of these situations," said Rep. Bigelow (R). "Each one feels that they were wronged. There is no real solution unless we go to a full equalization of funding across the state, but that's probably not going to happen this session."
Senate Bill 113
Senate Bill 113 will make it illegal for teens to talk on their cell phones while driving. Sen. Romero said this bill started with a lot of teeth, but is now watered down and will now make driving while on a cell phone a secondary offense. Rep. Romero said this is just the beginning to legislation that he plans on proposing in future legislative sessions.
FOX 13's Nineveh Dinha reports.
SEND US YOUR NEWS, WEATHER AND SPORTS PICTURES! www.fox13now.com/pics
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! @fox13now
VISIT US ON YOUR CELL PHONE! http://mobile.fox13now.com
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