These are classic discussions published back in February 2011

Washington County Veterans Nursing Home

February 24, 2011
Utah honors Veterans. That includes fronting money for VA nursing homes. The location of those facilities has been based on the census number of Veterans. Salt Lake was first. Ogden was second. Washington County will be next. Then, Provo. However, a movement is afoot to build the home in Iron County (12% of Southern Utah Veterans), instead of Washington County (67% of the Veterans). Population, travel, spouse and family visitation, altitude (respiratory issues), and availability of health care facilities all suggest that this movement is bad for Veterans. The VA is ready to go in Washington County. This bill to move the home to an area with so few Veterans, likely would drop Utah far down on the VA’s list. Also, injecting such a heavy dose of politics into the process likely would adversely impact the Legislature’s willingness to fund future facilities.
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Kids, Cell-phones, and Cars

February 24, 2011
Senator Romero’s SB 45 restricts minors (ages sixteen and seventeen) from using cell-phones while driving a car. After a few modifications to this bill were made, I voted for it. The exceptions include talking to parents and talking during emergencies. Breaking the law does not put additional points on the kid’s driving record, and the maximum fine is fifty dollars. Inexperienced drivers should minimize distractions while driving.
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Grading Schools

February 23, 2011
Senator Wayne Niederhauser is running a much-needed education bill.  SB 59 will institute a system to grade Utah’s public schools.  The intent is to promote transparency, accountability, and competition among schools, in order to achieve a better result overall. I’ve blogged before about districts’ willingness to let poorer schools fail, by diverting resources and the best teachers/principals to more affluent schools.  My prediction is that this horrible practice will stop, and resources will flow to where they’re most needed, if the performance of those poorer schools is broadcast to the public.
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Driving Privilege Card Bill — Status

February 16, 2011
I have a few co-sponsors on my bill to revoke the driving privilege card for illegal aliens: Sen. Stuart Adams Sen. Chris Buttars Sen. David Hinkins Sen. Dan Liljenquist Sen. Mark Madsen Sen. Ralph Okerlund Sen. Jerry Stevenson I understand that Sen. Curt Bramble will run a substitute to keep the card but require fingerprints.  I oppose that effort.  Like almost all other states have done, the card simply needs to be revoked.
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Driver Licenses for Illegal Aliens

February 10, 2011
Utah issues 3 types of driver licenses: one for citizens, one for non-citizens who are here legally, and one for illegal aliens.  I’m running a bill to eliminate the license for illegal aliens.  Here, you can see the documentation that must be presented for each category of license.  Citizens present birth certificates or passports.  Legal non-citizens present documentation which required biometric information.  Much to the contrary, illegal aliens merely present documentation that can be easily forged.  Thus, along with concerns that the Utah Driving Privilege Card (DPC) creates a magnet for illegal aliens (only 3 other states offer such a license), a very real concern exists that the DPC creates a pathway for easy creation of a false identity.
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Liquor Licenses

February 8, 2011
The past 10 years, the Legislature has put a lot of work into improving Utah’s liquor laws.  The point has been to balance adults’ ability to get a drink and discouragement of overconsumption, underage drinking, and DUI.  This year, Rep. Gage Froerer is running a bill that would have the effect of somewhat decreasing the availability of tavern licenses and significantly increasing the availability of liquor licenses for restaurants.
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E-verify and Illegal Immigration Reform

February 4, 2011
Starting last year, businesses with at least 15 employees were required to use E-verify.  Sort of.  The law lacked an enforcement mechanism (and therefore teeth). Representative Chris Herrod aims to add teeth to the law by penalizing businesses (with at least 5 employees) for employing illegal aliens.  The first offense gets a warning.  The second offense imperils the business’s license. I support this bill.  Approaches like Rep. Herrod’s will decrease the incentives that currently encourage illegal aliens to come to Utah. With the federal government abdicating its responsibilities regarding immigration, it falls to the state government to act.
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