Posted on The UPC Show The UPC Show - Season 2

The UPC Show – Episode 199 – Cold Open Creep

Welcome to the UPC Show with Curtis Haring, Dylan McDonnell, and Alex Cragun. On the show today we talk about some proposed changes to an initiative to fund education, Chris Stewart has a Democratic challenger, and Orrin Hatch might be on the ropes. Other talking points include: Explaining ASMR Ewan McGregor isn’t Jesus Pick your NPR voice Is it the 7/7/7 or the 9/9/9 plan? Some advice for the Democrats How to get rid of nuclear waste Turkish, Iranian, and North Korean politics Curtis plans a coup (poorly) The Ronald Reagan coloring book Activating Romney hair Select [Download] to save directly to...

Posted on The UPC Show The UPC Show - Season 2

The UPC Show – Episode 192 – UPC: The Unofficial Draper Chamber of Commerce

Welcome to the UPC Show with Curtis Haring, Dylan McDonnell, and Alex Cragun. In the first half: UTA’s woes and Rocky Mountain Power assumes that EPA regulations will be rolled back. In the second half: An audit shows that sex-offender treatment in prison is subpar while polls show that both President Trump and the Legislature’s actions related to Outdoor Retailers are unpopular among Utahns. Other talking points include: A burrito in every car Working cars versus commuter cars Bicylclé/straight to Hitler Barter system with drones Simpsonwave and Napflix Frugal Dougall has been killing it. I LIKE THE PAPER FORM! New games...

Posted on Central Utah In the Senate Legislative Branch

Utah Senate Majority Leader Hospitalized

A general expression of concern about the recent hospitalization of Senator Ralph Okerlund (Republican–Monroe) was made at the Central Utah Leadership Summit, an annual gathering of elected officials and economic development experts in rural Utah. Public announcements by both Byron Woodland, Board Chair of the Six County Association of Governments and Juab County commissioner, as well as Representative Carl Albrecht (Republican – Richfield) called for prayer and concern about Okerlund who served as a Sevier County commissioner before going to the state senate in 2009. Okerlund had been hospitalized during the 60th legislative session in 2015 when he fell ill at the...

Posted on The UPC Show The UPC Show - Season 2

The UPC Show – Episode 191 – Death, Taxes, and Drum Circles

Welcome to the UPC Show with Curtis Haring, Dylan McDonnell, and Alex Cragun. In the first half: Orrin Hatch says he is willing to step aside…if someone like Mitt Romney steps in and people booing Representative Stewart at a recent town hall meeting. In the second half: High marks for Herbert and Draper looks really bad in the homeless shelter debate. Other talking points include: Fun flying tips Folding your milk bag Legislative New Years Time warps are difficult Barber names Asking for the Buzz Buzz Draper Man lives in an Ivory McMansion Teenagers are ranked right below wood Select [Download] to save...

Posted on The UPC Show - Season 2

The UPC Show – Episode 190 – Legislative Extravaganza! (Part 3)

Welcome to the UPC Show with Curtis Haring, Dylan McDonnell, and Alex Cragun. This week we round out the three part legislative extravaganza by talking about… Business, specifically: HB 40 – Check Cashing and Deferred Deposit Lending Amendments Brad Daw (Republican – Orem) and SB 267 – Utah Rural Jobs Act Sen Ralph Okerlund (Republican – Monroe). Taxes and Government Spending, specifically SB 197 – Refinery Sales and Use Tax Exemption Amendments Senator Stewart Adams (Republican – Layton), SB 264 – Outdoor Recreation Grant Program Sen Ralph Okerlund (Republican – Monroe), SB 276 – Transportation Funding Modifications Sen. Kevin VanTassell (Republican – Vernal), HB 460 – Capital Development...

Posted on 2017 Legislative Session

2017 Legislative Review: Drugs, Education, Elections

View other reviews in this series: Agriculture, Air Quality, and Alcohol Business, Campaign Finance, Crime and the Courts Drugs HB 50 – Opioid Prescribing Regulations from Representative Ray Ward (Republican – Bountiful) If you have been paying attention to public service announcements over the past year (and who doesn’t, right), you will know that there has been an effort to address opioid use and abuse – why? Because a Utahn dies roughly once every three days from illicit opioids such as heroin and roughly once a day due to prescription opioids – which can often become a gateway to such...

Posted on 2017 Legislative Session On The Hill Utah Politics

New DUI Bill is “Undercooked,” Utah Restaurants and Lawmakers Say (with AUDIO)

Utah’s newly enrolled law setting blood alcohol liability limit at 0.05 could become the first in the nation. When the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) wanted to try again to pass a lowered blood alcohol content (BAC) bill somewhere in the United States, they found fertile ground this year during Utah’s 45-day legislative session which adjourned on March 9. Utah and the NTSB share a goal of “Zero Fatalities,” on highways within the state, so it only seemed natural that Bella Dinh-Zarr, the NTSB’s acting chairperson, came to Utah to advocate for a new law the NTSB feels would significantly aid in...

Posted on 2017 Legislative Session

2017 Legislative Review: Business, Campaign Finance, Crime and the Courts

View other reviews in this series: Agriculture, Air Quality, and Alcohol Business HB 40 – Check Cashing and Deferred Deposit Lending Amendments from Representative Brad Daw (Republican – Orem) Representative Daw, a long time adversary to Utah’s payday loan industry, scored a victory in 2017 by successfully passing legislation that would prevent the refinancing of payday loans (a loophole often used by that industry to avoid other laws that prevent the “rolling over” of existing loans). It is hoped that such reforms will encourage smarter lending in an industry that is often considered predatory. Effect on Budget: $0 Effective Date:...

Posted on 2017 Legislative Session

2017 Legislative Review: Agriculture, Air Quality, and Alcohol

Now that the governor is starting to sign bills into law, we felt it was a good time to recap some of the more talked about bills to come out of the 2017 legislative session. Over the coming days, we will be talking about major topics such as education, health care, elections, and transportation. Today we start our series with Agriculture, Air Quality, and Alcohol. Other reviews: Business, Campaign Finance, Crime and the Courts Agriculture HB 121 – Local Food Advisory Council from Representative Steve Handy (Republican – Layton) HB 121 is designed to create a Local Food Advisory Council...

Posted on 2017 Legislative Session Davis County Executive Branch Salt Lake County Utah Politics

HEAL UTAH Joins the Calls for HB 65 Veto (Audio Update)

Before Utah’s 62nd Legislature adjourned for the regular year’s business on March 9, The Utah Air Quality Board issued a formal objection addressing the effort behind HB 65 – Air Conservation Act Amendments sponsored by Representative Mike Shultz (Republican – Hooper); requesting a veto from Governor Gary Herbert on March 3rd. The legislation would specifically prevent the Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ) from creating rules that would restrict the cooking of food with polluting sources such as wood or charcoal. Air quality activists say that for approximately 340 days per year, there could be no problem. On the red-air days, they say maybe...