Posted on 2019 Legislative Session Flagged Bills - 2019 Session In the House

Flagged Bill – HB 57: Electronic Information or Data Privacy; Representative Craig Hall

Last year, Representative Craig Hall (Republican – West Valley) attempted to update Utah’s Constitution in an attempt to add greater protections to our digital documents. He was rebuffed at the time over concerns that an amendment was a step too far that may ultimately bind the justice system from doing its job down the road as new technologies are developed. This year, Hall is back with a statutory change (as opposed to a constitutional change) that ultimately hopes to provide citizens the same 4th Amendment rights he initially set out to protect last year while providing greater flexibility for future...

Posted on 2019 Legislative Session Flagged Bills - 2019 Session In the House

Flagged Bill – HB 34: Campaign Finance Amendments; Representative Lee Perry

Ah, campaign finance laws – one of the most loophole-ridden, inconsistent, and often times purposefully ineffective portion of any state’s laws. Indeed, the best way to ensure that any changes take place is when a group does a bang-up job upsetting the legislature – and that is exactly what we saw when Representative Lee Perry (Republican – Perry) introduced what would become HB 34: Campaign Finance Amendments during the first interim session after the 2018 election. During testimony, Perry (along with Box Elder County Commissioner Jeff Scott) pointed to various political action committees that seemingly sprung up overnight, took in several...

Posted on The UPC Show The UPC Show - Season 2

The UPC Show – Episode 261 – Possible Issues with Solar Powered Trains

Welcome to the UPC Show with Curtis Haring, Dylan McDonnell, and Bob Kubicheck! In the first half: Looking for a new job, Cannabis Program Manager might be for you. Wal-Mart is the latest company to try and move Utah away from 3.2 beer, and Senator Orrin Hatch goes out on a sour note. In the second half: Utah County is dipping into its rainy day fund, it looks more and more likely that Lieutenant Governor Cox is going to run for governor, the inland port would happen so much quicker if that pesky public didn’t keep chiming in, and Jim Dabakis...

Posted on The UPC Show The UPC Show - Season 2

The UPC Show – Episode 212 – King Herrod

Welcome to the UPC Show with Curtis Haring, Dylan McDonnell, and Alex Cragun! In the first half: It looks like the state is going to have a budget surplus, but it isn’t all sunshine and flowers, we are reminded that outdoor activities really do create jobs (and muse about the long term effects of OR leaving town, one lawmaker really likes his robotic teachers, and the legislature is poised to hire the current lobbyist of the LDS Church to head the independent legislative research office. In the second half: Govern Herbert, Senator Hatch, and Congresswoman Love come out against Trump’s transgender...

Posted on The UPC Show The UPC Show - Season 2

The UPC Show – Episode 211 – Government Pimp My Ride

Welcome to the UPC Show with Curtis Haring, Dylan McDonnell, and Alex Cragun! On the show today: Wait…Alex is possibly going to be on the UTA Board?! Also: Salt Lake County strikes a deal with Gary Ott’s family to allow for a reasonable transition out of the position by Mr. Ott, and the redistricting reform referendum is going to be on the ballot (presuming they can get the 113,000+ signatures they need). In the second half: Fundraising numbers are out (for the Republicans, anyway *cough cough*) in the CD 3 race, Salt Lake County Council Woman Jenny Wilson throws her...

Posted on The UPC Show The UPC Show - Season 2

The UPC Show – Episode 210 – Bipartisan Harumphs!

Welcome to the UPC Show with Curtis Haring, Dylan McDonnell, and Alex Cragun! On the show today: Special snowflakes in the legislature react to being told they are old (hint, they don’t take it well). Also, UTA has the most watered down mission statement you can imagine, but, hey, it is a start; and we wrap up with a discussion on how the Sutherland Institute pinned the very resolution that caused the Outdoor Retailers to pack their bags. In the second half we talk all things health care, including the crazy plan that not only reduces abortions…but also saves money!...

Posted on The UPC Show The UPC Show - Season 2

The UPC Show – Episode 209 – Herberticus Maximus

Welcome to the UPC Show with Curtis Haring, Dylan McDonnell, and Alex Cragun! On the show today Utah’s Ag-Gag bill is unconstitutional, LGBT groups are excluded from the Provo 4th Parade, Sending in the National Guard could fix the homelessness issue according to one lawmaker, and the Outdoor Retailers are officially going to Denver. In the second half – Will the Gordon Hayward’s trade change the outcome of the CD 3 Race? Orrin Hatch has more money than God, though his wife might be able to get him not to run, and the Bull Moose Party is making a comeback...

Posted on The UPC Show The UPC Show - Season 2

The UPC Show – Episode 208 – We Shall Call Him “Tangerine”

Welcome to the UPC Show with Curtis Haring, Dylan McDonnell, and Alex Cragun! On the show today we talk about the big ol’ mess that Jason Chaffetz has left behind as he walks away from office. Specifically we talk about the spat between the legislature and the governor (along with some scandalous behavior on the part of the governor related to that); how it is probably wise to actually be a registered voter in the district you are running in, you know, to avoid that whole “carpetbagger” charge, and the Utah GOP continues to move forward on it’s SB 54...