Rep. Albrecht Present Bills, Seeks Funding for Old Emery Town Church Restoration

Albrecht presents HB 78 to the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment committee.

By the Office of Rep. Carl Albrecht

Last week, Representative Carl Albrecht was able to present four more of his bills to House committees.

On Tuesday he presented HB 175 to the House Transportation Committee and HB 220 to the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee. Both bills received favorable recommendations from committee members and will now be sent to the House Floor for consideration.

On Wednesday, he presented HB 78 to the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment committee. This bill was held in this committee to give the committee members and the public time to look over an amendment before the bill is brought back to committee for their vote. Albrecht also presented HB 125 on Friday to the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment committee. The bill was given a unanimous favorable recommendation and sent to the House.

On Thursday, Albrecht spoke to members from every chamber of commerce in the state. He spoke about his rural jobs legislation and issues facing rural Utah. Albrecht also spoke with a Price radio station on Thursday.

On Friday morning, he presented to the Rural Caucus about his rural job legislation. He also presented to the Economic Development Appropriation Committee to seek funding for the Richfield mountain bike trail system and the Old Emery Town Church restoration project.

Albrecht participated this week in the Sportsman Caucus, the Clean Air Policy Board (at the request of Speaker Wilson), and the Conservative and Rural Caucuses.

Representative Albrecht is currently sponsoring the following bills:

• HB 78 – Federal Designations
  • Requires a governmental entity that is advocating for a federal designation within the state to bring the proposal to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee for review and legislative approval.
• HB 110 – Rural Economic Development Incentives
  • A modification of 2018’s HB 390 which authorized a rural employment expansion grant to businesses for the creation of new jobs in fourth, fifth or sixth class counties. HB 110 will raise the maximum total incentive amount a business can apply for from $25,000 to $250,000, to allow businesses to hire more employees.
• HB 125 – Quantity Impairment Modifications
  • Makes a one-word change to code dealing with water diversion applications, a bill approved by the State Water Task Force.
• HB 175 – Transportation of Veterans to Memorials Support Special Group License Plate
  • Creates a special group license plate to support programs to transport veterans to Washington D.C. to visit veterans’ memorials with the Honor Flight Program.
• HB 220 – Radioactive Waste Amendment
  • Would allow low-level radioactive waste to be classified at the time of acceptance. Before any waste is received, it would have to receive approval from the Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control (DWMRC).
• HB 296 – Rural Online Working Hubs Amendment
  • Creates a grant program that provide resources to rural counties and qualified non-profits to develop co-working and innovation center facilities. The Facilities will allow those rural areas to access broadband infrastructure, hardware, specialty facilities, and workspaces that are necessary to become fully engaged in the online workplace.
• One bill on Public Safety Code amendments is still in the drafting phase and is expected to be released soon.
• Albrecht is also the House Sponsor for SB 46, Senator Sandall’s Tire Recycling Amendments.
  • A waste tire transporter’s or recycler’s costs may be reimbursed in a 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th or 6^th class county if approved by the Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control.

Other updates from the week:

Bad weather couldn’t stop the lawmaking process. Legislators and staff braved the heavy snow and made their way to the hill to participate in the 45-day legislative session.

The capitol saw visitors from all around the state this week. Schools, clubs and associations from around the state visited to give presentations, meet with legislators and take tours of the capitol.

Senate Bill 96, Medicaid Expansion, passed the senate and came to a House committee on Thursday, where it was passed out in front of a standing-room-only crowd. This bill headed to the House Floor on Friday, Feb. 8. It was passed by the House and will now go back to the Senate.

A tax cut and revisions to sales tax and income tax are still being discussed by the Revenue and Taxation Committee. No decision has been made on this yet.

Contact:
Representative Albrecht
carlalbrecht@le.utah.gov
435-979-6578

Rachel Brown
Intern to Representative Carl Albrecht
rbrown@le.utah.gov
385-479-0815