Here is a summary of bills that passed the 2010 Legislative Session, bills that failed and issues that are on the study agenda for interim.

Bills that passed

SB136

SB138

SJR3

Ethics Complaints Package

These bills allow ethics complaints to be brought against a legislator and reviewed in by an independent panel. If the complaints are confirmed they are forwarded to a public House or Senate ethics process.

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/sbillenr/sb0136.htm http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/sbillenr/sb0138.htm http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/sbillenr/sjr003.htm

SB89

Public Notice Amendments

This is largely a clean-up bill adding more statutes that require public notice to the list that must post on the Legal Notices Web site. However, it says that the Department of Transportation “may” publish notices for bids in a local newspaper. UDOT has called UPA and said they will no longer publish notices after the bill goes into effect on May 1.

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/sbillenr/sb0089.htm

HB60

Canal Safety

This bill suggests that private canal companies create a management plan and then requires them to certify to the state it is complete. The records are protected and not available through GRAMA. There is no review from the state only if they request public money for canal improvements.

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillenr/hb0060.htm

HB96

Libel Amendments

This bill is meant as a deterrent to “libel tourism,” meaning that a libel plaintiff cannot shop for a venue to sue for defamation in a foreign country.

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillenr/hb0096.htm

HB189

Open Meetings Act Amendments

The bill allows a closed meeting to be held to discuss the purchase, exchange, lease, or sale of a water right or water shares.

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillenr/hb0189.htm

HB222

Land Use Provisions

This bill modifies notice provisions for a land use hearing including a newspaper notice at least 10 days prior to the notice.

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillenr/hb0222.htm

HB278

GRAMA

This bill allows records requesters to ask for records in electronic form and allows requires the government to respond if they will not respond to an expedited request within five days.

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillenr/hb0278.htm

HB315

Public Meeting Notices

This bill allows small special service districts to not follow online posting of agendas on the Public Meeting Notices Web site while they get up to speed to file these. They have until Dec. 31, 2012 to comply.

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillenr/hb0315.htm Bills that did not pass

HB266

This bill would have closed off specific salary information of government employees. It is listed as a study item on the interim agenda.

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillint/hb0266s01.htm

HB429

This bill would have changed the definition of newspapers which can carry legal notices.

http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillamd/hb0429.htm Items of interest on the Interim Study List

Real Property Sales Information - to study whether a buyer in a real property sale should have to provide information relating to the sale to the Multicounty Appraisal Trust (H.B. 61 and H.J.R. 7).

Access to Government Records - to study whether a governmental employee's salary should be a public record under GRAMA (1st Sub. H.B. 266).

Email Communications - to study issues related to email communications and the Open and Public Meetings Act (H.B. 415).

Tax Notice Modifications - to study whether tax notices should be modified to provide more information, including the percentage of increase or decrease, the date and type of approval, and the time and location of public hearings.

Notification of Bill Hearing Change - to study ways to alert the public when a bill posted on a committee agenda will not be heard.

Public Meeting Agendas - to study whether to require a "tentative agenda" at least 72 hours prior to a public meeting, and leaving in place the current 24-hour notice requirement for a final agenda.