If there is one thing I have come to watch during my “Bills to Watch” series, it is that I should automatically become suspicious of any legislation that attempts to change benefits to state employees. Why? Because it inevitably means that we will be screwing over the public servants who are trying to make the [...]
Archive for the ‘Health Care’ Category
Bills to Watch: HB 64 – Amendments to Public Employee Health Care, Rep. Brian Doughty
I have to hand it to freshman Representative Brian Doughty (D-Salt Lake City, District 30). His bill, HB 64, Amendments to Public Employee Health Care would go far in proving that Utah is not some backwater stuck in the 1940′s. Doughty’s bill makes the revolutionary step to acknowledge that not every state employee fits into the classic [...]
Bills to Watch: HB 245, Amendment to Definition of Smoking in Utah Indoor Clean Air Act, Rep. Bradley Last
It is interesting to see just how far legislators are willing to go to stamp out smoking all together in Utah. Representative Bradley Last (R-Hurricane, District 71), for example, is willing to go so far as to attack stop-smoking devices from being in the public’s air. By proposing HB 245, Amendment to Definition of Smoking in [...]
Bills to Watch: SB 61 – Education for Prescribing Controlled Substances, P. Jones
Although many people may not want to talk about it, the abuse of prescription pain killers is a big problem in the state. In many cases, those addicted to these medications did not seek them out because of the classic cliche’s associated with illegal drug use. Most often addicts are addicts because of a painful [...]
Bills to Watch: HB 89 – Protection of Children Riding in Motor Vehicles, P. Arent
HB 89 – Protection of Children Riding in Motor Vehicles has been kicked around in one form or another for many years now. This time, Representative Patrice Arent (D – Salt Lake City, District 36) has decided to take up the call and attempt to pass a bill that makes it an infraction to smoke [...]
Bills to Watch: HB 14 – Catastrophic Mental Health Coverage – Sunset, J. Dunnigan
Although it is very early to say, I must admit that I am a bit surprised by the progressive health care bills coming out of the minds of legislators so far. Many of these are, admittedly, small steps, but they are steps in the right direction. Look at HB 14 – Catastrophic Mental Health Coverage – Sunset as [...]
Bills to Watch: HB 11 – Inmate Health Insurance Amendments, P. Ray
Representative Paul Ray (R-Clearfield-District 13) is not exactly known for his progressive policies and willingness to stick it to big business, that is why I find it a little surprising and refreshing that he is proposing HB 11 – Inmate Health Insurance Amendments. This bill is actually a carbon copy of Ray’s amended bill in the 2010 session. It [...]
Bills to Watch: HB 13 – Immunizations for Teen Mothers, J. Seelig
It seems that I always start my “Bills to Watch” series with Representative Jen Seelig (D-Salt Lake, District 23); I guess it is because she seems to constantly propose bills that are both good, and glossed over for more high profile issues. Well, this year is no different as Seelig has now proposed HB 13 – Immunizations for [...]
Bills to Watch: HB 144 – Medical Language Interpreter Amendments, R. Chavez-Houck
This time last year, I wrote about Representative Rebecca Chavez-Houck’s (D – Salt Lake – District 24) HB 144, a bill that allowed medical language interpreters into hospitals so that those who speak little to no English can understand the medical procedures they (or those they love) will have. Thankfully, this bill passed, and Representative [...]
Bills to Watch: HB 196 – Tobacco Tax Revisions, P. Ray
This time last year, I was complaining about Representative Paul Ray’s (R-Clearfield-District 13) attempt to raise taxes on tobacco in the state. Well, I am back to complain again. Now, to be fair, Ray’s bill, HB 196 – Tobacco Tax Revisions, is a more toned down version of last years bill. This does not mean, [...]