Checking In At The Legislature: September 2019

Upcoming Event:

• Town Hall Hike on Legacy Trail tomorrow with Melissa, Representative Ray Ward, and Senator Todd Weiler.

1. Special legislative session: Marijuana, election dates, beer sales, and more
2. Representing legislators at Huntsman"s groundbreaking for a Women's Center
3. Ribbon cutting for extending the Jordan River Trail near Porter's Landing in NSL
4. Working on the Marriage Commission started by Jackie Leavitt
5. Performing with Utah Symphony Violinist, David Park
6. NSL Paintball Addicts
7. Touring Camp Williams in Bluffdale
8. Touring hydrogen companies OxEon Energy in NSL and Power Innovations in American Fork
9. Hosting a Hydrogen Conference meeting with local and national companies

• For September 2019 Legislative Interim Highlights, click here. 
• For Utah taxes in context, click here. 
• For Utah's 5 growth axioms, click here. 
• More Utah students participate and pass AP exams than the national average.  For information about this, click here and here. 

Legislative Special Session

1. Medical Cannabis Amendments:  The amendments repealed the requirements regarding a state central fill pharmacy and allows the private sector to have 14 dispensaries throughout the state.  Additionally, there is a provision in the amended bill that allows for more dispensaries throughout the state if there is a need. (SB 1002)
2. Election Code Date Changes:  This bill effectively changes the primary election to June 30, for the year 2020 only, and changes related dates accordingly. (SB 1001)
3. Beer Transition Period Amendments:  Simply put, this bill will allow companies to store the "newly-classified beer", meaning 4.0 beer, up to a week prior to November 1, 2020.  This bill in no way allows for companies to sell the beverage to consumers before the November 1st start date. (HB 1002)
4. Joint Resolution Approving Swallow Settlement:  The legislature approved appropriations for the John Swallow settlement. (HJR 101)
5. Tax Incentive Oversight Amendments:  Modified the independent certified public accountant review provisions of the severance tax credit for well recompletion or workover and motion picture income tax credit.  (HB 1003)
6. Supplemental Appropriations Adjustments:  Appropriations were made for the 2020 census, the Swallow settlement, and more. (HB 1001)

Huntsman's Groundbreaking For A Women's Center

Ribbon Cutting For Extending The Jordan River Trail

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.” - Robert Frost 

With Mayor Len Arave, City Councilmen Stan Porter and Brian Brian J. Horrocks, County Commissioners Lorene Miner Kamalu and Randy B. Elliott, and many who work and live in North Salt Lake making this a great place to live. 

I even took a picture with my 5th-grade teacher, Barbara Orr, who was at the train horn blowing party across the street from Porter’s Landing, and with Mrs. Jeanene Lund, our Foxboro Elementary Kindergarten teacher.

Working On The Marriage Commission

Performing With Utah Symphony Violinist David Park

NSL Paintball Addicts

Touring Camp Williams In Bluffdale

Touring Hydrogen Companies

At OxEon in NSL with Joe Hartvigsen and Dr. Elangoven who build hydrogen fuel cell equipment including for the Rover headed to Mars in 2020! 

Fascinating tour at POWER INNOVATIONS in American Fork with CEO Bob Mount, Senator David Hinkins, Representative Kay Christofferson, and Brent Tanner from Citibank where technology for powering our communities with hydrogen is becoming a reality. Clean energy with Zero emissions.

We also met with Microsoft Principal Infrastructure Engineer Mark Monroe- in the next 3-5 years MICROSOFT will have mastered with Power Innovations how to have back up generator power for the cloud, businesses, and our communities in small compact recycling and renewable energy that’s affordable and ready for the world...and mastered in American Fork!

Karl Rudisill from ELEMENT ONE in Emery county is building a new plant to produce hydrogen for distribution next year, along with many more Utah companies exploring hydrogen energy for the future of clean air throughout Utah to make a difference across the Wasatch Front.

Hosting A Hydrogen Conference

The largest energy conference in North America was held here in SLC with more than 17,000 in attendance. 

I was asked to host a Utah strategic planning session with top hydrogen companies from around the nation and our hydrogen companies in Utah. We have two companies in Utah who will be producing Hydrogen in the next 18-24 months, Magnum Mitsubishi Hitachi and Element One. Power Innovations in American Fork is making portable transport and refueling options for hydrogen and hydrogen units to power buildings and homes. With zero tailpipe emissions, water is the output of this energy source. We can store unused renewable solar or wind energy with Hydrogen.  

We also had in attendance Utah legislators, Dominion Energy, Microsoft Executives, Utah Automobile Dealers Assos, leaders from Shell-Hydrogen, Honda, Hyundai, Nel, Iwatani, California Fuel Cell Partners, Nikola, Linde, Trillium, and others at our meeting.

Utah is the Crossroads of the West, where everyone comes together to get things done. It was exciting to lead the discussion.