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Checking In At The Legislature: 2020 Session Week 3
2000 Kids On the Capitol Steps

A Celebratory Week!


To my neighbors and friends,

I was honored to be the sponsor of HJR 12, commemorating the 150th Anniversary of Utah having the first woman in all of the United States and territories to vote in an election. Seraph Young cast her ballot in Utah on February 14, 1870. Last year I sponsored HCR 16, which made Utah the first state in the country to have a Women's Voter Registration Day. 2020 also marks the 100th Anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment allowing all women in the states to vote - note that the 19th Amendment passed 50 years after Utah women had already been voting! Utah women truly lead the way as trailblazers. I passed the resolution on the House floor, had a press conference with the governor signing a declaration with all Utah women legislators present, celebrated with Utah League of Women Voters and Voterise, and requested appropriations for Voterise to receive state funds to help get more Utahns in rural areas registered to vote. The capitol brought in more than 2000 school children from 15 different school districts and 40 different schools to help celebrate.

Video of HRJ12 on the House Floor

The last few sentences of HJR12 says, "NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the state of Utah that Utah celebrates being the first place in the nation where women voted under a women's suffrage law. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature acknowledges the legacy of Utah's strong influential female trailblazers who served in their families and communities and honors the Utah suffragists who advanced the rights of women and promoted the democratic values at the core of the United States. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages Utah women to continue to participate in civic life."

We need more women to step forward in civic life. Instead of asking, "Why me?" we should be saying, "Why not me?!"

-Melissa

Upcoming Events:

  • Bagels and Briefings Saturday At Senator Weiler's home 10-11:30 am

In This Issue

  • HJR12 and Resources for Celebrating Women's Suffrage in Utah
  • Voterise and Utah League of Women Voters
  • Performing at the Utah Cultural Alliance dinner with violinist, David Park, currently ranked 40th in the world.
  • Working on my legislation- insulin, telehealth, water, school financial information systems, safe school routes, school construction project amendments
  • Press Conferences: Insulin and medicine co-pay limits, Clean Air Caucus proposed legislation
  • Visitors to the capitol
  • Week 3 bills that passed the House
  • A day in the life of a legislative intern
Great resources to learn more and share:
https://www.utahwomenshistory.org/

Clean Air Legislation

For a list of clean air bills being proposed and some information about them, click here. 

Working To Get People Registered To Vote

I have requested appropriations for Voterise to get public funding to help get people registered to vote.
Hope Zitting-Goeckentz, Director of Operations of Voterise and her sister, Grace Zitting-Goeckentz a 17 yr-old who is pre-registered to vote
Better Days 2020 Organizers Sen. Deidre Henderson, Katherine Kitterman, Brooke Smart, Naomi Watkins, Kristen Edwards, Neylan McBaine, Rebekah Clark, Tiffany Green, Jen Christensen, Erin Wynn, Rep. Melissa Ballard. Not shown: Mandee Grant, Nicole Handy, Karen Smith, Lee Rech

Utah Cultural Alliance

Performing with Utah Symphony violinist David Park. David is ranked #40th in the world. We just finished recording a Kreisler album with Centaur Records, which will be available in the next couple of months. To see a sample of our performance, watch it on my Facebook Page.
Photo with David Park

Working On My Legislation

It takes a lot of work to coordinate with organizations, state offices, and local
communities to get the right wording in legislation if it is to become law. Here are examples of some of the work and meetings that took place this week to help make improvements to my bills.

HB249 Insulin Copay Amendments

This bill caps Insulin co-pay to $100 https://kutv.com/news/local/utah-pharmacist-details-insulin-costs-that-skyrocket-supports-legislation-to

HB313 Telehealth

This bill allows any doctor who wants to do telehealth and at commercially appropriate rates instead of insurance companies only allowing a select few doctors to participate.
With Courtney Bullard-Education and collaboration director of Utah Health
Policy Project, and Stacy Stanford-policy analyst with UHPP
With pharmaceutical companies from all across the country
CEO of the Utah Medical Association (UMA) Michelle McOmber. Director of
Government Affairs of UMA Mark Brinton, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations at Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of Utah Stephen Foxley, and Director of Government Relations for SelectHealth Eliana White.

HB40 Water Loss Accounting Act
Todd Stonely Utah Division of Water Resources Section Chief of Project
Funding, Todd Adams Division Director. Tage Flint General Manager Weber Basin WCD, Gene Shawcroft General Manager Central Utah WCD, Fred Finlinson Attorney, & Bart Forsy the General Manager Jordan Valley WCD

HB67 Local Education Agency Financial Information Systems

This bill requires funding for financial information systems for every district and charter school. The bill passed unanimously in Education Standing Committee and unanimous on the House Floor. Now onto the Senate!
Kim Frank, Utah Charter Alliance, Carol Lear SBOE member, State
Superintendent Sydnee Dickson, Deputy Supt. Student Achievement Patty Norman, Policy Advisor Jeff Van Hulten, Deputy Superintendent of Policy Angie Stallings, Pres Superintendent Assoc Terry Shoemaker, Exec Dir of Utah Assoc of Public Charter Schools Royce Van Tassell, Provo School Board Member McKay Jensen, State Charter School Board and Director Weileman Charter School Cindy Phillips.

Legislative Press Conferences

HJR12

My Resolution passed unanimously and heralded a proclamation from the governor in a press conference HJR 12. https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/utah-marks-150-years-of-womens-suffrage (scroll through pictures to view the video news clip)

Clean Air Caucus

In the Gold Room with legislators from the House and the Senate, Republicans, and Democrats, all working to help clean up our air. https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/02/11/utahs-clean-air-caucus/
https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/2/15/21133028/lawmakers-strike-at-air-pollution-with-21-legislative-proposals

Medicine co-pay changes

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/2/10/21126794/drug-costs-insurers-pharmacy-benefit-managers-rebates-patients-legislature

Visitors To The Capitol
Sundy Watanabe, Associate Instructor with the Utah Global Program and the Writing and Rhetoric Studies Department at the UofU. The class is called Utah and the World, and it is geared toward introducing international students to Utah culture.
From left to right: West Bountiful Assistant Chief Brandon Erickson, West Bountiful Chief Todd Hixson, Farmington Chief Wayne Hansen, Bountiful Chief Tom Ross, Bountiful Assistant Chief Ed Biehler, Woods Cross Chief Chad Soffe
Chris Millard-Weber State University Director of Government Relations. Brad Mortensen- President of WSU. Kade Crittenden-intern
USU President Noelle E. Cockett, and Nina Barnes USHE Vice Chair
UofU President Ruth Watkins, UofU Vice Pres Govt Relations Jason Perry, and Presidential Scholars: Merry Ann Joseph (Bioengineering and Psych), Ben Battistone (Philosophy), Milan Oxspring (Kinesiology and Health Policy).
Manuel Delgado- board member of Utah Cultural Alliance. Colleen Eggett- Director of Utah State Library
Bountiful City Youth Council and Council Member Millie Bahr

Bills Passed By The House As Of February 14th, 2020

To see a list of bills that have been passed during the 2020 Legislative Session, click here. 

A Day In The Life Of My Intern

A day in the life of my legislative intern, Byron Day. After working so hard on legislation with me, he got to try out the “stock” that was brought into the capitol for the day.
Learn More About Melissa
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