Week five of the legislative session has come to a close. It’s been another busy and productive week and I appreciate the opportunity to have heard from and met with many of you. I am working hard to return phone calls and emails—as legislators we hear from hundreds of individuals, to make sure I’m getting back with you as soon as possible, please include your home address so I know you’re my constituent and can get back with you quickly! An update on this week: MY LEGISLATION Urban Development Amendments Like many of you, I was incredibly disappointed in the Salt Lake County Council’s vote on the Olympia Hills development this week. Throughout this process, I have been working on HB 305 1stSubstitute: Urban Development Amendments (see sub text here) This bill does the following: Current law prohibits second to sixth class counties from approving urban development within a municipality’s expansion area (land that can be annexed) unless the county notifies the municipality and either (A) the municipality consents to the development or (B) the municipality files a written objection and the county responds. This county notification requirement does not apply to first class counties (just Salt Lake County). The bill would 1) close the loophole and 2) provide an opportunity for municipalities in first class counties to impose an impact fee on urban development within a municipality’s expansion area. Development in unincorporated counties of the first class is an important conversation we need to have. Other bills I’m running this session:
FLOOR TIME Daylight Saving Time Amendments Whether Utah should stop changing our clocks, twice a year by springing forward in the spring, and falling back in the fall, is something that the legislature has been discussing for many years. This week, I voted in favor of SB 59with the rest of my colleagues. This bill would shift Utah to a year-round mountain daylight time (daylight savings time year round). This would only go into effect after four of our neighboring states Vaping We continued our work addressing the vaping epidemic and passed HB 23: Tobacco and Electronic Cigarette Amendments. This bill increased the minimum age for purchasing and obtaining tobacco products and paraphernalia and electronic cigarette products to the age of 21. MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Thank you for those of you who attended my town hall last week. I appreciate many of you being willing to engage in the legislative process. Be sure to mark your calendars for my next townhall: Saturday, March 7th, 1-2pm, Herriman City Hall
STAY ENGAGED:
Stay engaged this legislative session by tracking bills, listening to committee hearings and following votes. All this can be done on the Utah State Legislature’s website, here. For legislative matters, please feel free to send me an email at cpierucci@le.utah.gov or shoot me a text/give me a call at 385-414-1488.
Sincerely,
Candice B. Pierucci
State Representative for House District 52