State legislators have 44 days to deal with bills ranging from health care to immigration after the opening session yesterday.
Meeting in the newly renovated Capitol Building in Salt Lake City, lawmakers will watch the economy as they seek to control costs. Democrats in the Republican-controlled Legislature want more programs while the GOP is expected to advocate market reform.
One proposal is aimed at making health insurance in Utah mandatory. The system would be privatized, and no funds would be appropriated to sponsor government-assisted insurance. Utah’s health insurance policy would be similar to its car insurance policy, with penalties for failing to maintain coverage.
Rep. Christopher Herrod, R-Provo, said that the vast majority of Utahns want laws to curb illegal immigration. However, the federal laws take precedence, limiting action the state can take, he said. Herrod said the state could require proof of citizenship for state benefits and penalties for businesses that hire undocumented workers.
Lawmakers will also seek solutions to shortages of teachers in special ed, math, and science, possibly through pay differentials.
