Category Archives: Senator McAdams
Lawmakers scrap effort to ban anti-gay discrimination
From the Salt Lake Tribune
by Rosemary Winters
Despite strong support in public polls and endorsements from prominent business leaders, lawmakers on Friday snuffed out a statewide effort to ban discrimination against gay and transgender Utahns.
In a 4-2 vote, a Senate committee shelved SB51 after a 90-minute public hearing with a standing-room-only crowd.
Sen. Ben McAdams, the bill’s sponsor and a Salt Lake City Democrat, said he was disappointed the bill failed but called the hearing a “valuable discussion” and a “huge milestone.” This is the fifth year that Democrats have run such a bill but the first year to get a Senate hearing.
This year, the Salt Lake Chamber and executives from Ancestry.com, 1-800-Contacts and eBay have endorsed the measure, saying it would enhance Utah’s reputation as a welcoming place to do business. Nearly three-fourths of Utahns support such a law, according to a recent poll by Dan Jones & Associates.
Already, 14 Utah cities and counties have ordinances that ban housing and employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. McAdams said adding those categories to Utah’s existing anti-discrimination laws, which protect individuals from bias based on race, religion, disability and other characteristics, would make the law consistent statewide.
Click here to ready the rest of the story.
Nondiscrimination bill gets a hearing but tabled by Senate committee
From the Deseret News
by Marjorie Cortez
SALT LAKE CITY — A legislative committee tabled a bill Friday that would prohibit discrimination in employment and housing statewide because of a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or political views.
Meeting in a standing-room only committee room in the state Capitol, the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee, voted 4-2 to tableSB51.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Ben McAdams, D-Salt Lake, said he was “disappointed” in the committee’s action but said progress was made in the respect that this was the first year the bill had received a committee hearing. McAdams had introduced nondiscrimination legislation in four previous legislative sessions.
The hearing gave committee members an opportunity to learn more about discrimination and the law and gave McAdams the chance to better understand their concerns, he said.
Click here to read the rest of the story.
Payday lenders escape new restriction
From the Salt Lake Tribune
by Lee Davidson
Payday lenders — one of the largest campaign donors to legislators — escaped a move Wednesday to limit where they can sue delinquent borrowers.
Sen. Ben McAdams, D-Salt Lake City, introduced SB110 because he said payday lenders often file suits in courts that are distant from where borrowers live — such as filing in Provo against St. George residents — in a deliberate attempt “to deny justice to borrowers. … It’s an abusive practice that needs to be reined in.”
But the Senate Business and Labor Committee voted 4-3 to kill it after payday lenders testified they are trying to hold down costs for borrowers by filing in courts near corporate headquarters. Otherwise, it could “potentially increase costs to all borrowers across the board,” testified Wendy Gibson, a Check City regional manager representing the Utah Consumer Lending Alliance of payday lenders.
Read the whole story by clicking here.
Non-discrimination bill headed to a Senate Committee
From the Daily Herald
by Billy Hesterman
SALT LAKE CITY — A bill that calls for a statewide nondiscrimination law will be debated by lawmakers for the first — and maybe only — time on Friday.
Senate Bill 51, sponsored by Sen. Ben McAdams, D-Salt Lake City, attempts to make it illegal to discriminate against a person in housing or employment because of that person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. McAdams ran similar legislation in 2011, but the bill was held up by the Senate Rules Committee.
McAdams called it progress that his bill will at least get the chance to be voted on by a committee this year.
“I’m encouraged that it is being sent to committee,” McAdams said.
However, the committee it has been sent to doesn’t appear to be one that will give the bill a favorable recommendation. Members of the Senate Government Operations Committee are some of the more conservative members in the Senate, which suggests the bill will face some tough scrutiny. If they approve it, it will be debated by the full Senate.
McAdams said he thinks it’s good that the committee will get to hear from the public on the issue and feels it will be a great step to have an open conversation about the topic. He noted that 75 percent of Utahns support the idea.
To read the rest of the story, click here.
Education Funding for Public Education – Senator Ben McAdams
On Friday, Senator Ben McAdams unveiled his bill to increase Utah’s public education funding without raising taxes for Utah families.
Here’s an article in the Deseret News which talks about his plan.
Money, technology to be top education issues this legislative session
Senator McAdams – Education Funding Plan
Today, Senator McAdams introduced his public education funding plan. It’s about setting new priorities and *not* raising taxes.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53341923-78/education-funding-mcadams-utah.html.csp
Senator McAdams Named “Legislator to Watch”
Congratulations to Senator Ben McAdams who was named as one of the Democratic Legislators to Watch from around the nation by Governing Magazine.
Taylor Maryon Leads the Pledge
Today’s Senate floor time began with Taylor Maryon leading the Senate body in the pledge of allegiance. Taylor is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard and currently serves as Senator Ben McAdams’ intern.
Taylor enlisted in the United States Coast Guard seven weeks before September 11, 2001. During his two enlistments, he performed counter narcotics operations in Central & South America, piloted Search and Rescue lifeboats on Lake Superior, and led a domestic antiterrorism team in the Port of Houston. Taylor achieved the rank of Boatswain’s Mate First Class (E-6). Recently, Taylor was appointed Chairman of the Salt Lake County Veterans caucus.
Taylor Maryon, intern for Senator Ben McAdams
Thanks, Taylor, for your service to our country and to the Utah State Senate.
Video – Latest on Immigration Debate
Sen. Ben McAdams and Rep. Christine Watkins discuss the latest developments on a number of immigration proposals currently making their way through the legislature.
Video – Why Utah Should Not Raise the Sales Tax on Food
At today’s media availability, Sen. Ben McAdams and Rep. Christine Watkins explain why Utah should not raise the sales tax on food.
