May 2007
What Happened to Senator Mayne’s Mane?
We reported that Senator Ed Mayne shaved his head at the Taste of Kearns event earlier this month. Senator Mayne has lung cancer and was losing his hair as a result of chemotherapy, so he decided to have a little fun with it.
With the loss of his mane, Senator Mayne joins other members of the Senate Democrat caucus who also happen to be “maneless.” Three plus one equals four. Who are the other three?
This photo was taken last Interim Day in the Senate Chamber. Like Bagley’s “captionless” cartoons, this is a “captionless” photo. Any ideas? Here are a few.
The Bald Eagle Forum
Great Balds of Fire!
And me without a cue stick?
No Do’s is Good News
Capitol Domes of Utah
What the Heck Does That Mean?
by Senator Scott McCoy
Senate District Two
Today Governor Huntsman, President Valentine and Speaker Curtis issued the following statement:
Statement by Utah’s Governor, President of the Senate,
and Speaker of the House of Representatives
Salt Lake City - The following is a joint statement by Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, President John Valentine and Speaker Greg Curtis:
Citizens bear the ultimate responsibility for how their government operates and how their children are educated. As elected officials, we support the constitutional right of the people of our state to ratify or reject legislation through the referendum process.
We encourage a healthy process and a clear public decision on Utah’s Voucher Policy in November. In order for the referendum process to be effective, the electorate takes on the obligation to make an informed decision when casting their vote. We hope people become educated on this issue and engage in a manner befitting the citizens of a free republic.
A Special Session will not be called since an easy and practical remedy does not exist. We, however, are making our intentions clear: we honor the rule of law and will respect the outcome of the election.
So what does that mean? Let’s take it in reverse order.
“We, however, are making our intentions clear: we honor the rule of law and will respect the outcome of the election.”
“…will respect the outcome of the election.” Huh? So if the referendum on HB 148 succeeds, that is the voters say NO to vouchers, does that mean these three will lead the way in repealing HB 174, too, or does it mean that they will respect the decision to repeal HB 148 and they will push ahead with the implementation of HB 174 which they maintain is not legally the subject of the referendum? How about a clear statement like: “If the referendum succeeds, then we will repeal HB 174.” Now that would be making their intentions clear.
“We encourage a healthy process and a clear public decision on Utah’s Voucher Policy in November.”
Nice sentiment, but the process was not healthy in the first place because the two bills produced this confusing result. The confusion that exists and the messy process that is now resulting cannot be fixed with mere “encouragement.” It takes leadership. Calling a special session and doing the right thing by making HB 174 also contingent on the outcome of the referendum would not only “encourage a healthy process and clear public decision,” it would guarantee it.
“In order for the referendum process to be effective, the electorate takes on the obligation to make an informed decision when casting their vote. We hope people become educated on this issue and engage in a manner befitting the citizens of a free republic.”
Undoubtedly, the people of Utah will educate themselves and make an informed decision on this issue, but the question remains: If and when the referendum on HB 148 succeeds, will the Governor and the Republican leadership interpret the vote as a repudiation of vouchers altogether, that is both HB 148 and HB174?
“Citizens bear the ultimate responsibility for how their government operates and how their children are educated.”
Citizens bear the responsibility for how their government operates, and as importantly, who operates their government. Watch closely, citizens of Utah. Watch your current leadership take a pass on clearing up this voucher mess and watch to see if they abide by your wishes after the referendum. If they don’t get the picture, maybe then it will be time to change how your government operates by changing who is in charge of operating it.
He’s Up for the Battle!
We reported last month that Senator Ed Mayne has lung cancer. Well, he’s up for the battle! He’s handling his chemotherapy splendidly, and he’s rebounding quickly. His goal is to be in remission by August. Since his hair was beginning to fall out (from chemo), Senator Mayne decided to have a little fun with it.
At the Taste of Kearns event earlier this month, Senator Mayne, donned in boxing gloves, lathered and shaved his head on the football field while spectators cheered. Then he hugged his wife, his kids, his grandkids, his dad, Democrats :o), and everybody.
The Taste of Kearns celebration is a traditional event held at Kearns High School honoring accomplishments of education, educators, students, community groups, and leaders. About 6,000 people were in attendance. The event features entertainment, displays, booths, games, a pet show, antique cars, and of course, LOTS and LOTS of HOT DOGS!
Senator Mayne is a celebrity and hero in his Senate District. He thanks everyone for their messages, letters, comments, and most of all, for their prayers on his behalf. He loves you all!
The Utah Legislature Takes a Stand Against Animal Suffering
by Senator Scott McCoy
Senate District Two
The other day I was combing through the Utah Code (yes, I am a crazy lawyer legislator who actually reads the Code) and found a provision that struck me as a bit ironic, especially in light of the vigorous debate over Henry’s Law, the bill to make animal cruelty a third degree felony. Here is what I found:
76-6-413. Release of fur-bearing animals — Penalty — Finding.
(1) In any case not amounting to a felony of the second degree, any person who intentionally and without permission of the owner releases any fur-bearing animal raised for commercial purposes is guilty of a felony of the third degree.
(2) The Legislature finds that the release of fur-bearing animals raised for commercial purposes subjects the animals to unnecessary suffering through deprivation of food and shelter and compromises their genetic integrity, thereby permanently depriving the owner of substantial value.
What struck me as particularly interesting was the second sentence wherein the Utah Legislature expresses its worry about subjecting animals, i.e., the kind that produce nice fur coats to keep them warm during the cold days of the legislative session, from “unnecessary suffering through deprivation of food and shelter”by being released from captivity.
Interesting that the Legislature will jump to the defense of commercially valuable fur-bearing animals and make it a third degree felony if some callous person releases them from posh captivity (where I am sure they experience no suffering at all) into the cold, cruel world where they may experience “unnecessary suffering through deprivation of food and shelter,” but won’t make it a third degree felony when some idiot puts Henry in the oven, causing him “unnecessary suffering” through other means.
Well at least this provision is an admission that animals, in fact, can suffer and that we should punish people who cause such suffering at the level of a felony.
Governor, a Special Session, please.
A Plea to the Governor
by Senator Mike Dmitrich
Senate Minority Leader
Amidst the school voucher mess, the Utah Senate Democrats would like to reiterate their position on HB148 and HB174 intended to enact the voucher law.
For the record, the Senate Democrats voted against HB148, the original voucher bill and subject of the successful referendum. The governor has called a statewide special election for November 6, 2007, and directed that the referendum challenging HB148 be submitted to the voters at that special election.
HB174, another voucher bill containing some, but not all, of the provisions of HB148 also passed during the past legislative session. As outlined by Senator Scott McCoy in a previous post, HB174 was explained as a clean-up bill and contained some of the amendments offered (but rejected) during the HB148 debate. Knowing the primary voucher bill had been signed by the governor and wanting to cure some of the more egregious problems with the original voucher bill, the Senate Democrats voted for HB174. In fact, HB174 passed by two-thirds majorities in both bodies, rendering HB174 referendum-proof.
Speculation now abounds concerning the validity of HB174 to stand on its own to implement vouchers in Utah. In an effort to eliminate the confusion of these two voucher bills, Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich and House Minority Leader Ralph Becker sent a letter to Governor Huntsman last week imploring the governor to call a special session to “provide a way to clean up conflicting interpretations of whether vouchers should be implemented in the middle of a referendum called by the people.”
Click below to read the letter in its entirety. (No response from the governor as yet.)
Newest Hall of Famer
Senator Patricia Jones
Newest Inductee
Bonneville Junior High School Hall of Fame
Last March, Senator Jones and Representative Carol Spackman Moss spoke to 250 eighth graders at Bonneville Junior High about the legislative process. Senator Jones just happens to be an alumnus of Bonneville Junior High. To her surprise, the principal, Mr. Dunning, inducted her into the school’s alumni Hall of Fame.
Congratulations Senator Jones
Senator Jones is the sixth person inducted into the Hall of Fame. She joins other noteworthy alumni including:
Frank Pignanelli, former Utah House Minority Leader, Deseret Morning News columnist, attorney and lobbyist.
Greg Skordas, attorney, former chief deputy attorney for Salt Lake County, and 2004 Democrat candidate for Utah Attorney General.
Richard Paul Evans, author of seven best sellers including The Christmas Box and Timepiece.
Mystery Solved
Two weeks ago, a Mystery Photo was posted on this blog. When, Where, How?
On August 10, 2005, a trailer truck owned by R&R Trucking, Inc., hauling 35,500 pounds of explosives rolled and exploded between the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon and the intersection of Highway 89, creating a large crater 70 feet wide and 30 feet deep. The incident sent 20 people to the hospital.
The driver was on his way from Ensign-Bickford Company in Spanish Fork to Oklahoma when the truck tipped on its right side and was torn open. Three minutes after the wreck, the explosives blew. The driver was going too fast. The road reopened two days later–way to go UDOT. (info obtained from The Tribune)
The STD/Fertility Crisis: Time to Wake Up Utah!
by Senator Scott McCoy
Senate District 2
Utah has a dirty little secret. There is a little-known crisis brewing in Utah that nobody seems to want to talk about or acknowledge: Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).
Here are the ugly facts. According to a Deseret Morning News story last month, Gonorrhea rates in Utah increased a staggering 195% between 2000 and 2005, from 231 to 896 cases. The jump was nearly five times the increase found in other Western states and comes at a time when the national rate is on the decline. At the same time, Chlamydia cases in Utah increased 110% during the same period.
Not only do STDs have potentially life-threatening effects, if untreated, they impact fertility. According to studies by the World Health Organization, 38% of infertility cases are caused by sexually transmitted diseases. The WHO also notes that STDs are the most avoidable cause of infertility. This fact about the fertility impacts of STDs should get the attention of our family-centric, baby factory of a state. The bottom line is that the STD crisis is not only a health crisis, it is potentially a fertility crisis.
Interestingly, at the same time we are beginning to learn about the STD crisis, we also are finding out that our reliance on abstinence-only sex education is not having any affect on our people’s decisions about whether or not to have sex. A recent study by the Mathematica Policy Institute shows that abstinence-only programs do not increase the number of young adults who wait to have sex.
In Utah, state law mandates abstinence-only education. State law also specifically prohibits the advocacy or encouragement of the use of contraceptive methods or devices, i.e., condoms.
Now let me connect these dots. So, while we teach abstinence-only which does not reduce the number of young people who have sex, we also ensure that they are not educated about how to protect themselves from STDs, i.e., condoms, which they are getting and spreading with increasing and frightening frequency. Sadly, the consequence to this “head-in-the-sand” approach is that we are putting our young people’s health and their fertility at risk by not equipping them with adequate information to make informed choices about protecting themselves.
Time to wake up Utah.
Congrats
Senator Ross Romero was recently featured in the April edition of Connect magazine as one of Utah’s 20 Prominent Hispanic Business Leaders.
“In 2006, Ross Romero became the first elected Hispanic state senator in Utah since the late Pete Suazo was elected in 1996….He is one of the first minority lawyers to become a shareholder at a major Utah firm.”
Congratulations to Sen. Romero. Click here to see the profile.