2020
LEGISLATIVE SC O R ECARD As Utah’s business leader, we stand as the voice of business, we support our members’ success and we champion community prosperity.
Dear Business Community, During the 2020 Utah Legislative Session, the Utah State Legislature was very supportive of the state’s economy and all those who benefit from economic opportunity. Although the current pandemic started to make its presence known in Utah on the last two days of the session, the work that our Legislature completed should not be lost. As we emerge from this current crisis, these policies will help us recover and have a long-lasting and positive effect on our economy. The 2020 Session ended with the largest increase for education funding in recent history, a widely celebrated solution to Utah’s immediate tax issues, as well as significant strides in rural economic development, transportation, electric vehicle infrastructure, housing, and workforce development. Governor Herbert, President Adams, and Speaker Wilson worked to leverage the strong economic position Utah was in at the beginning of the year and to provide the tools to make our economy even stronger in the future. We express our respect and gratitude to them. Each of the Chamber’s Legislative Business Champions played an important role in this success. Many of these celebrated wins, including the record funding increase for education and support for housing, were out of fiscal necessity amended and dialed back during the recent special sessions. Ensuring that the current setbacks are only temporary is our current challenge. Although our economic position and unemployment rate have been threatened in a way that none of us could have foreseen just a few months ago, Utah has pulled together. Our state leaders have made careful decisions and worked closely with the business community to ensure that we will emerge from this crisis stronger than we entered it. The 2020 Legislative Session is not over. The important work of the Legislature has continued through a series of special sessions and we will see several more. The decisions made during these special sessions are critical to ensuring our economic recovery — they will be among the most important policy decisions our Legislature will ever make. The voice of the business community and the work of our Legislative Business Champions is more important than ever as pressing questions, challenges, and issues loom on the horizon. We look forward to working closely with each of you as we return Utah to its position as the best state to do business! Sincerely,
Derek Miller President and CEO Salt Lake Chamber
Linda Wardell 2019-2020 Board Chair Salt Lake Chamber
KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
BUSINESS CLIMATE, TAXES, ECONOMIC AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT CHAMPIONS: SB 95, Economic Development Amendments Effective economic development programs are crucial for rural Utah SJR 9, Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution - Use of Tax Revenue: Allocation of tax revenue is crucial to sustaining Utah’s budget and government
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CHAMPIONS: SB 39, Affordable Housing Amendments Preservation of valuable existing housing ensures our Housing Gap will not increase
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE CHAMPIONS: HB 259, Electric Vehicle Charging Network Planning is vital to develop an effective electric vehicle charging infrastructure HB 396, Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Amendments Creation of an electric vehicle charging infrastructure ensures transportation options and enhances business opportunities SB 150, Transportation Funding and Governance Amendments Careful use and planning of transportation and housing projects helps meet Utah’s growth needs and challenges
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES CHAMPIONS: SB 26, Water Banking Amendments Water utilization maximizes this limited and essential resource SB 51, Secondary Water Requirements Careful use and preservation of Utah’s water resources ensures Utah’s future
EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE CHAMPIONS: HB 68, Apprenticeship and Work-based Learning Amendments Aligning education with workforce needs is critical to meet the demands of a growing economy HB 99, Enhanced Kindergarten Amendments Early education improves education outcomes and produces a highly skilled workforce HB 357, Public Education Funding Stabilization Meeting the funding needs of our school system ensures student outcomes, helps maintain quality teachers, and produces graduates that can participate in a global economy
SALT LAKE CHAMBER
PRIORITY VOTES 510 244 15 11 71 9 BILLS PASSED DURING THE SESSION
BILLS TRACKED BY THE CHAMBER
PRIORITY BILLS
PRIORITY BILLS PASSED
SUPPORTED BILLS
OPPOSED BILLS
During the legislative session, the Salt Lake Chamber Board of Directors designates top priorities of the business community to be considered as " P r i o r i t y Vo t e s . "
SUCCESSFUL PRIORITY BILLS HB 68
Apprenticeship and Work-based Learning Amendments
HB 99
Enhanced Kindergarten Amendments
SPONSORED BY Representative Gibson Representative Snow
HB 259 Electric Vehicle Charging Network
Representative Spendlove
HB 357 Public Education Funding Stabilization
Representative Spendlove
HB 396 Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Amendments
Representative Snow
SB 26
Water Banking Amendments
SB 39
Affordable Housing Amendments
Senator Anderegg
SB 51
Secondary Water Requirements
Senator Anderegg
SB 95
Economic Development Amendments
Senator Sandall
Transportation Governance and Funding Amendments
Senator Harper
Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution - Use of Tax Revenue
Senator McCay
SB 150 SJR 9
PRIORITY BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS HB 158 Data Privacy Amendments** Representative Roberts HB 299 Opportunity Zone Enhancements** Representative Winder HJR 13 Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution - State Board of Education** Representative Ballard SB 69 Tax Credit for Educator Expenses** Representative Anderegg
SALT LAKE CHAMBER’S OPPOSED BILLS HB 131 Rent Control Jurisdiction Amendments 4 Sub HB 272 Pharmacy Benefits Amendments** 2 Sub HB 356 Railroad Amendments** HJR 19 356 Joint Resolution Censuring Utah Senator Mitt Romney SB 91 Election Process Amendments SB 233 Post-Employment Restrictions Amendments SB 243 Modern Communications Decency Act SB 249 Consumer Privacy Act SJR 8 Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution- Judiciary Selection Amendments
Senator Iwamoto
BUSINESS CHAMPIONS
The Legislature plays a key role in preserving Utah’s pro-business climate, and every year the Salt Lake Chamber honors legislators who support a pro-economy and pro-business agenda with the title of “Business Champion.” The designation of Business Champion is directly tied to a legislator’s voting record on Salt Lake Chamber “Priority Votes.” Legislators received the award for supporting at least 80% of the Chamber’s priority bills. We recognize the 2020 Business Champions representing well more than 90% of the Legislature.
House
Senate
65/75 (86.7%)
Speaker Brad Wilson Representative Cheryl Acton Representative Carl Albrecht Representative Kyle R. Andersen Representative Patrice Arent Representative Melissa Garff Ballard Representative Stewart Barlow Representative Brady Brammer Representative Joel Briscoe Representative Walt Brooks Representative Scott Chew Representative Steve Christiansen Representative Kay Christofferson Representative Jen Dailey-Provost Representative Susan Duckworth Representative James Dunnigan Representative Steve Eliason Representative Joel Ferry Representative Francis Gibson Representative Craig Hall Representative Stephen Handy Representative Suzanne Harrison Representative Timothy Hawkes Representative Jon Hawkins Representative Sandra Hollins Representative Eric Hutchings Representative Dan Johnson Representative Marsha Judkins Representative Brian King Representative Karen Kwan Representative Bradley Last Representative Karianne Lisonbee Representative Phil Lyman
29/29 (100%)
Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative Representative
Kelly Miles Carol Moss Jefferson Moss Calvin R. Musselman Merrill Nelson Derrin Owens Lee Perry Val Peterson Candice Pierucci Stephanie Pitcher Val Potter Marie Poulson Susan Pulsipher Paul Ray Angela Romero Douglas Sagers Mike Schultz Rex P. Shipp LaWanna "Lou" Shurtliff Lowry Snow Robert Spendlove Jeff Stenquist Andrew Stoddard Keven Stratton Norman Thurston Steve Waldrip Raymond Ward Christine Watkins Elizabeth Weight Mark Wheatley Logan Wilde Mike Winder
*Legislators are graded on their vote on the final passage of the bill excluding concurrence votes.
President Stuart Adams Senator Jake Anderegg Senator Curt Bramble Senator Gregg Buxton Senator Allen M. Christensen Senator Kirk A. Cullimore Jr. Senator Gene Davis Senator Luz Escamilla Senator Lincoln Fillmore Senator Keith Grover Senator Wayne A. Harper Senator Dan Hemmert Senator Deidre Henderson Senator Lyle W. Hillyard Senator David P. Hinkins Senator Don L. Ipson Senator Jani Iwamoto Senator Derek Lloyd Kitchen Senator Karen Mayne Senator Dan McCay Senator Ann Millner Senator Ralph Okerlund Senator Kathleen Riebe Senator Scott Sandall Senator Jerry Stevenson Senator Daniel Thatcher Senator Evan Vickers Senator Todd Weiler Senator Ronald Winterton
The Salt Lake Chamber is proud to present the 2020 “Legislator of the Year” award to Representative Lowry Snow. Representative Lowry Snow has represented House District 74 since 2012. Throughout that time, Representative Snow has been a champion for the business community and has shared our priorities. He has championed access to quality education for all of Utah’s youngest citizens from all backgrounds. He has led the efforts of juvenile justice reform in the state and has fought for and passed model legislation that has facilitated greater access to justice for all. He has led the Legislature’s bi-partisan Clean Air Caucus and passed significant legislation to improve Utah’s air quality. Representative Snow is an attorney and partner at Snow, Christensen, and Jensen, a past President of the Utah State Bar, the first Chair of the Utah Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, and serves a member of the Uniform Law Commission. Because of his professional experience, public service, and statesmanship, and integrity, Representative Snow is a leader in the House that his colleagues turn to and rely on. During the 2020 Legislative Session, Representative Snow sponsored two of the Chamber's Priority Vote bills: HB 99, Enhanced Kindergarten Amendments, which greatly expanded access to enhanced kindergarten across the state, and HB 396, Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Amendments, which will make it possible to build and establish reliable infrastructure for electric vehicles along Utah’s interstates, highways, and most visited areas. Representative Snow’s ability to think critically and collaboratively and share his vision to bring people along, make him an outstanding legislator. For these and many other reasons, the Salt Lake Chamber is proud to honor Representative Lowry Snow as the 2020 Legislator of the Year.
Special Recognition to our Housing Champions Senator Jacob Anderegg and Representative Val Potter. For the second year in a row, Senator Jake Anderegg and Representative Val Potter championed affordable housing in the 2020 Legislative Session by helping to further and establish policies to solve the housing shortage in our state. They sponsored and passed S.B. 39, Affordable Housing Amendments, which will help ensure that affordable housing is available for our workforce. The bill appropriated $10 million to the Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund to provide gap financing for private activity bond-financed multi-family housing and preservation funding for the construction of existing affordable housing and to leverage $20 million in private funding. While this is not the answer to Utah’s housing shortage it is one of many efforts that the Salt Lake Chamber supports to meet Utah’s housing needs. Passing this bill was a community effort and a massive undertaking. Thank you to these two champion legislators for their dedicated and sustained efforts to help address Utah’s Housing Gap.
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