Action taken this morning by the Utah Legislature
A bill to require parental consent for minors to use tanning beds was approved by the House Business and Labor Committee. The vote to move SB52 to the House floor came after an unsuccessful attempt to gut parental consent from the bill and leave only the requirement that businesses post a warning about potential increased risk of skin cancer. Sponsor Sen. Pat Jones, D-Salt Lake, said, "There are clear indications the uv rays in tanning beds are more dangerous than if children lay out under sun."
A House committee opted not to vote on a measure that would require companies contracting with the state use a federal system to verify the immigration status and work eligibility of their new hires. Rep. Michael Morely, R-Spanish Fork, expressed concern that HB127 could mean that a general contractor would be required to make sure all subcontractors also participate. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, said he'll review the measure and bring it back to the House Business and Labor Committee.
A bill that would that make suspending a driver's license the penalty in certain cases of nonpayment of child support passed the Senate Judiciary, Criminal Justice, and Law Enforcement Committee by a 3-2 vote. HB15, sponsored by Rep. Julie Fisher, R-Fruit Heights, met resistance from Sen. Jon Greiner, R-Ogden, who said the bill would be an unfunded mandate for communities and Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Lehi, who said he wanted more parity between enforcing child support payments and enforcing visitation rights.
A Senate committee approved a measure to legally define when Utah women can use midwives to deliver their babies at home. SB243, sponsored by Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, clarifies a law passed two years ago to allow for state licensure of direct-entry midwives. The bill was vocally opposed Thursday by midwives and parents, who brought their babies to Capitol Hill to lobby against the measure.