We know exactly what to do to engage in emergency. – Art Raymond

SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake Valley is prepared for a shutdown like Boston and Watertown, Mass. experienced Friday, should the need ever arise, state and local government officials say.

A massive manhunt lasting nearly 24 tense hours led to city-wide lockdowns Friday that brought the bustling Massachusetts cities to a screeching halt as law enforcement combing the area encountered explosives and engaged in multiple shootouts with two dangerous suspects, believed to have carried out bombings Monday at the Boston Marathon.

The hunt ended Friday night with one man dead and another in police custody.

"The thing you're dealing with in Boston is a worst case scenario," said Col. Keith Squires, deputy commissioner of Utah's Department of Public Safety. "(A lockdown in Utah) would take something to that level."

As the nation watched, city, county, state, airport and law enforcement officials in Utah offered assurance that the state is prepared to deal with all types of emergencies — from a natural disaster such as a major earthquake to a fugitive manhunt with significant risk to the population.

The decision to lock down would start within local jurisdictions, with law enforcement agencies like Salt Lake City or Unified Police identifying a threat and calling in the Department of Public Safety and other state and federal officers to support multi-agency efforts to close roads, transit and air travel, Squires said.

Each scenario would be unique, complex and difficult, Squires said, emphasizing there is currently no indication Utah could face such a threat.

Wade Watkins, deputy emergency manager for Salt Lake County, emphasized Friday that "There is a plan and it is in place," referring to the county's Emergency Operations Plan. The plan outlines a comprehensive response to all types of disasters.

Terri Fritz, special operations deputy chief of the Salt Lake Police Department, said his department would work with transportation agencies and could shut down roads, close on- and off-ramps, shut down TRAX service and FrontRunner, and even halt taxi services.

"We don’t anticipate that happening, but we’re absolutely prepared for it," Fritz said.

A lockdown could also include a suspension of airport activity, as it did in Boston.

Salt Lake City International Airport spokeswoman Barbara Gann said in such a scenario, the airport would work with the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and the FBI to quickly suspend all operations.

"We have the capability should the scenario dictate it," she said.

Ultimately, all such preparedness comes down to relationships, said Joe Dougherty, public information officer for the Utah Department of Public Safety.

"Utah spends a very important amount of time building relationships at all levels of government," he said. "We are involving the whole community when planning for emergencies."

In the case of a major emergency requiring a lockdown like Boston experienced, the response would start at the city level. As soon as a city would need more resources, county, state, and federal officials could be brought in to assist.

Emergencies rarely stay within one jurisdiction or cause just a single type of problem, Watkins said. That's why Salt Lake County takes an "all hazard" approach, or has a plan adaptable to any type of disaster anywhere in the valley.

Salt Lake City is on the same page, said city spokesman Art Raymond.

"It would never be the case that Salt Lake City would be on its own, just in the same way as the city of Boston is not on its own for its shelter in-place," he said. "Law enforcement, other government agencies, the transit authority — all of those folks would be talking."

Raymond said that in order to ensure that the city is emergency-ready, agencies and employees regularly drill for emergency situations of all magnitudes.

"We know exactly what to do to engage in emergency," Raymond said. "We do have very specific mechanisms in place to work with law enforcement agencies, state representatives of (the Department of Homeland Security), and county and state government."

And that training does not stop at the city level.

According to Dougherty, all levels of government in the state of Utah are trained in emergency-readiness through the the National Incident Management System. Federal grant money is tied to this training to ensure that states are disaster-ready.

"The state has full confidence in Salt Lake City to manage anything that happens, but we would be ready to jump in and help with whatever is needed," Dougherty said.

Contributing: Peter Samore

Email: mmellor@deseretnews.com

Twitter: marygmellor

Friday was the last day for the Legislature to vote whether to hold a special session, and both houses had to obtain a constitutional two-thirds majority. The vote was 41-33-1 in the House and 13-16 in the Senate.

Speaker of the House Becky Lockhart, R-Provo, said there were various reasons why legislators may have voted against convening a session, including the estimated $30,000 it would have cost to hold it.

"We knew going into the poll that it was going to be close. It appears more people than were anticipated changed their vote," Lockhart said.

The bill would have allowed Utahns to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.

When things have been difficult for you and you're struggling out there, sometimes you can think nobody cares. But now I'm basically off the streets and have a foundation to build up on again — I have a home base I can come to. – Herbert Lilly, one of the new VA facility residents

SALT LAKE CITY — Ten homeless veterans moved into their new home this week with the grand opening of the Valor House on the Veterans Medical Center campus.

“When I came in, I was met with kindness, warmth, a courteous attitude and a feeling of concern,” said Herbert Lilly, one of the new residents. “I felt comfortable being here and am able to get a new start.”

Valor House, a joint venture between the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City and the VA, provides transitional housing, clinical treatment and educational opportunities to homeless veterans of all ages, and is the first joint project of its kind in the country.

From the time it opened its doors Wednesday, the state-of-the-art, LEED certified 72-unit home has already welcomed 10 veterans.

“We found out we could open our doors at 10 a.m., and by 1 p.m. we were moving our first veterans in,” said Jeanette Hurst, senior property manager of the Valor House.

Lilly, who served in the United States Marine Corps, said he has been anticipating this week ever since construction began.

“When things have been difficult for you and you’re struggling out there, sometimes you can think nobody cares,” Lilly said. “But now I’m basically off the streets and have a foundation to build up on again — I have a home base I can come to.”

“If all you’re trying to do is survive, if that’s all you’re focused on, it’s hard to think about anything else,” said Diana Robinson, director of homeless programs at the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City. “Getting them in a place of comfort, safety and warmth is our goal.”

The facility provides a fully furnished private bedroom, bathroom, refrigerator and pantry to each veteran, with a community kitchen and living space on each wing. Additionally, the facility has a library, industrial kitchen, Wii room, community room and patio.

Each resident is required to pay 30 percent of their monthly income to cover rent, although no eligible veteran will be turned away if they are unemployed.

“A lot of the facilities for the homeless are in rundown areas,” Robinson said. “Coming in here and seeing this facility is such an eye opening experience.”

The building cost $5.4 million to build, through a combination of local, state, and federal funds, private donations and grants. Additionally, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated all of the furniture.

Tim Carr, the clinical coordinator and lead clinician at Valor House, emphasized that the facility is more than just a place to live.

“We’re addressing mental health issues, substance abuse issues, and increasing skill level and income,” Carr said.

The facility has four licensed clinicians on staff providing individual therapy and group programming, but also helps the residents re-enroll in college, find jobs, and learn about nutrition and financial literacy.

Darrell Stage, an Army veteran and computer support specialist, said that after successfully completing the intense First Step House rehabilitation program for alcoholism, he was looking for a place to settle down for a while.

On Wednesday, Valor House called him to tell to come pick up his keys.

“I got a voice mail saying, ‘Hey, come on up! We’re ready for you,’” Stage said. “It’s wonderful, absolutely wonderful.”

Stage, who is currently enrolled in Salt Lake Community College to get his A+ certification in computer support, said he feels like the Valor House is a “reboot.”

“It’s first class,” Stage said. “It’s a home (that gives me) the opportunity to go to school or learn a new trade, or just to sit back and take a breath.”

Valor House is seeking donations of DVDs, Wii games, and welcoming baskets, with things like toiletries, towels and slippers for its incoming residents.

Homeless veterans can visit the Road Home Shelter, haslcutah.org or call 801-764-5561, ext. 6301 for supportive services.

E-mail: mmellor@deseretnews.com

As businesses move into the valley, we are seeing a bigger emphasis on cyber security, particularly spurred by the new (National Security Agency data center in Bluffdale). – Matthew Might

SALT LAKE CITY — When it comes to cybersecurity, University of Utah computing professor Matthew Might says it simply does not exist — yet.

"However bad you think things are, they're worse than that," Might said, addressing a room full of business leaders Thursday at the 2013 Governor's Utah Economic Summit.

Still, Utah is doing better that many other states, Might said.

"As businesses move into the valley, we are seeing a bigger emphasis on cyber security, particularly spurred by the new (National Security Agency data center in Bluffdale)," Might said. "The NSA data center is a whole new scale."

But a larger emphasis on cybersecurity does not just mean a safer Utah. It also means jobs.

"The federal government is giving money to the U.'s programming department to develop jobs to fill the NSA building," Might said.

The University of Utah is one of the first universities in the nation to train its programmers in cyber security, he said.

The NSA is not the only entity hiring cybersecurity experts.

With the influx of companies relocating to the Salt Lake Valley, Jennifer Smith, executive vice president and director of corporate bank operations at Zions Bancorp, said it is becoming very competitive to hire experts.

"What we have seen is an increasingly difficult recruiting market," Smith said. "It is a very hot market, and the demand is increasing."

But while the government and businesses are doing their part to make Utah more secure, there are measures consumers can take to protect their own information.

Smith said Zions warns its customers to be very clear with whom they are providing their information or transacting business online.

She also warns consumers to never open an email from someone they do not know, to shred confidential documents, and to have complex passwords.

Might suggested that consumers choose unique passwords and have a different password for each of their accounts.

"If you have anything remotely resembling a common password, people know it," he said.

Might said it is crucial to stay up to date with update patches for their software, install antiviral and anti-intrusion software, and ensure that their personal data is properly encrypted.

He also warns consumers to watch for common scams, where criminals call pretending to be their company's IT department and ask for their username and password, or where criminals install fake card readers and fake keypads on ATMs, gathering their credit card information.

Might's final suggestion, somewhat in jest, is to pray.

"In some sense, there's really not a whole lot we can do with what we have right now," he said.

Though it likely will take years — even generations — to attain true cybersecurity, Might said that's what he's striving for.

"I want to eliminate the final component," he says. "I want to take the prayer component out of cybersecurity."

E-mail: mmellor@deseretnews.com

All of this effort is going to be in the interest of developing a positive business environment for the businesses that should be there and a negative business environment for the ones that shouldn't. – Bill Knowles, Downtown Rising

SALT LAKE CITY — As the new TRAX line to Salt Lake City International Airport prepares to open this month, the small businesses that call North Temple home are excited about potential new business.

"Hopefully, it will drive business to North Temple because that's what we want," said Lucy Cardenas, who owns the Red Iguana with her husband, Bill Coker.

Cardenas said she hopes to attract new customers from travelers looking for a place to eat during airport layovers. Some people already find their way to the restaurant at 736 W. North Temple during long layovers, she said, but access along the light-rail line will make it much easier.

"I'm hoping that people will say, 'Hey, let's take the train down to Red Iguana. It's quick,'" Cardenas said.

Since construction on the new TRAX line began in 2010, businesses along North Temple have suffered. The Red Iguana has fared better than others, Cardenas said, but there were some tough times.

"The hardest thing about the whole experience was the bridge coming down," she said. "We definitely saw an impact there."

David Tram, manager of Pipa, an Asian small-plates restaurant just off North Temple at 118 N. 900 West, said business has been hit and miss since opening in the midst of the construction in 2011.

"We hope to have a more stable customer base when the TRAX line opens," Tram said. "Hopefully, everything's more stable."

Bill Knowles, ombudsman for Downtown Rising, said the construction, paired with the recession, had an undeniable impact on businesses along North Temple.

"Not one of them will tell you it wasn't painful," Knowles said. "But I will say that with one possible exception, they all made it through."

The $350 million investment along North Temple already is having a positive impact on businesses, he said. In addition to the TRAX line, the investment included $40 million spent by Salt Lake City on wider streets, wider sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, new streetlights and improved landscaping.

"Property values are going up, business will be stronger, and the street is more attractive," Knowles said.

Another positive effect of the project, he said, is the mitigation of the illegal drug, prostitution and gang activity that has had a presence in the area for years.

"All of this effort is going to be in the interest of developing a positive business environment for the businesses that should be there and a negative business environment for the ones that shouldn't," Knowles said.

Utah Transit Authority spokesman Steve Allnatt said the new TRAX line initially is expected to serve 4,600 riders per day Monday-Friday. By 2030, UTA estimates, there will be 14,000 daily passengers.

"I think it's very conservative and will grow substantially over the next four or five years," Knowles said.

The airport TRAX line will not be part of UTA's free fare zone, even though officials estimate it would result in five times the ridership. UTA simply cannot afford it, Knowles said.

"The drivers have to get paid, and trains have to get maintained," he said.

When the new line opens, a ride to the airport will cost $2.50. But Knowles said UTA is working on developing a distance-based fare.

The Salt Lake Chamber has also been involved with the project dating back to 2006 when it backed a ballot measure in Salt Lake County to raise sales tax by a quarter-cent to fund transportation, with the majority of the money going to transit projects.

"Major metropolitan areas have trains that connect their airports to their cities," said Marty Carpenter, executive vice president of communication for the chamber.

Carpenter said the project will have a large economic impact, particularly for the businesses along North Temple.

"This provides a solid connection to that part of our city from downtown and essentially brings North Temple back into the fold."

Grand opening festivities for the new line are planned from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at all stations along the line except Arena. The community celebrations will feature music, food and activities.

The celebrations will showcase several North Temple businesses, including Red Iguana, Mestizo Coffeehouse, Pipa, Leatherby's Family Creamery and Diamond Lil's.

At 2 p.m., a grand opening celebration is planned at the North Temple Bridge Station, featuring Gov. Gary Herbert, members of Utah's congressional delegation and other local officials.

In addition, the donation of a can of food will allow people to ride the new line anywhere between the Arena and Airport stations from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. All food donations will benefit the Utah Food Bank.

The airport TRAX line will begin regular service Sunday, April 14, on UTA's Green Line, offering service between West Valley City and Salt Lake City International Airport.

E-mail: mmellor@deseretnews.com

Ninety percent of the animals that are brought in to us are here because of human impact. If humans are going to cause this harm, we need to make sure we have a place to fix it. – DaLyn Erickson

OGDEN — Three of the six beavers harmed in last week's Willard Bay fuel spill are making progress and are expected to fully recover.

“We are hopeful that in the next month the three will be released into the wild,” said DaLyn Erickson, the executive director of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah. “They will have to be released somewhere else but we are confident that together they will be OK.”

But a mother beaver and two of her babies who were rescued later than the others are still struggling. While the mom is expected to survive, the fate of her kits is up in the air.

“The younger two are having some internal problems and their undercoat is literally coming out by the handfuls,” Erickson said. “They had some pretty severe burns and we’ve got some skin irritation and infection pockets, so we are dealing with that.”

Still, Erickson says the staff and veterinarians are hopeful that the babies will survive.

She said that the cost of taking care of the beavers has put a strain on the center’s normal operations, including the care and rehabilitation of its 150 other animal residents.

While Chevron has written an initial check of $10,000 to the center to cover the estimated costs of taking care of the beavers, and pledged to cover the lost contributions from the center’s canceled annual fundraiser, the center is still struggling.

But when asked if it was worth it to dedicate so many resources to these six beavers, Erickson was quick to answer.

“This is what we do. This is why we’re here,” she said. “Ninety percent of the animals that are brought in to us are here because of human impact. If humans are going to cause this harm, we need to make sure we have a place to fix it.”

Should it become clear that the two baby beavers are not going to live, however, she said the center will euthanize them, so as not to prolong their suffering and waste precious resources.

Jay Holcomb, executive director of the International Bird Rescue, said those questions are the same that his organization weighs in determining how to use resources in the face of low, unknown, or unquantifiable survival rates.

“You need to ensure that your time and your resources are being put towards the ones who have a chance,” Holcomb said. “If you can help these animals, great. If not, be smart about it.”

All of the beavers are receiving heavy doses of antibiotics and several hour-long baths each per day. Community members have also come through to provide the beavers with clippings from their favorite trees.

“It’s the community that is pulling us through,” Erickson said.

The center is also looking to the community to submit names for the three healthiest beavers, because “we’re feeling good enough about their outcome,” she said.

E-mail: mmellor@deseretnews.com

We just had our 20-year reunion and saw how run-down the building was and how the school needed an update. I am super emotional about it, but really excited, too. – Shannon Quinn Jensen, 1991 graduate

HOLLADY — While students in the Granite School District are enjoying spring break next week, Olympus High School staff will be busy making a big move next door.

On April 8 the New Olympus High School campus will open its doors to its 1,700-member student body, starting a new era in Titan history.

“This demonstrates the ongoing commitment to our communities to provide the educational environment that meets the needs of the 21st-century student,” Ben Horsley, spokesman for Granite District, said.

In 2009, voters approved a $256 million bond to rebuild Olympus and Granger high schools, the two oldest schools in Granite School District. Both schools were built in the early 1950s and were not earthquake-resistant.

The cost of retrofitting the buildings was comparable to building new schools, Horsley said.

“The old building was not fit to facilitate modern technology, which is necessary for the 21st century classroom,” Horsley said.

In addition to its high-tech features, the new building is also environmentally friendly, fitted with cost-saving LED lighting and expanded access to natural light, which can enhance student learning.

The new facility will operate near its 1,800-student capacity, Horsley said.

Students were excited to visit their new school for the first time last week at an open house, where they received their schedules and had a chance to find their new classrooms.

“Everyone thinks it’s the coolest thing ever,” sophomore Shelbi Barton said. “It’s very exciting and a lot of us are very proud to get to move into the new building.”

Alumni, too, are excited about the new building.

Shannon Quinn Jensen, a 1991 graduate of Olympus High School who was cheerleader and yearbook staff member, said she was excited about the future of the school and disappointed she could not make it to the open house.

“We just had our 20-year reunion and saw how run-down the building was and how the school needed an update,” Jensen said. “I am super emotional about it, but really excited, too.”

E-mail: mmellor@deseretnews.com

“We have a system in place in Utah that serves us very well,” Herbert said. “I just decided it was not good policy to change, and so I vetoed the bill.”

The bill passed both the House and Senate with a slim, two-thirds majority, enough to over-ride the veto if lawmakers choose to do so.

Herbert said his decision was supported by much of the law enforcement community, which encouraged him to veto the bill.

But the governor said that while he, too, was passionate about Second Amendment rights, Utah needs gun policy that "sends a message that we have a quality of life that is sophisticated, and that we're not the wild and woolly West."

Ultimately, he stressed that the current law sufficiently meets that need.

“As I said before, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it," Herbert said.

For the Legislature to convene in an override session, the Utah Constitution requires that a poll be taken of both the House and the Senate, with two-thirds of all members consenting.

House Speaker Becky Lockhart, R-Provo, said that it was too soon Friday to know whether there would be enough votes for a special override session.

"It's just so early right now, it's hard to make a determination," she said.

Lockhart was not surprised by the governor's decision and said the Legislature will take its time to decide whether to attempt an override.

"I'm going to encourage all members to be very thoughtful and very methodical with their vote," Lockhart said. "It's a very sensitive and a very serious issue."

The poll will likely be conducted after April 3, which is the last day for the governor to take action on bills. If two-thirds of legislators want to hold an override session, they must convene before May 13.

Senate sponsor Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, said he is not optimistic that an override session will happen.

"We had a veto proof majority from both houses, but I'm afraid some of those votes will fade away under the pressure of the governor," Christensen said.

Herbert said it is the prerogative of the Legislature to try to override his veto.

“We’ll see what happens,” the governor said. “They have a role to play, I have a role to play, and I played my role today when I vetoed this bill.”

He said he was not offended by those in his own party who disagree with his decision, but he is concerned about the divisive nature of the issue.

"We have part of our public that likes the bill and part that doesn't," Herbert said. "I don't like the fact that it divides our state."

Herbert's office received hundreds of calls both for and against the bill throughout the final weeks of the session, a spokesman for the governor said.

During the two weeks before the bill passed both houses, the governor's office received 647 calls in support of the bill and only 98 calls against it. But once the bill passed the Senate the following week, the governor received 323 calls in favor of the bill and 973 calls against it.

The governor also found support for a veto from the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, the Most Rev. John C. Wester, who said he was being vocal about the issue because it "affects the sanctity of human life."

"I'm very grateful to the governor, who acted responsibly and has shown great prudence," Bishop Wester said Friday. "I think his decision represents the majority of Utahns who feel that HB76 is a threat to public safety."

The governor has faced opposition from gun rights activists, who say that the bill is misunderstood.

Clark Aposhian, chairman of the Utah Shooting Sports Council and Utah's chief gun lobbyist, said the council was disappointed with the veto, which they felt "was a small legislative step, but a bigger step toward self defense in the state."

"There are at times public misconceptions or misinterpretations about legislation," Aposhian said. "I think that if the public fully understood that this was a very, very tiny step from what we can do right now, their support would be swayed."

Rep. Curt Oda, R-Clearfield, said that it's not just the public who misunderstands the bill, but the governor and his staff, as well.

Oda said the bill simply allows those who can legally carry a gun to put a jacket on over their firearm.

"It's not gun control, it's jacket control," Oda said. "He's creating inadvertent criminals of law abiding citizens."

Oda said the bill had overwhelming support from pro-gun organizations like the National Rifle Association, the Gun Owners of America, and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

E-mail: mmellor@deseretnews.com

SB267, sponsored Rep. Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville, passed the Senate on Monday but failed in the House with a 35-39 vote.

"We are losing millions and millions of dollars a year and thousands of jobs because we do not have a convention space adequate enough," Wilson said. "The expectation is that this hotel should generate $600 million over the next couple of decades."

The bill would have implemented a 20-year, post-performance property tax for the developers of the hotel, similar to the rebate given to companies such as Adobe that have relocated and invested in the state.

"The way the bill is structured, there is no up-front expenditure of taxpayer dollars," said Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, who backed the bill. "This is a significant upside for tourism and economic development in Utah."

McAdams said dozens of other cities have built hotels under similar plans, and Salt Lake City is losing dozens of convention bids every year without a major convention hotel property.

The bill received support from representatives on both sides of the aisle who said it would be good for the economic growth of the entire state.

"If we don't participate in the future of our state, then we're willing to settle for the status quo," said House Majority Leader Brad Dee, R-Ogden.

Rep. Patrice Arent, D-Millcreek, said from her experience helping to run a small hotel in southern Utah, the bill would be good for businesses across the state.

"I know when a major convention hits Salt Lake, it has a major impact on our business," Arent said.

But many representatives expressed their concerns about the bill, particularly about the impact on existing downtown hotels.

"This is a classic example of government picking winners and losers," said Rep. Brian Greene, R-Pleasant Grove, "and the losers are the ones who have been here for decades."

Rep. Jacob Anderegg, R-Orem, echoed Greene's concerns.

"You're hanging out all of the people who have already invested," Anderegg said. "It's bad policy, and we should not be in the business."

E-mail: mmellor@deseretnews.com

“If we’re going to make a quantum leap in air quality, it’s not free,” said bill sponsor Rep. Jack Draxler, R-North Logan.

Draxler said it is premature to know whether there will be an rate increase for Questar customers.

“If there was a rate increase,” he said, “it would be extremely minimal, and I’m talking about 12 cents a month.”

Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper, proposed an amendment to lift the $5 million annual cap, saying the state needs to let Questar “look at what is the appropriate amount to spend in a fiscal year.” The amendment failed.

Representatives on both sides of the aisle echoed the concerns of Rep. James Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville, who said the amendment would give the gas company a blank check to spend whatever it wanted without any criteria.

Because the bill was amended in the House, it now returns to the Senate.

— Mary Mellor

The bill provides a tax break to individuals and corporations for lesser polluting vehicles such as electric and hybrid cars and vehicles retrofitted to burn natural gas.

HB96, sponsored by Rep. Jack Draxler, R-North Logan, was one of the only bills this session targeted at cleaning up air pollution.

The Senate amended the bill to only extend the tax credit through the end of 2014, as opposed to 2019, as it was originally proposed.

The bill passed the House with a 59-12 vote and now goes to Gov. Gary Herbert for his consideration.

— Mary Mellor

"Outdoor wood boilers are so clean and efficient the federal government gives renewable energy tax credits for purchasing them,” said Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, sponsor of HB394.

The bill is a response to a Division of Air Quality policy that prohibits future sales of the boilers to minimize emissions.

Rep. Joel Briscoe, D-Salt Lake City, said the division proposed the policy for a reason.

“The bottom line is we're out of compliance,” Briscoe said.

The bill passed with a 52-12 vote and will now head to the Senate.

— Mary Mellor

HB408 is a response to an operation where individuals running certain websites obtain hundreds of mug shots from sheriff's offices through open records requests, publish them, then charge exorbitant fees to have them removed.

Oftentimes a person will pay several websites to have their mug shots removed.

House sponsor Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, said the operations are a huge concern to sheriff's offices and the Utah Department of Corrections.

In committee last week, Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder testified that his office has lost hundreds of thousands of photographs to this type of operation, which is currently legal. The bill passed with a 73-0 vote and will head to the Senate for consideration.

— Mary Mellor

"We're not telling the federal government what to do," HB317 sponsor Rep. Jacob Anderegg, R-Orem, said. "We're just saying we're going to protect our citizens' information."

Anderegg said the bill does not inhibit the criminal background check process or interfere with the ability of law enforcement officers to do their job.

Rep. Curt Oda, R-Clearfield, moved to amend the bill to expand its protection to local and state government employees from having to divulge if they are a concealed permit holder.

"This helps us to protect ourselves from criminals who want to harm us and people who might want to inhibit our rights to possess and carry arms," Anderegg said.

The bill passed as amended with a 62-9 vote and will now go to the Senate.

E-mail: mmellor@deseretnews.com

The bill has the support of the Utah Attorney General's Office because it provides greater protection of children who are subjected to sex acts, smuggling and trafficking.

Maddie Palmer, a student at Cottonwood High School, testified for the bill as a representative of Backyard Broadcast, a youth network dedicated to spreading awareness about child trafficking.

"One-hundred thousand children are trafficked every year,” she said, addressing to the nationwide problem.

Bill sponsor Rep. Jennifer Seelig, D-Salt Lake City, said the bill received widespread support from legal and law enforcement groups. The bill passed the committee unanimously and will goes to the full House.

— Mary Mellor

"I can't emphasize the volume we have seen and the tragedy of this," Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder told House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee, testifying in favor of HB408. "We estimate that the Salt Lake County Sheriff's office has lost 300,000 to 500,000 photographs."

Winder said his office became aware of the scam when people came in "extremely upset," complaining that their mug shot had popped up online with a message requesting $500 or more to remove it.

After they paid the fee, the photo was never removed.

Currently, the practice is legal. By requiring a signed statement that the photo will not be used in a printed or online publication that requires payment for removal, the bill allows law enforcement to prosecute perpetrators.

The sheriff's office has taken Salt Lake County Jail photos offline to make them more difficult to access, but because they are public record, they are subject to the Government Records Access and Management Act.

Winder said people have been requesting hundreds of photos at a time.

Bill sponsor Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, said the proposed legislation is designed to target such batch requests that are "clearly evidence of inappropriate purpose."

"We're not going to stop it," Winder said of the practice. "What we can do is slow it and begin to mitigate it."

— Mary Mellor

On Tuesday, the Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee passed SB267, which establishes a tax credit for the proposed hotel.

Many community members testified to the enormous economic impact the hotel could have on the city and state.

"Last year, we lost future conventions that would have brought 150,000 people, created $140 million and supported 5,000 jobs,” said Carlene Walker, executive committee member of Visit Salt Lake.

Bill sponsor and Senate Majority Whip Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said the hotel would give more validity to the convention center.

"I think it may be a win-win as long as we don't misuse the public money and use private money for the hotel," Adams said.

Under the proposal, a private developer would finance the construction of the convention center hotel, while public funds would be used to purchase the land for the property and to build a parking structure, costing taxpayers $99.5 million up front.

The projected public investment would be paid back in 7½ years and would yield a 14.6 percent return on the investment, according to Jeff Sachs, of Strategic Advisory Group, the consultant hired by Salt Lake County to assess the economic impact of the project.

Once built, the hotel would receive a 20-year sales tax rebate from the state, contingent upon its success.

But some lawmakers and local business leaders say the plan would create an uneven playing field. Clint Ensign of Sinclair Industries, representing the Grand and Little America hotels, said Grand America could not compete with the convention hotel if it received the proposed $20,000 per day tax subsidy.

Gov. Gary Herbert said he'll look at the proposal for a convention hotel but isn't convinced government needs to be involved in the project.

"I'm a free market guy," Herbert told reporters during a media availability Tuesday. "I'm a little concerned about subsidizing one entity against the private sector and others who are not getting help from government. It doesn't seem fair."

The governor said if there really is a need for a convention hotel, "somebody in the private sector will step forward and fill it."

Herbert said he's heard concerns that the proposal would mean taxpayers off the Wasatch Front would end up subsidizing "what is just a downtown Salt Lake event, where there's going to be minimal benefit to them in the rural parts of the state. Is this the right way to utilize taxpayer dollars?"

House Speaker Becky Lockhart, R-Provo, also raised questions about the proposal.

"As it's been explained to me, this is how other cities do it," Lockhart said. "Just because everyone else is going it, doesn’t mean we need to. I'm still in the evaluation stage of this proposal and am not convinced taxpayer dollars need to be spent."

The committee amended the bill, getting rid of a required minimum number of rooms for the hotel.

Although committee members expressed concerns over the bill, it passed with a 6-1 vote and will now head to the Senate floor.

Contributing: Lisa Riley Roche

E-mail: mmellor@deseretnews.com

SB39 requires that the State Board of Education provide an online curriculum for parents on health and sexual education and notify parents that the information is available.

Bill sponsor Sen. Stuart Reid, R-Ogden, said the bill encourages parents to communicate with their children and helps them overcome any shyness, nervousness or awkwardness involved with the topic of sex education.

Gayle Ruzicka, president of the Utah Eagle Forum, said the conservative group supports the bill because it involves and empowers parents in the education of their children.

There was some debate about the language of the bill after state Superintendent Martell Menlove said he opposed the bill based on the cost to notify parents.

But Reid said there would be no cost tied to the bill because schools could notify parents in their annual mailer or online. The committee gave the bill a favorable recommendation by an 8-1 vote.

E-mail: mmellor@deseretnews.com

The bill requires the State Charter School Board to request applications to establish innovative charter schools, such as a military charter school, a charter school for students at risk of academic failure, and a charter school focused on career and technical education.

Bill sponsor Rep. David Lifferth, R-Eagle Mountain, said the goal is to get charter school applicants to think outside the box and that the list of new charter schools is not inclusive.

“We've gotten pretty good at cookie-cutter charter schools that are just like public schools,” Lifferth said. “Charter schools should be laboratories of innovation.”

E-mail: mmellor@deseretnews.com

Under HB154, the two offices will work together to implement suicide prevention programs both in schools and statewide.

“The bottom line is prevention works,” said bill sponsor Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy. “We don’t have one person in the state dedicated to this very preventable cause of death.”

Eliason said he sponsored the bill in response to Utah’s alarming suicide rate. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for Utah's youths, and two children ages 10-17 are treated each day for suicide attempts, according to the Utah Department of Health.

Rep. Jim Nielson, R-Bountiful, questioned whether the Legislature had the constitutional authority to create such a position.

But several representatives from both parties spoke in support of the bill, including Rep. Gage Froerer, R-Huntsville, who said that if one life is saved by having a suicide prevention coordinator, it will be a success.

The bill, which passed the House by a 67-2 vote, now goes to the Senate.

— Mary Mellor