Senate hijacks a school funding bill. Lawmakers not sure they’ll come to an agreement on Medicaid before the end of the session. The compromise measure over “Count My Vote” could come up for a vote Wednesday or Thursday.
Countdown:
- 8 days until the final day of the 2014 Legislature
- 9 days until the Utah candidate filing period opens
- 13 days until the Utah Democratic Party caucus meetingsThe 15 days until the Utah candidate filing period closes
- 15 days until the Utah GOP caucus meetings
- 52 days until the Utah State Republican and Democratic conventions
- 111 days until Utah’s 2014 primary elections
- 244 days to the 2014 midterm elections
- 607 days to the 2015 elections
- 672 days until the 2016 Iowa Caucuses
- 978 days to the 2016 presidential election
Today’s Utah political news highlights:
- The Senate hijacks a bill to equalize funding between school districts to fund Speaker Lockhart’s plan to increase technology use in classrooms. Lockhart says she was surprised by the move [Tribune].
- It’s not clear if lawmakers will be able to find an accord on Medicaid expansion before the end of the session, and Gov. Gary Herbert suggests it may take a special session to resolve the issue [Deseret News, Tribune].
- SB 54, the compromise measure between lawmakers and “Count My Vote” could be up for a vote in the House today [Daily Herald].
- “Count My Vote” organizers continue gathering signatures for their citizen’s initiative even while the compromise measure winds its way through the legislature [Deseret News].
- A House panel approves a measure to provide more money from gas taxes [Tribune].
- Lawmakers advance a bill to get rid of the so-called “Zion Curtain” [Tribune].
- The House passes a measure providing a tax incentive for the construction of a convention hotel in Salt Lake City [Deseret News, Tribune].
- Legislators push ahead with a measure authorizing the state to keep the national parks open if the federal government has another shut down [Daily Herald].
- A resolution supporting the relocation of the state prison sailed through the House on Tuesday [Tribune].
- A number of clean air measures move forward on the Hill [Tribune].
- The Senate unanimously approves a bill establishing more oversight of the USTAR program [Tribune].
- A new study says Utah has the highest rate of mental illness in the nation [KSL].
On this day in history:
- The Boston Massacre took place when British soldiers opened fire on colonists, killing five people in 1770.
- The Nazi party won 44% of the vote in German parliamentary elections in 1933. These were the last free elections in Germany until after World War II.
- Winston Churchill delivered his famous “Iron Curtain” speech, referring to the Soviet Union’s influence in Eastern Europe in 1946.
- Soviet leader Josef Stalin died in 1953.
- The nuclear non-proliferation treaty went into effect in 1970.
- Comedian John Belushi was found dead from a drug overdose at the age of 33 in 1982.
- Martha Stewart was convicted of obstructing justice and lying to the government in 2004.
