Dear Neighbors,
It has been a short ten days since the session ended and we put the work of the Legislature in the rear view mirror – or so I thought. Serving as your representative was an extraordinary experience. The Legislature tackled some important issues and I feel many were handled exceptionally well. In particular, I’m proud of the work we did on the budget and funding education. I’m also pleased we were able to tackle Medicaid reform, saving the state close to 1 billion dollars over the next decade. Our community will benefit with the passage of a bill funding an additional building at the Davis Campus of Weber State. I met with Governor Herbert today to encourage him to sign the bill authorizing its funding and I’m confident he will do the right thing. Here is a quick update on some other items you may be interested.
GRAMA REVISITED…
This morning the House Republican Caucus met and made a decision to repeal HB477, Government Records Amendments, a decision I actively supported in our meeting. Few disagree that a 20-year old GRAMA law can use clarification, particularly in light of the advances in communication technology since its adoption in 1992. This past session, the legislature acted to clarify GRAMA.
However, since the legislative session ended, I have heard from you, my constituents, that the public desires an additional opportunity for input on what exactly these clarifications ought to be. This is exactly what the legislature has determined to do, i.e. to support an immediate repeal of HB477 and additional time to address the appropriate changes that need to be made. In a representative form of government, this is part of the process.
As we move forward to examine the appropriate clarifications to this 1992 GRAMA law, I invite your specific comments or suggestions. We have established a working group to study this issue, which includes members of the public, the media, the so-called new media, and members of both parties of the legislature. If you have input you would like to add to this process, please send me your suggestions and I will forward them to the working group.
Please read today’s Standard Examiner for an article related to my position on this issue.
SPONSORED BILLS
I’m pleased to announce that the Governor has signed some of the bills I sponsored.
- HB52 – Limitation of Actions: Allows for the prosecution of crimes committed in conjunction with murder or aggravated murder, regardless of the statute of limitations.
- HB71 – Victims Rights Amendments: Amends the Crime Victims Act to clarify that victims of crimes have the right to be heard at parole or release hearings.
- SB261 – Foreclosure Provisions: Clarifies foreclosure procedures and provides for a penalty for wrongful foreclosure. See Standard Examiner Editorial: http://www.standard.net/topics/opinion/2011/03/18/our-view-baby-step-mortgage-reform
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your representative and for the kind notes of encouragement and support. It has been a tremendous honor to represent our great district. I voted on an incredible 691 bills during the 45 day session. I am your voice in the legislature. If you need an issue addressed, if you have a bill you would like me to champion, or just a general question about government, please don’t hesitate to ask. I can be reached at bradwilson@utah.gov or on my mobile phone at 801-425-1028.
Sincerely,
Brad Wilson
Representative Brad Wilson
