Disheartening news for open government advocates this morning as the Standard-Examiner reports that Utah "Legislators have approved changes to the law covering access to government records in what some call record time."
House Bill 477, sponsored by Rep. John Dougall, R-American Fork, and Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, was approved, 21-7, by the Senate following almost an hour of debate Friday.Read the full SE story here:
The Salt Lake Tribune reports on this legislative travesty too:
And don't miss this morning's scathing editorial, wherein the SLTrib editorial board correctly proclaims that "[t]he last line of defense against a brazen assault on the people of Utah and their right to knowledgeably participate in their own government now lies in the office of Gov. Gary Herbert":
For some possible insight into Governor Herbert's involvement with this bill (and his possible propensity [even symbolically] to wield his veto pen), Check out Chris Vanocur's 3/3/11 ABC 4 text/video report:
And for those readers who are curious about how our local Weber County Senate delegation voted on this legislative step toward Big Government Tyranny, we've checked yesterday's Senate vote tally, and
"Butt outta government and mind your own damned business."That's it for now, O Gentle Ones.
For archival consistency, we'll accordingly propose that you confine your comments on HB477 to this thread; and to kickstart the discussion we've moved several earlier relevant reader comments to the lower (current) comments section.
Update 3/5/11 8:49 a.m.: Beneath this morning's above-linked SE article we find this helpful reader comment and link:
"Make sure you all ask the Governor to VETO this bill":A quick email to the Governor can't hurt; might help, or so it seems to us.
• Comments: E-mail the Governor
Have at it, O Gentle Ones.
12 comments:
The bill has passed and is on its way to the governor's desk. It contained a very unusual provision. Instead of going into effect 60 days after the governor signs it, it goes into effect immediately upon his signature. [Even if he vetoes it, it won't matter. It passed by veto proof majorities in both houses, I think.]
Predictions: Because of the "takes effect immediately" provision, I think the Godfrey administration will absolutely appeal the decision of the Revue Board regarding his alleged donoars list Dan S. filed a GRAMA request to see. It can delay filing that appeal thirty days, by which time the governor will have signed and the bill will be in effect. Once it appeals, after the bill has become law, the Administration can argue that all its legal research costs in prep for the judicial hearing on Dan's GRAMA request can be billed to Dan S. which will probably force him to not to take his GRAMA request for the documents to the court.
We shall see.
HB477 really should have been entitled "The Matthew Godfrey Protection Bill."
Waddups, when asked about the rush to pass it [text wasn't know to anyone until 48 hours ago. It went through a phoney House committee hearing, no Senate committee hearing, and passage by both houses in two days], he said if there are problems with it, we can fix them next year.
Sound familiar? Think Developers Dream Bill that created the Powder Mountain Town mess. Passed in haste with no scrutiny, they "fixed" it two years later, when the damage was done.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is government Utah Republican style. And two years from now, when they run for office again, they will all be re-elected, even though the poll taken yesterday after the Bill's contents became known, indicated something north of 80% of the public opposed it.
80 percent opposing in a statewide poll means very little in a general election where only political wonkies and old folk vote.
This is one of those bills where you go, what?, hardly believing both reps and dems are not marching on the capital with pitchforks.
No time, of course. They now have to work 3 jobs to have the same earning power as their dad did with one.
This false scarcity brought to you by the committee to elect satan.
Curm: I don't think the bill would allow the government to charge for legal work done after a case goes to court. Of course, that's all the more reason, in future cases, for them to do extensive legal research up front, when they can charge the requester for it.
"We the people" are the losers when corruption is no longer effectively pursued and government functions with even less accountability. There will always be more FNURE's, Envision Ogden's and Blain Johnson's in the future.
Can you expect anything less from the same people who gave a pedophile a stading ovation in last year's session. Obviously morals and ethics are not in these peoples DNA code.
Simple, we need new people that can replace these old puritons with honesty and common sense.
Sorry BDNA, Garn was never accused of being a pedophile, he was accused of having sex with a nubile ans giggly teenager in a hot tub.
Big difference, between a 14 year old and a, say, 6 year old.
But, you knew that.
That said, I know the Garn Family a bit, having been involved in the opening of Corbin's Grill in Layton, and having a teenage girl work directly with him, before these charges came to light.
You want to see red-hot laser eyes? Watch Garn's wife watch Kevin work with 16 year old girls. She was watching REAL close, and glaring at the teenagers; closer than one would watch a husband without copious previous indiscretions.
Honestly, I think we should just trust our elected officials in every decision that they make and we should just support that.
No wonder the national press and late night comedians have a field day with Utah and our State Legislators.
A star athelete at BYU gets the boot for having sex with his girlfriend - Honor Code violation.
On the other hand, we have a State Legislature that has been screwing several million people for years and they don't bat an eye.
Conclusion - there is no honor among theives and/or Utah State Legislators. Go figure!
We should get national exposure on these kinds of acts by our legislature. This is the kind of Utah legislative action that will kill Mitt Romney's or Jon Huntsman's campaign if they decide to run for President. Do all you can to get this out to the rest of the USA and the national media.
This is a BLACK day for Utah! Never in my life (and I have a number of scores behind me)have I seen such despicable action by a body of legislators! I am ashamed of them and the Republican Party which is responsible for spawning such arrogant boneheads! I have seen some very bad legislation passed, but this is the worst! I am so disgusted with the Republican Party that I am asking them to remove my name as a registered Republican. I hope many will do the same, we need to hit them in the pocket book especially in an election year.
Blain Johnson's Investigation Highlight Reel:
Hansen asked Shreve, "Who is Friends of Northern Utah Real Estate?".
Shreve responded, "That's Blain Johnson."
Hansen asked, "If that is Blain Johnson's business, why did he deny any knowledge of it in a press interview?".
Shreve, "I don't really know, I asked myself that question when I found out about it".
"Johnson received $1,500 from Envision Ogden and $10,990 from Friends of Northern Utah Real Estate, according to his 2007 filings."
"I know I didn't do anything wrong," he said "I received the funds, and I reported it".
"Johnson said FNURE was established by some employees of a title company who have an office in the building where he works, but declined to identify the employees or the firm".
"Johnson said while his original campaign filings are accurate, he amended them to address Schroeder's complaint. "I don't believe I did anything wrong," he said.
This pile of FNURE smells more like a pile of MANURE! If this was Joe Schmo Ogden resident, they would be hanging by their short hairs!
Post a Comment