Chris Buttars is trying to do everything he can to ban gay clubs from schools.
Buttars, the Utah legislator who has “come out” against the Gay-Straight Alliance Clubs (GSA) and also against the teaching of evolution as the sole concept in public school science classes, is pushing a bill that contains this language: [would prohibit] “a Nazi club, abortion club or sodomy club”.
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Yesterday’s Utah Legislative Report Summary
Articles in published in today’s Utah newspapers about the Yesterday’s Utah Legislature news:
Salt Lake Tribune
Legislature briefs
Today’s legislative agenda
S.B. 70–Senate wins round in power battle–Not over yet: Bill would override Huntman’s rejection of decisions on commercial facilities
Schools fear loss of tax money: Bill would create a pot for K-12, colleges
Bill would curtail activist judges
Bill would make it harder to sue ER docs
Bill targeting frivolous suits by greens moves on
Senator retreats on 17th: U.S. Constitution: Lawmaker gives up bid to change elections
Bill would keep teachers from backing meds for kids
Developers call off the attack: Mansell to soften bill pushed by developers
Bush receives razzing, praise from Utah audience
Bill would set time limit to fight adoptions
Soccer site smaller, pricier
Ferrin floats income tax option: It would lower the top rate, leave system mostly intact
U. of U. student groups organize march on Capitol
Political voice: About 40 people visited legislators to speak out on a handful of bills being considered
Fund woes put an extra chill on Cache ice rink
Rising costs: The North Logan facility has asked Utah lawmakers for a one-time cash infusion
Deseret News
Huntsman-opposed N-waste bill advances
Hotel sought at ’02 Oly site: Foundation seeking legislation to pave way for the luxury facility
Big pay hikes sought for teachers: 1,000 new instructors, $2,000 bonuses for teachers sought
House panel seeks 2nd opinion on doc bill
License plates will continue to be required, coming and going.
Legislation targets funding of stadium: Real Salt Lake asks public to pay $45M for the soccer venue
Buttars bill takes aim at gay clubs
Educators wary of bill restricting recommendations on medicine
Senate measure seeks underage-drinking curbs
House backs extension of loan for Dixie flooding
17th Amendment bill clears its first hurdle
Transportation measure clears House committee
Voter registrations are targeted in the Senate
House measure seeks to clarify use of ed funds
House panel backs posting of environmental bonds
House backs 2 measures on state water projects
Education-voucher measure is getting a makeover
House panel narrowly approves malpractice measure
Uniformity sought in food sanitation
Mansell admits land-use bill is ‘over the top’
Insurance benefits targeted by bill
Unlawful-contracts measure headed to House
School nurse bill advances
The first annual “Salt Lake City Gay and Lesbian Film Festival” – January 30–February 5
View the list of films being shown and their synopses.
Awhile back I posted news on an organization of environmentalists that bought land in southern Utah to graze, the purpose being to control and lessen grazing by livestock on public lands.
Today’s Deseret News has published an article on the grazing permits, which are being viewed as a threat to ranchers in the area. A judge has upheld the permits, which were challenged by ranchers.
The battle revolves around the purchase of three large grazing permits in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by Canyonlands Grazing Corp., an affiliate of the preservationist Grand Canyon Trust. The permits, sold by ranchers in 2000 and 2001, concern the Clark Bench, Last Chance and Big Bowns Bench grazing allotments.
Together, they cover 303,000 acres and rights to graze about 775 cattle. If the BLM approves, conservationists would reduce that amount to about 150 cattle.
With the decision, cattle grazing can be sharply reduced in some areas and ended in others, said Bill Hedden, the Moab-based executive director of Grand Canyon Trust and president of Canyonlands Grazing Corp.
The object, he said in a telephone interview, is to improve “the health of the land.” Where reductions in grazing are supported by the BLM, the groups support it. Meanwhile, he noted, the groups have purchased two large ranches separate from this, where they are investing millions of dollars and grazing cattle.
It’s an interesting strategy. Environmentalists see this a victory to public lands preservation. Ranchers see this as a means to ending their livelihoods.
Yesterday’s Utah Legislative Report Summary
Articles in published in today’s Utah newspapers about the Yesterday’s Utah Legislature news:
Salt Lake Tribune
Legislature in brief
Senate backs making PACs name two officers each
Low-income pet owners could get help paying for neutering
House says ‘yea’ to voting flexibility
Reform: Bills would open polls early, let overseas Utahns vote electronically
Colleges want more to teach high schoolers
Deseret News
Opinion
Don’t weaken Utah’s voters
Records requests not just for journalists
Photos
Activists take to the streets
U. students hold rally
News
Guv sees ‘power grab’:Budget-setting capability of Huntsman in jeopardy
Demos accuse governor of stalling
Lawmaker wants to catch ‘phish’:Measure aims to stop identity theft involving e-mail scam artists
League of Cities attacks zoning bill:Group decries lack of input, measure’s ‘punitive’ nature
Returning tax $$ is an uphill battle
Prep fees for credits?
Waivers for non-Utahns at state schools advance
Legislator notification of local meetings sought
Spat may lead to changes for the Rules Committee
House panel OKs using refund to help spay pets
State summit is sought on jail reimbursement
GRAMA bills concern House Demos, media
Funding boost is likely for multicultural center
Last week a Salt Lake Tribune reporter called Tom and interviewed him on his stance on the Iraq War for an article he was doing on religious communities in Utah and their views on war.
Yesterday’s Salt Lake Tribune ran the article,Utahns and the War: A religious divide. Tom is quoted in the article (see excerpt below).
The reporter discovered, through his inquiries to people of different faiths and the results of a Tribune poll, that Mormons were fairly unified in their support of the President, event though the LDS church has not taken an official stance on the Iraq War.
The poll surveyed attitudes on issues ranging from the teaching of evolution in public schools to the prohibition of gay student support clubs to the banning of smoking in nightclubs. But no issue separated Utah’s Mormons and non-Mormons more than the war.
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Check Legislative Updates at Equality Utah
Articles in local papers from this weekend:
Salt Lake Tribune
Legislature schedule
Environmental suits may need bond
Prompted by Legacy: Bills would provide relief against litigation designed to interrupt construction
Proposal sets off debate on parental rights
Charter school funding tight: State’s not keeping pace with migrating students
No-fault apologies proposed for docs
Doctors’ mistakes: Utah families divided over a bill that would prevent use of such statements in suits
Deseret News
Cuts may affect more than groceries
‘Sideshow’ bills run gamut
Plan would disinherit murderers:Loophole currently lets killers make estate claim
Special interests are busy donating
Active duty a financial boost: Study shows most reservists earn more than as civilians
Bills could restrict information access
Pawnshop bill would help owners: Measure to ease requirements for selling merchandise
Cities could be blocked from regulating home aesthetics
GOP looks at plan to cut legislative retirement
Legislation cracks down on parents of truant kids
Awhile back I created a page specifically on The Green Party of Utah(left side bar), including links to information on the 2004 split.
Nationally and locally there are folks who are boycotting one of the split groups or another….or both. Nationally and locally there are folks who continue to attack one side or the other…..or both. Nationally and locally there are folks who continue to analyze that situation (the split). I understand the need to do this, to complete and analysis to provide information and to eventually come to possible personal closure on this issue.
I also feel, for myself, that the issue, while still effecting some aspects of the Green Party in Utah, is in the past, both groups have moved on and enough is enough.
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If you haven’t checked out Technorati yet, do. It is interesting to see how peoples’ blogs rank and who links to them. My good friend Jenni, of Jen’s Green Journal ranks
2nd for Salt Lake City and 8th for Utah.
My registry is still being ranked, so I’m not ranked very high. I am ranked 16th for Salt Lake City.
It’s a great way to get your blog known more and see what other blogs are out there.
Today in Salt Lake the Sundance Film about Ralph Nader,AN UNREASONABLE MAN, is being shown (details below). It is sure to be a sell-out. Please write in your comments about the film if you have seen it or will see it today but clicking on “speak” at the bottom of this post.
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The name Ralph Nader sparks fiery debate among people across the country. To some, he is an icon of rare idealism, while others see him simply as the political spoiler of the last two elections. No matter what you think of the man, the fact remains that he is a tireless crusader.
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Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged film, Green Party, politics, ralph nader, sundance, Utah, volunteerism
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 