The Utah State Legislature will assemble for its sixth special session of the year tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 20, at 10 a.m.
A wide variety of urgent issues are on the table, including providing Utahns and businesses financial relief by waiving state income tax on PPP loans and CARES Act money, modifying the 2020 general election process, addressing issues related to public education funding and enrollment, and adjusting the 2021 state budget to further address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Legislature will also consider repealing portions of House Bill 359 – the controversial bill that was amended just days before the session ended which allowed the town of Hideout - in Wasatch County - to legally annex property in Summit County without Summit County’s approval.
Summit County Manager Tom Fisher says the sponsors who put out the original legislation are also sponsoring the amendments to repeal portions of the law approved in March.
“We have seen the language drafted for that and we’re analyzing it right now,” he said.
Fisher says the pre-amendment language that another Utah community would need to go through with a planned annexation remains intact.
“All this new legislation does for the special session is repeal the language that was forwarded in the substitute in the last two days of the regular session -- which is what changed -- and allowed the process that Hideout was going through,” he said. “So again, we're taking a look at that to see what the ramifications of that are.”
Rep. Tim Quinn, who represents the 54th House District including Park City and Wasatch County, says while he originally voted against H.B .359, he will be voting to repeal the portion that gave Hideout the authority to annex across county lines.
Floor proceedings will be streamed online on the Legislature’s website and televised on KUEN channel 9.2 and Comcast channel 388 (Senate), and KUEN 9.3 Comcast 387 (House).
