Utah House clears wide slate of bills; voters to decide tax‑commission partisan limit

The Utah House of Representatives advanced a broad third‑reading calendar on March 13, 2014, passing dozens of measures and returning them to the Senate or transmitting them for further consideration. Lawmakers debated bills ranging from financial and economic literacy and Advanced Placement test funding to a radon‑awareness campaign and limits on lobbyist activity around midterm appointments.

Much of the floor time was taken by routine amendment votes and technical fixes, but members focused several substantive debates on education policy, transparency and appointment‑process disclosure. Representative Gibson said the Education Task Force reauthorization will examine governance and recommended studying implementation and funding of 1‑to‑1 mobile devices for students. Representative Menlove described bills to boost reading instruction and to fund Advanced Placement test fees for students who cannot afford them, noting the proposed AP‑test funding would be a one‑year appropriation to expand access.

Lawmakers also approved a joint resolution that would place a question before voters to remove a Utah constitutional provision limiting the State Tax Commission to…