Report from Representative Carl Albrecht
District 70 February 17, 2023
Week Five of the General Session
With just two weeks left, things at the Capitol are busier than ever. I am honored to serve each member of my district and pass legislation that will improve the lives of families and individuals of Rural Utah. You can follow along with the process at le.utah.gov.
Largest Tax Cut in State History
Over the last two years, the Legislature reduced taxes by nearly $300 million. This Session, we are proposing an additional
$400 million in tax relief. H.B. 54 Tax Revisions will be heard in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee early next week and provides tax relief to individuals and families in all stages of life by:
- Cutting the income tax rate from 4.85% to 4.65%.
- Expanding the Social Security tax credit eligibility to individuals earning up to $75,000 per year.
- Providing a tax benefit for pregnancy by allowing a double dependent exemption for children the year of their birth.
- Increasing the earned income tax credit (EITC) from 15% to 20% of the federal credit.
My Bill Report
Over eighty more bills were passed in the House this week! My bills have continued to make progress in both the Senate and House Chambers. My bill H.B. 150 Emergency Water Shortages Amendments passed out of the Senate Natural Resources committee. The bills that now await debate on the Senate floor are:
- H.B. 184 Veterinarian Education Loan Repayment Program
- H.B. 150 Emergency Water Shortages Amendments
Next week, H.B. 144 High Cost Infrastructure Development Tax Credit Amendments for mining will be heard in the House Revenue and Tax Committee. H.B. 370 Utility Infrastructure Amendments will be heard in the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee. Six of my bills have already passed both the Senate and House Chambers and have been sent to the Governor. Those include:
- H.B. 114 Theft Defense Amendments
- H.B. 33 Water Related Liability Amendments
- H.B. 93 Outdoor Recreation Amendments
- H.B. 112 State Fish Hatchery Maintenance Account Amendments
- H.B. 237 Hunting Mentoring Amendments
I continue to meet weekly with the Speaker of the House to discuss important issues regarding Rural Utah in addition to
Co-Chairing the Rural Caucus every Friday morning and attending the Rural Educators Meeting on Thursdays to represent the needs of our Rural School Districts.
Thursday morning I met and spoke with teachers and students of the Career and Technical Education Day on the Hill. These students, including many from my district, represent groups such as the FFA, HOSA, DECA, FCCLA, FBLA, and others. I admire their hard work and dedication to building strong career skills as well as their engagement within the community. Friday was also PTA Founders Day on the Hill where legislators including myself met with parents from the various school districts we represent to listen to their concerns on public education.
Celebrating Women’s Suffrage
On February 14th, 1870 Seraph Young of Utah became the first woman to vote under the equal rights law. In honor of her memory and to celebrate this historic event, our female legislators and staff wore purple. I am grateful to work with each of these amazing women.
Visits from Utah’s Congressional Delegation
This week, Congressmen Blake Moore and Burgess Owens visited our caucus. I always appreciate hearing from our federal delegation.
Limiting Government Overreach
Over the last several years, we have seen efforts to use non-financial criteria to shade and skew financial markets.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards imposed on businesses and financial institutions distort the free market and place real costs on the people of Utah. As a Legislature, we are taking proactive measures against investment schemes based on assessments of businesses’ and individuals’ political beliefs.
HB 281: Social Credit Score Amendments prohibits governmental entities in Utah from using, enforcing, or providing data for a system that discriminates or gives preferential treatment to an individual. Similarly, SB 96: Fiduciary Duty Modifications ensures any state investment is done without regard to political, environmental, or social considerations of companies. Both bills passed committee this week and will be voted on in their prospective bodies.
Outdoor Recreation
Utah is known for its world-class outdoor recreation opportunities. We are blessed with unique landscapes and natural wonders, from the greatest snow on earth to our beautiful red rock canyons. Our natural resources are intertwined with our quality of life, which is why we’re committed to preserving them. Listen to the latest episode of the House podcast to learn what’s being done to protect our quality of life.
Weekly Newsletters
If you would like to join my email list for weekly newsletters, enter your email at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UTHOUSER/signup/32064, or send an email to my intern, Tabitha Anderson, at tanderson@le.utah.gov.
Contact
As always, please contact my intern, Tabitha Anderson, with your comments, questions, and concerns. You can contact her by email at tanderson@le.utah.gov, or by call or text at (385)-420-3096. You may contact me at my email carlalbrecht@le.utah.gov. We value your opinions and appreciate your concerns for Rural Utah.
