The 2013 Libertas Legislator Index

Index Key Vote agrees with Libertas' position Vote conflicts with Libertas' position Legislator was absent or did not vote Legislator sponsored the bill(awarded 2% if it's a bill we support,
docked 2% if we opposed)

While hundreds of votes are cast during each year's general session, Libertas chooses for its index the bills and resolutions which directly relate to our mission to defend personal freedom, property rights, free markets, and equal justice.

The overall ranking for the legislature for this year is .

Don't know who your Representative or Senator is? Use our lookup tool to find out.

Tip: You can hover over any of the bill numbers in the top row to learn more about it, and see which vote Libertas supports.
Click any table cell in the header to re-sort the entire table.

House of Representatives (view the Senate)

Legislator	HB103Wireless Telephone Use Restrictions This bill prohibits teenagers from talking on the phone while driving unless it's with their parents, or to report an emergency. Speaking with somebody on the phone is substantively indifferent from talking to a person in the passenger seat. Surely it would be unreasonable to ban teenagers from driving with others in their own car, therefore the same type of ban should not apply to telephones. This bill passed the House 48-22 and passed the Senate 17-12. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB104Wireless Call Location Information This bill requires mobile telecommunications services (e.g. cell phone companies) to divulge private geolocation data about their customers when requested by "a law enforcement agency or a public safety communications center" when the government official unilaterally determines that it "is necessary in order to respond to a call for emergency services or an emergency situation that involves the imminent risk of death or serious bodily injury." This exempts a law enforcement official from needing to obtain a warrant, allows a government agent to simply claim the data disclosure is necessary in order to obtain it, and grants immunity to companies which comply. Allowing the government to know the whereabouts of a person who may not wish that information divulged is highly problematic from a civil liberty perspective. This bill passed the House 69-5 and passed the Senate unanimously. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB114Second Amendment Preservation Act This bill would have invalidated future federal gun control laws that conflicted with state law regarding intrastate firearms, accessories, and ammunition. The federal government has no constitutional authority to restrict law-abiding individuals from keeping and bearing arms and this bill would have been an important effort to push back against future attempts to do so. The bill passed the House 49-17 and was blocked by Senate leadership from coming to a vote in that body. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	HB13Protection of Children Riding in Motor Vehicles This bill prohibits adults from smoking (a legal activity) in a car when a child is present who is 15 years old or younger. While we believe that smoking is an unhealthy act that has public consequences, especially when in proximity to another person, law enforcement officials should not be agents of a nanny state looking to penalize something which is itself legal (smoking). Just as the legislature should not dictate who can smoke under what circumstances in their own home, they should not do the same with what happens within an individual's vehicle. This bill passed the House 41-30 and passed the Senate 16-13. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB147Utah Marriage Commission This bill provides funding for the already-existing Utah Marriage Commission, which was previously operating with federal funding. A government limited to the role of protecting life, liberty, and property does not tax its citizens to then "promote programs that educate couples on how to achieve strong, successful, and lasting marriages" along with "promoting and assisting in the offering of events, services, marriage education conferences, and enrichment seminars." These initiatives should be left to private organizations, of which there are many already involved in and concerned about such issues. This bill passed the House 59-11 and passed the Senate 22-2. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB156Restoration of Terminated Parental Rights This bill allows an individual who faces a termination of his/her parental rights to nominate a relative who may serve as legal guardian for his/her children. It also specifies certain principles regarding the parent/child relationship which must be considered when the state determines whether and how to terminate such rights. If enacted into law, this bill would correct many problems in the system whereby the state legally kidnaps children from their parents and places them into foster care when a willing family member would have taken the children in. This bill passed the House 60-13 and passed the Senate 23-1. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	HB157Children's Hearing Aid Pilot Program This bill mandates that $100,000 of taxpayer dollars to be spent annually to provide free hearing aids to children under three years of age who have hearing loss. Such charitable causes should be left to the private market and not done through coercive taxation. This bill passed the House unanimously and passed the Senate 22-4. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB233Funeral Services Licensing Act Amendments There currently exists nearly 10,000 words in state code which require and manage occupational licensure for funeral service directors and others involved in that profession. That licensure was set to sunset in 2018. This bill repealed that sunset, perpetuating indefinitely (subject to any future changes) the requirement to obtain a government permission slip to be involved in the funeral services industry. This bill passed the House 50-11 and passed the Senate unanimously. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB238Cosmetology and Hair Braiding This bill completely exempts hair braiding from occupational licensure, whereas previously it was believed by DOPL to fall within the general cosmetology requirements which included 2,000 hours of school. HB238 also reduces the number of hours for cosmetology licensure from 2,000 to 1,600, among other changes. The bill passed both chambers unanimously. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	HB245Consumer Protection Amendments This bill introduces a number of new regulatory restrictions upon business owners which violate the free market, including requiring immigration consultants to fill out an annual application and pay an annual fee, requiring owners or employees of a telephone soliciting business to submit to a background check and be crime-free for 10 years, and a number of other unnecessary and anti-free market restrictions. This bill passed the House 61-7 and passed the Senate unanimously. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB268Disorderly Conduct Amendments This bill would have allowed adults in Utah to conceal carry an unloaded weapon without needing a permission slip from the state. No permit should be required to exercise the fundamental right of bearing arms for lawful self defense. The bill passed the House 54-12 and did not come up for a final vote in the Senate. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	HB274Tax Credits for Employing a Homeless Person This bill offered tax credits for businesses which employ a homeless person. While we emphatically support the employment of those who are in need, we believe that the tax code should not be used to manipulate behavior. This bill passed the House 41-33 and did not receive a vote in the Senate. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB41Campaign Filing by Media Owner This bill repeals a prohibition against a newspaper or publication printing something that may influence an election. Everything a person or organization says has the potential to influence an election; free speech should not need to have qualifiers attached under threat of criminal penalty. The bill passed the House 63-9 and passed the Senate 27-2. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	HB52Controlled Substances Revisions This bill comes up annually, and simply added more drugs and scientific concoctions to a lengthy list of prohibitions. The war on drugs is a proven failure, so Utah should not be amplifying it. Criminalizing the consumption of a substance is not within the proper role of government. This bill passed the House 66-8 and passed the Senate 24-3. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB75Occupational and Professional Licensing Amendments This bill requires that legislation seeking to create new licensure or regulations must first go to a screening committee during interim to determine whether the proposal is necessary to protect publish health or safety. Many occupations are licensed which have nothing to do with this standard, and introducing mechanisms to slow down and/or reverse this trend is a welcome development. This bill passed the House 56-16 and passed the Senate unanimously. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	HB76Concealed Weapon Carry Amendments This bill removes the requirement that individuals wishing to conceal carry an unloaded weapon must first obtain a permit from the state. This bill passed the House 51-18 and passed the Senate 22-7. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	SB131Assault Amendments This bill increases penalties for assaulting a uniformed police officer or member of the military performing their duties. Such penalties create two classes of people in society and institutionalize inequality by making it "more bad" to harm an agent of the people than one of the people themselves. This bill passed the House 71-3 and passed the Senate 22-5. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB160Patronizing a Prostitute Amendments This bill increases the penalty for a person who is convicted more than once of patronizing a prostitute. Consensual sexual activity is not criminal. Simply adding money to the equation does not introduce any condition that justifies using the coercion of government to prohibit the activity and punish those involved. It was also brought up on the Senate floor that this would only apply to six people in Utah's entire history. This bill passed the House 64-6 and passed the Senate 23-5. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB267New Convention Hotel Development Incentive Act This bill would have provided tax-related incentives to help finance a mega hotel and convention center. A government limited to its proper role does not engage in economic development efforts with taxpayer dollars. This bill passed the Senate 15-13 and failed in the House 35-39. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB39Parental Responsibility for Sex Education Training This bill would have required the state of Utah to develop and promote materials for parents to teach their kids the “birds and the bees” and also would have required that school districts push the materials onto parents twice per year. This is not at all the proper role of government and is a subject matter properly left to families, churches, and private organizations. This bill passed the Senate unanimously and failed in the House 16-50. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB52Game Fowl Fighting Amendments This bill would have criminalized cockfighting along with possession of fighting birds and being a spectator at a cockfighting event. Animals do not have rights, and are routinely (and legally) killed for sport and food. Imposing criminal penalties for causing them harm in other ways is inconsistent and unjustified. This is a basic property rights issue; preventing people from using their animals (a form of property) and authorizing the unwarranted invasion of their property (homes, businesses, etc.) is a violation of liberty. This bill passed the Senate 19-9 and failed in the House on a 28-39 vote. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB73Outdoor Recreation Office Act This bill expands the duties and budget of the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) by creating the Outdoor Recreation Office. The office is tasked to seek federal grants and loans, participate in federal programs, and recruit outdoor-related businesses to the state of Utah—along with a slew of other government interventions into the market. GOED's activities involve picking winners and losers in the market, and the creation of this new Office would only increase that intervention. The bill passed the House 60-10 and passed the Senate 23-1. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	2013 Rating
Anderegg, J. (R)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	68%
Anderson, Jerry (R)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	55%
Anderson, Johnny (R)	No	No	Yes	x	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	40%
Arent, P. (D)	No	No	No	No	x	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	x	No	No	15%
Barlow, S. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	48%
Barrus, R. (R)	No	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	52%
Bird, J. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	50%
Briscoe, J. (D)	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	18%
Brown, D. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	43%
Brown, M. (R)	x	No	x	No	No	Yes	No	No	x	x	x	x	Yes	x	Yes	x	No	No	Yes	x	Yes	x	42%
Chavez-Houck, R. (D)	No	No	No	No	Yes	x	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	x	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	15%
Christensen, L. (R)	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	x	No	43%
Christofferson, K. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	68%
Cosgrove, T. (D)	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	x	No	No	24%
Cox, S. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	x	x	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	40%
Cunningham, R. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	45%
Dee, B. (R)	x	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	53%
Draxler, J. (R)	x	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	x	x	Yes	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	Yes	No	No	47%
Duckworth, S. (D)	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	27%
Dunnigan, J. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	x	No	x	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	45%
Edwards, R. (R)	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	23%
Eliason, S. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	x	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	24%
Fisher, Janice (D)	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	x	25%
Froerer, G. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	x	No	43%
Gibson, F. (R)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	57%
Greene, B. (R)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	x	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	100%
Greenwood, R. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	48%
Grover, K. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	x	Yes	No	62%
Hall, C. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	23%
Handy, S. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	x	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	48%
Hemingway, L. (D)	Yes	No	No	No	x	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	x	No	No	x	No	No	No	No	No	x	11%
Hughes, G. (R)	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	x	No	x	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	x	x	x	50%
Hutchings, E. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	x	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	x	No	No	26%
Ipson, D. (R)	No	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	x	x	Yes	Yes	No	56%
Ivory, K. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	68%
Kennedy, M. (R)	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	55%
King, Brian S. (D)	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	x	Yes	No	No	No	x	No	Yes	No	No	x	No	x	x	No	12%
Knotwell, J. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	x	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	86%
Last, B. (R)	No	No	Yes	x	x	Yes	No	No	x	No	Yes	Yes	x	No	Yes	x	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	35%
Layton, D. (R)	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	55%
Lifferth, D. (R)	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	x	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	45%
Lockhart, R. (R)	x	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	x	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	x	Yes	No	59%
Mathis, J. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	x	No	60%
McCay, D. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	x	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	76%
McIff, K. (R)	No	No	Yes	x	No	Yes	No	No	x	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	x	No	x	Yes	Yes	x	No	41%
McKell, M. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	45%
Menlove, R. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	32%
Moss, C. (D)	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	14%
Nelson, M. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	48%
Nielson, J. (R)	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	x	48%
Noel, M. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	52%
Oda, C. (R)	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	60%
Perry, L. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	41%
Peterson, J. (R)	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	x	No	33%
Peterson, V. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	50%
Pitcher, D. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	36%
Poulson, M. (D)	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	14%
Powell, K. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	32%
Ray, P. (R)	No	x	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	x	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	32%
Redd, E. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	45%
Roberts, M. (R)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	95%
Romero, A. (D)	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	14%
Sagers, D. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	x	x	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	55%
Sanpei, D. (R)	No	No	x	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	48%
Seelig, J. (D)	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	x	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	14%
Snow, V. L. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	38%
Stanard, J. (R)	x	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	57%
Stratton, K. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	x	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	52%
Tanner, E. (R)	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	45%
Webb, R. C. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	50%
Westwood, J. (R)	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	41%
Wheatley, M. (D)	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	18%
Wilcox, R. (R)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	x	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	x	x	Yes	84%
Wiley, L. (D)	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	27%
Wilson, B. (R)	Yes	No	x	x	No	Yes	No	No	x	No	x	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	x	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	41%

Senate

Legislator	HB103Wireless Telephone Use Restrictions This bill prohibits teenagers from talking on the phone while driving unless it's with their parents, or to report an emergency. Speaking with somebody on the phone is substantively indifferent from talking to a person in the passenger seat. Surely it would be unreasonable to ban teenagers from driving with others in their own car, therefore the same type of ban should not apply to telephones. This bill passed the House 48-22 and passed the Senate 17-12. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB104Wireless Call Location Information This bill requires mobile telecommunications services (e.g. cell phone companies) to divulge private geolocation data about their customers when requested by "a law enforcement agency or a public safety communications center" when the government official unilaterally determines that it "is necessary in order to respond to a call for emergency services or an emergency situation that involves the imminent risk of death or serious bodily injury." This exempts a law enforcement official from needing to obtain a warrant, allows a government agent to simply claim the data disclosure is necessary in order to obtain it, and grants immunity to companies which comply. Allowing the government to know the whereabouts of a person who may not wish that information divulged is highly problematic from a civil liberty perspective. This bill passed the House 69-5 and passed the Senate unanimously. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB13Protection of Children Riding in Motor Vehicles This bill prohibits adults from smoking (a legal activity) in a car when a child is present who is 15 years old or younger. While we believe that smoking is an unhealthy act that has public consequences, especially when in proximity to another person, law enforcement officials should not be agents of a nanny state looking to penalize something which is itself legal (smoking). Just as the legislature should not dictate who can smoke under what circumstances in their own home, they should not do the same with what happens within an individual's vehicle. This bill passed the House 41-30 and passed the Senate 16-13. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB147Utah Marriage Commission This bill provides funding for the already-existing Utah Marriage Commission, which was previously operating with federal funding. A government limited to the role of protecting life, liberty, and property does not tax its citizens to then "promote programs that educate couples on how to achieve strong, successful, and lasting marriages" along with "promoting and assisting in the offering of events, services, marriage education conferences, and enrichment seminars." These initiatives should be left to private organizations, of which there are many already involved in and concerned about such issues. This bill passed the House 59-11 and passed the Senate 22-2. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB156Restoration of Terminated Parental Rights This bill allows an individual who faces a termination of his/her parental rights to nominate a relative who may serve as legal guardian for his/her children. It also specifies certain principles regarding the parent/child relationship which must be considered when the state determines whether and how to terminate such rights. If enacted into law, this bill would correct many problems in the system whereby the state legally kidnaps children from their parents and places them into foster care when a willing family member would have taken the children in. This bill passed the House 60-13 and passed the Senate 23-1. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	HB157Children's Hearing Aid Pilot Program This bill mandates that $100,000 of taxpayer dollars to be spent annually to provide free hearing aids to children under three years of age who have hearing loss. Such charitable causes should be left to the private market and not done through coercive taxation. This bill passed the House unanimously and passed the Senate 22-4. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB233Funeral Services Licensing Act Amendments There currently exists nearly 10,000 words in state code which require and manage occupational licensure for funeral service directors and others involved in that profession. That licensure was set to sunset in 2018. This bill repealed that sunset, perpetuating indefinitely (subject to any future changes) the requirement to obtain a government permission slip to be involved in the funeral services industry. This bill passed the House 50-11 and passed the Senate unanimously. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB238Cosmetology and Hair Braiding This bill completely exempts hair braiding from occupational licensure, whereas previously it was believed by DOPL to fall within the general cosmetology requirements which included 2,000 hours of school. HB238 also reduces the number of hours for cosmetology licensure from 2,000 to 1,600, among other changes. The bill passed both chambers unanimously. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	HB245Consumer Protection Amendments This bill introduces a number of new regulatory restrictions upon business owners which violate the free market, including requiring immigration consultants to fill out an annual application and pay an annual fee, requiring owners or employees of a telephone soliciting business to submit to a background check and be crime-free for 10 years, and a number of other unnecessary and anti-free market restrictions. This bill passed the House 61-7 and passed the Senate unanimously. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB41Campaign Filing by Media Owner This bill repeals a prohibition against a newspaper or publication printing something that may influence an election. Everything a person or organization says has the potential to influence an election; free speech should not need to have qualifiers attached under threat of criminal penalty. The bill passed the House 63-9 and passed the Senate 27-2. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	HB52Controlled Substances Revisions This bill comes up annually, and simply added more drugs and scientific concoctions to a lengthy list of prohibitions. The war on drugs is a proven failure, so Utah should not be amplifying it. Criminalizing the consumption of a substance is not within the proper role of government. This bill passed the House 66-8 and passed the Senate 24-3. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	HB75Occupational and Professional Licensing Amendments This bill requires that legislation seeking to create new licensure or regulations must first go to a screening committee during interim to determine whether the proposal is necessary to protect publish health or safety. Many occupations are licensed which have nothing to do with this standard, and introducing mechanisms to slow down and/or reverse this trend is a welcome development. This bill passed the House 56-16 and passed the Senate unanimously. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	HB76Concealed Weapon Carry Amendments This bill removes the requirement that individuals wishing to conceal carry an unloaded weapon must first obtain a permit from the state. This bill passed the House 51-18 and passed the Senate 22-7. Libertas supports a "yea" vote.	SB114Safety Belt Amendments This bill would have made not wearing a seatbelt a primary offense when driving on a highway. The choice to wear a seatbelt or not is a personal one, and the legislature should work on reducing, and not enlarging, the nanny state in Utah. This bill failed in the Senate on a 6-23 vote. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB131Assault Amendments This bill increases penalties for assaulting a uniformed police officer or member of the military performing their duties. Such penalties create two classes of people in society and institutionalize inequality by making it "more bad" to harm an agent of the people than one of the people themselves. This bill passed the House 71-3 and passed the Senate 22-5. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB160Patronizing a Prostitute Amendments This bill increases the penalty for a person who is convicted more than once of patronizing a prostitute. Consensual sexual activity is not criminal. Simply adding money to the equation does not introduce any condition that justifies using the coercion of government to prohibit the activity and punish those involved. It was also brought up on the Senate floor that this would only apply to six people in Utah's entire history. This bill passed the House 64-6 and passed the Senate 23-5. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB267New Convention Hotel Development Incentive Act This bill would have provided tax-related incentives to help finance a mega hotel and convention center. A government limited to its proper role does not engage in economic development efforts with taxpayer dollars. This bill passed the Senate 15-13 and failed in the House 35-39. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB39Parental Responsibility for Sex Education Training This bill would have required the state of Utah to develop and promote materials for parents to teach their kids the “birds and the bees” and also would have required that school districts push the materials onto parents twice per year. This is not at all the proper role of government and is a subject matter properly left to families, churches, and private organizations. This bill passed the Senate unanimously and failed in the House 16-50. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB52Game Fowl Fighting Amendments This bill would have criminalized cockfighting along with possession of fighting birds and being a spectator at a cockfighting event. Animals do not have rights, and are routinely (and legally) killed for sport and food. Imposing criminal penalties for causing them harm in other ways is inconsistent and unjustified. This is a basic property rights issue; preventing people from using their animals (a form of property) and authorizing the unwarranted invasion of their property (homes, businesses, etc.) is a violation of liberty. This bill passed the Senate 19-9 and failed in the House on a 28-39 vote. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB55Coverage for Autism Spectrum Disorder This bill would have provided funding for autism spectrum disorder treatment. Such services must only be voluntarily provided, and are not legitimately administered through coercive taxation. This bill passed the Senate 20-6 and did not get a vote in the House. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB71Results-based Financing for Early Childhood Education This bill would have created public preschools financed by private investments, which would then be paid back by the state (up to $10 million) if the program is successful. Education is an individual service which, like any such service, should be left to the market to provide. While this proposal is better than direct financing by taxpayers, it nevertheless burdens the state with debt (conditional on the program's success) to the tune of $1-2 million per year. Parents, and not the state, are responsible for the education and care of their children. This bill failed in the Senate on a 11-18 vote. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	SB73Outdoor Recreation Office Act This bill expands the duties and budget of the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) by creating the Outdoor Recreation Office. The office is tasked to seek federal grants and loans, participate in federal programs, and recruit outdoor-related businesses to the state of Utah—along with a slew of other government interventions into the market. GOED's activities involve picking winners and losers in the market, and the creation of this new Office would only increase that intervention. The bill passed the House 60-10 and passed the Senate 23-1. Libertas supports a "nay" vote.	2013 Rating
Adams, J. S. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	x	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	50%
Bramble, C. (R)	Yes	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	x	No	No	No	No	Yes	x	50%
Christensen, A. (R)	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	45%
Dabakis, J. (D)	No	x	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	19%
Davis, G. (D)	No	No	No	Yes	x	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	19%
Dayton, M. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	x	Yes	Yes	Yes	71%
Escamilla, L. (D)	No	No	No	x	Yes	No	No	x	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	15%
Harper, W. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	55%
Henderson, D. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	50%
Hillyard, L. (R)	No	x	No	No	Yes	No	No	x	No	Yes	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	x	No	x	Yes	x	38%
Hinkins, D. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	x	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	Yes	x	Yes	x	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	47%
Jenkins, S. (R)	Yes	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	x	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	60%
Jones, P. (D)	No	No	No	x	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	19%
Knudson, P. (R)	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	41%
Madsen, M. (L)	Yes	No	Yes	x	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	x	75%
Mayne, K. (D)	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	18%
Niederhauser, W. (R)	No	No	No	x	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	38%
Okerlund, R. (R)	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	x	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	24%
Osmond, A. (R)	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	29%
Reid, S. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	50%
Shiozawa, B. (R)	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	x	No	No	No	No	19%
Stephenson, H. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	64%
Stevenson, J. (R)	No	No	No	No	x	x	No	x	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	x	Yes	x	Yes	No	41%
Thatcher, D. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	x	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	50%
Urquhart, S. (R)	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	x	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	x	No	No	32%
Valentine, J. (R)	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	x	38%
Van Tassell, K. (R)	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	43%
Vickers, E. (R)	No	No	No	x	x	No	x	Yes	No	Yes	No	x	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	x	29%
Weiler, T. (R)	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	x	No	No	Yes	No	33%

Note: Like any legislative index, this one is based on a limited sampling of an elected official's voting record. It is important to do your own in-depth research when determining whether or not to support a candidate for office and consider other factors, including unreported committee or subcommittee service and constituent interaction.

Author @cboyack

Connor Boyack

President