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Utah’s 2008 legislative session drew to a close on Wednesday, March 5, with victories for consumers on identity theft and mobile home owners’ rights. However many other issues that AAPR Utah supported will need additional attention in the coming months.

Health care reform, a major goal for AARP and a priority issue for Governor Jon Huntsman, will be further debated over the interim sessions this summer by a legislative task force. It will be important for all stakeholders in the health care system and anyone concerned with health care quality, cost, and accessibility to be vocal about how these key measures will be addressed. No schedule for has been set yet for the task force meetings, but AARP Utah will publicize the dates and locations as they become available.

Payday loan data collection made a small advance during the session, though many crucial pieces of information about the industry, such as the total number of loans made, default rates, and the number of multiple loans per customer were left out of the legislation’s requirements. AARP Utah will continue to work for meaningful regulation to insure that the terms and conditions of payday loans more reasonable and affordable.

Legislation to require voters to produce additional documentation for proof of citizenship was opposed by AARP Utah, as it would have required unnecessary and burdensome obstacles to legal voters. The bill would have disproportionately affected people, including older Utahns, who may not possess or cannot afford the documents required (such as birth certificates or drivers licenses). Voting by non-citizens has not been a problem in Utah, and adding these requirements would have disenfranchised eligible voters.

Although the bill to give older school employees additional retired benefits passed the House and a Senate committee, it was never heard by the full Senate and therefore was not enacted.

Other Resources
Utah State Legislature website