Legislative leaders will unveil their budget recommendations for next year on Friday evening.

Friday is the deadline for the Executive Appropriations Committee to make their decisions to draft the final appropriations bill before the Legislature adjourns for the year next week.

That won't be the end of the budget decisions, though. The House and Senate have until next Wednesday to prioritize which bills to fund that carry a price tag of $20,000 or more.

New bills that caught my attention

  • HB567 from Rep. Ken Ivory establishes ethical standards for the Utah Attorney General. The legislation requires that the AG ensure that the office is not used for personal or financial gain or that the office is unduly influenced by special interests.
  • HB566 removes "human sexuality" from any sex education curriculum taught in public schools.
  • SB341 creates procedures for the lieutenant governor to recuse themselves when they have a conflict of interest when overseeing an election.

Afternoon news roundup

Lawmakers' meddling with judicial elections "dangerous" and "harmful" to Utahns, chief justice says. [Tribune]

Utah moving closer to allowing universities to directly pay athletes. [Deseret News]

Tiered water pricing, agriculture bills advance in Utah's legislature. [Fox 13]

Bill to keep public employee harassment, discrimination accusations private to be pulled. [KUTV]

Utah lawmakers look to use eminent domain to help SLC site new homeless shelter. [Utah News Dispatch]

What's on Friday's agenda?

AM committee meetings

  • Rep. Trevor Lee's bill to ban the display of pride flags, but would allow Nazi flags in some instances, is set for the Senate Education Committee.
  • We told you yesterday about Speaker Mike Schultz's bill to return responsibility for writing the ballot language for proposed constitutional amendments to legislative attorneys, while still giving control to legislative leaders. The bill is scheduled for the House Government Operations Committee.
  • HCR15, a resolution that calls for a big expansion of religious expression in public places, is on the agenda for the House Public Utilities and Energy Committee.
  • Rep. Ken Ivory's bill to allow taxpayers to pay their tax bill with gold is set for the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.

PM committee meetings

  • HB557, which creates a committee made up of political appointees to oversee televised political debates in Utah, is set for the House Business, Labor and Commerce Committee.