Huntsman to decide fate of 30 bills today

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has until midnight today to sign, veto or allow a bill become law without his signature. About 30 bills remained on his desk late Monday from the 45-day, 2006 legislative session.

Earlier in the day, Huntsman signed HB109, a bill that over time could save Utah natural gas customers $10 million to $15 million.

The sponsor of HB109, Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper, said Monday that as natural gas prices rise, so does the sales tax placed upon the energy source by local governments. HB109 allows local entities to collect up to 10 percent more in natural gas sales tax in any one year. Anything more than that must be returned to the customers.

Natural gas prices have gone up 40 percent in recent months, Hughes said. And many Utahns had a hard time paying their heating bills this winter.

"Questar Gas has been an excellent corporate citizen," Hughes said in a statement. "Without (their) cooperation, we wouldn't have been able to work out a refund mechanism. We had wonderful cooperation at all levels as we worked on this solution."

A Huntsman veto of a bill can be overridden by the whole Legislature with two-thirds votes in the House and Senate. Huntsman vetoed one bill, SB70, during the session. The Senate voted to override that veto, but the House did not take a vote, upholding the governor's veto of a bill that would have curtailed the governor's power in keeping radioactive waste out of the state.