Inventory of services gets a tentative OK

A proposal to require Utah's biggest cities and counties to inventory services they provide that may have private-sector competitors touched off over an hour of debate on the floor of the Senate Monday afternoon.

Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, is the sponsor of SB45 and responded to multiple inquiries about the cost, intent and long-term consequences for his bill, which simply asks for line-item lists of services provided by municipalities that correlate to services that may be provided by a private business.

Stephenson cited some examples of possible public services that compete with private business, which included swimming pools, reception centers and fitness centers.

Stephenson said that his bill creates a mandate to gather the information but does not utilize it in any fashion other than creating a "consciousness among policymakers and the public" that these areas exist.

SB45 was tentatively passed by the Senate.