Utah Legislature helps, hurts state entities

HELPED: The Department of Environmental Quality by agreeing to increase fees collected for hazardous, municipal and solid waste.

HURT: The EPA's feelings by endorsing a resolution that asserts carbon dioxide should not be regulated until climate change science can be proven.

HELPED: People and business owners in conserving water by legalizing the harvesting of rainwater up to certain amounts.

HURT: Energy conservation efforts and preservation of natural resources by refusing to encourage the creation of "green" schools in Utah.

HELPED: Utah's air quality by urging elimination of all "unnecessary idling" of motor vehicles.

HURT: Powder Mountain residents being forced into a town without the chance to vote.

HELPED: Certain municipal solid waste handlers by allowing garbage to be classified as a renewable energy source.

HURT: Weber State University because the Utah Board of Regents has yet to approve an electrical engineering degree and a bill requiring them to do so never made it out of the House.

HELPED: Utahns who want to honor Ogden gun maker John M. Browning by commemorating the 100th anniversary of his famous pistol on Jan. 24, 2011, the first day of the 2011 Legislature.

HURT: Individuals or agencies that donate $250,000 or more to Utah colleges and universities, since they may no longer remain anonymous because lawmakers believe transparency is necessary to avoid bias in educational direction.

HELPED: Pets and their owners by requiring animal shelters to now check tags and call owners.

HURT: Higher education institutions by slashing their budgets, making for a total 13 percent cut at a time when enrollments are surging.

HELPED: Landlords by not having to disclose trace amounts of methamphetamine on their properties.

HURT: Smokers' pocketbooks due to a $1 increase in the tax on a pack of cigarettes.

HELPED: Possibly prevent people from smoking due to the increased cost of cigarettes.

HURT: Small Utah businesses by implementing a new piece of government regulation to screen employees for the legal right to work, though the mandate does not come with a penalty for failure to do so.