Utah Legislature briefs

'Water harvesting' measure approved

The Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee unanimously approved a bill on Wednesday morning loosening restrictions on a practice known as "water harvesting."

SB128, sponsored by Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, would allow an individual to collect up to 2,500 gallons of rainwater for use on their personal property without a state permit, as is now required.

Jenkins described the practice as "quite an industry that's evolving around the world" and said it was "big in parts of the country with a lot of rain."

Some questions about enforcement provisions, mosquito control and allowances for larger households remained unanswered, but Jenkins assured the committee that he would resolve these issues before the bill is considered by the full Senate.

— David Servatius

Committee OKs bill on prescriptions

A bill that makes electronic prescriptions a reality was approved unanimously by a House committee Wednesday.

HB128 establishes the Electronic Prescribing Act and puts doctors on notice that by 2012 they will be required to provide patients with the option to participate in electronic prescribing,

The bill's sponsor, Ronda Rudd Menlove, R-Garland, said the bill takes important initial steps toward health-care reform, saves money and time, decreases the chance of mistakes due to poor penmanship and allows a real-time tracking of medication prescribing, dispensing and use.

— James Thalman

Measure for fund to fight abortion OK'd

A bill that sets up a legal defense fund that its sponsor hopes will one day pay to fight in court Utah's eventual outright ban on abortion was approved unanimously by a House committee Wednesday.

HB114 allocates no state funding for what would likely be a lengthy and costly battle, but provides a fund where people supporting an outright ban of abortion can donate.

Lawmakers proposing the Abortion Litigation Trust Account have made no secret that they'd prefer to be proposing a ban on abortion right now. They said Wednesday that doing so would allow Utah to set the precedent for a challenge of Roe v. Wade.