Representative Fred Hunsaker talks to students from the CPD's disability awareness course.
Utah State University students spoke out about the issues that mattered to them at this year’s Utah Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities’ reception.
They made the trip to Salt Lake in February with the Interdisciplinary Disability Awareness and Service Learning class, offered through the Center for Persons with Disabilities on the Utah State University campus.
Student Aria Spear said the experience was valuable. “It was so informative. … I’m glad that I came. It will be easier to contact him [State Senator Lyle Hillyard] if I have concerns.”
Spear wanted more information about a legislative budget cut that repealed an extra dependency exemption to families of a child with disabilities. The exemption is no longer available on 2008 Utah state income tax returns.
The change came after a marathon session of budget cutting. Representative Fred Hunsaker said the goal was to create more stable income tax revenue, but he was sorry the exemption was lost. “That’s not a good tradeoff,” he said.
Spear also wanted to know whether her legislators supported Clay’s Law, which would require insurance companies to cover autism services for Utah families.
The subject interested several of the students who went on the trip. Representative Fred Hunsaker of Logan told the students that he supported Clay’s Law (SB 43), though he had reservations about mandating insurance coverage in general.
As for the bill, Senator Hillyard was not sure how far it would go in this year’s legislative session. He told student Jody Facer that he would probably support it, though he had some reservations about supporting mandates on insurance companies. “Though he could tell that what he had to say wasn’t what I wanted to hear, he was really honest about it,” she said. Facer is the mother of two children with autism.
As of February 10, Clay’s Law remained in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, where it has been since January 28.
Attendees fill the rotunda at the Utah Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities’ reception.