Saintless

Thanks to @gwarchol for alerting me via Twitter that Gov. Huntsman vetoed HB 353 (Truth in Advertising Act Amendments aka Video Games Bill) today! At the very end of this News Advisory on the Gov’s site, it’s mentioned.

Thanks to everyone who called, wrote and otherwise let the Governor know their opinions on this one! And thanks to all of the people who commented on my original post about the Bill. It’s been a great conversation! And most of all, thanks to Gov. Huntsman for vetoing this one! I think maybe a thank-you card is in order!

Update: This is what Gov. Huntsman had to say in a letter to Speaker Clark and President Waddoups about why he vetoed the video games bill:

Dear Speaker Clark and President Waddoups:

After careful consideration and study, I have decided to veto HB 353, TRUTH IN ADVERTISING ACT AMENDMENTS, and have transmitted it to the Lieutenant Governor for filing.

While protecting children from inappropriate materials is a laudable goal, the language of this bill is so broad that it likely will be struck down by the courts as an unconstitutional violation of the Dormant Commerce Clause and/or the First Amendment.

The industries most affected by this new requirement indicated that rather than risk being held liable under this bill, they would likely choose to no longer issue age appropriate labels on goods and services. Therefore, the unintended consequence of the bill would be that parents and children would have no labels to guide them in determining the age appropriateness of the goods or service, thereby increasing children’s potential exposure to something they or their parents would have otherwise determined was inappropriate under the voluntary labeling system now being recognized and embraced by a significant majority of vendors.

Sincerely,

Jon M. Huntsman, Jr.
Governor

According to the Trib, Gov. Jon Huntsman signed 97 new bills into law yesterday, after having signed 103 of them last Friday. It makes my head spin just trying to keep up with them.

It looks like he hasn’t touched the Video Games Bill yet, so there’s still time to call. That information is below.

Among the ones he did sign are HB 17 (Expedited Partner Therapy Treatment), HB 21 (Amendments to the Driver License Act), HB 22 (Harboring a Runaway), HB 51 (Exemption for Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing License), HB 90 (Abortion Law Amendments), HB 114 (Abortion Litigation Trust Account Amendments), HB 313 (Social Host Liability Act), and SB 11 (Incest Amendments).

I’ve only barely touched on the new laws, and I’m sure I’ve skipped at least a few that are important. But, as citizens of this state, it’s rather important to be informed on the new laws, right? Well, besides reading this blog, you can also keep an eye on what the Gov signs by reading the Latest News and Announcements from the Governor’s web site. Feel free to leave your thoughts about these bills, or others that are of concern for you. I always love to hear from my readers!

Call Gov. Huntsman at 801-538-1000 or 800-705-2464

Utah State Capitol Complex
PO Box 142220
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-2220

Or email him at the Governor’s web site

Wow, I can’t imagine any governor, or wannabe governor, seeking his help after Byrne’s meltdown. I thought I’d heard it all, until I read the article from Forbes.

A day after Utah’s school-voucher program was wiped out, the chief financial backer of the movement accused voters Wednesday of being insensitive to minorities…

…also said he would take his voucher campaign to black churches in South Carolina.

But The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People opposed Utah’s voucher program, saying it would lead to segregated schools.

Ok, so the above wasn’t a melt down. Here it comes:

In a phone interview with the AP, Byrne blasted Huntsman, who signed the voucher law but didn’t do much to try to persuade voters that it was worth keeping. Byrne gave $75,000 to Huntsman’s campaign for governor in 2004.

“He said, ‘I am going to be the voucher governor.’ He said this was his No. 1 priority. He said this was going to be his legacy,” Byrne recalled. “The moment Jon Huntsman becomes Gov. Huntsman, all this changed.”

Awww, was Governor Huntsman not for sale? Well, maybe someone else will be.

“I can say definitively he has lost my trust,” Byrne said of Huntsman. “I think that he, as a governor, he’s house-sitting in the governor’s mansion to the day Utah elects an actual governor.

“I don’t care if he’s communist. I wouldn’t care where he was politically,” Byrne said. “If any opponent emerged, he would have my unqualified support.”

Wow, a communist? Impressive Mr. Byrne. Impressive. Just hope they don’t find out how badly you piss your pants when you don’t get your way.

The event was turned into a TV ad for the pro-voucher group, Parents for Choice in Education, although Byrne claims the governor’s staff demanded the ad be pulled.

“I don’t want to be mean, but I do want the citizens to know what really went on behind the scenes,” Byrne said.

Well, let him go throw his money away elsewhere. I’m with JM Bell, no more of my money is heading his way.

“He clearly does not understand the African-American community,” Jeanetta Williams said. “For him to think all he needs to do is go to the black churches and throw his money around and win support – that’s not the case. It angers me.”

All of the above is in addition to his other hissy fit, which was summarized this way by Crooks and Liars:

Got that? Disagree with the right on voucher schemes that don’t work, and you’re a child-hating moron.

Haven’t guys like Byrne ever heard of losing with dignity? Maybe a little class?

h/t paramaphil)