This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Legislature stripped out a provision exempting lawmakers from cities' "good landlord" programs Thursday after a veto threat from the governor.
HB216 is intended to set guidelines on "good landlord" training programs that have been implemented in 11 cities and ensure that landlords don't have to take the same training in several cities.
The class costs landlords $59 and lasts eight hours, mostly to train them on the applicable tenant law.
But The Tribune reported that an overlooked section of the bill exempted legislators and other elected officials whose public service touches on real estate from having to take the course.
Gov. Gary Herbert said that he had told legislators that, unless the exemption was stripped from the bill, he would veto the measure.
So lawmakers took the unusual step of recalling the bill, deleting the exemption and passing it through both chambers Thursday evening.
At least 35 Utah lawmakers are involved in property management, although it is unclear exactly how many would benefit from the carve-out. More than a third of House members and 11 of the 29 senators are involved in real estate or own rental properties, according to their conflict of interest forms.
Senate President Michael Waddoups said the exemption was added to the bill by a lobbyist for the Utah Apartment Association.