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The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

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Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor, send us an op-ed pitch or check out our open positions for the chance to be published by the Daily Utah Chronicle.
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Students march on State Capitol

By Patrick Muir and Dustin Gardiner

A coalition of student groups marched into the State Capitol Complex on Monday in opposition of several bills dealing with student issues currently before Utah State Legislature.

In the courtyard of the State Capitol between the two auxiliary buildings, Curtis Haring, a senior political science major, shouted before the roaring crowd, “We’re here to tell them education is important for all. We’re here to tell them that hate crime will not be tolerated. We’re here to tell them a woman has a right to her body. And above all, we’re here to tell them that we care.”

The protest was lead by the Student Activist Movement, a new alliance of liberal campus groups composed of the College Democrats of Utah, the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan (MEChA), the Lesbian and Gay Student Alliance and the Progressive Student and Youth Council.

On their march from the City and County Building to Capitol Hill, the group held up signs to passing people and cars while shouting, “No hate in our state,” and, “Students divided will never be united.”

At Capitol Hill, members of the group handed out fliers containing their point of view and spoke to legislators.

“We want the (people) in these buildings all around us to know we have a voice,” Haring said.

Haring and his fellow student activists marched in opposition of three bills and a measure that would restrict extracurricular clubs and marched in support of one bill.

House Bill 85: Abortion by a minor-parental notification and consent

The bill would require parental notification for abortions-but also parental consent.

“We don’t think there should be anymore burden placed upon women to exercise their right to choose in Utah,” said Christina Coloroso, member of the College Democrats, the National Organization of Women Campus Action Next and Chronicle Opinion Writer.

She said a problem with the bill is that there is no provision of excuse in the instance of rape and a loophole in a case where exception is granted.

“If your parents committed incest and that’s why you were pregnant, you still have to notify them even if they don’t consent to it,” Coloroso said. “There is a big potential that (the bill) risks the lives of a lot of minor women,” she said.

House Bill 222: The unborn child pain prevention act

The bill would require women receiving an abortion to be informed of anesthetic or analgesic that would eliminate or alleviate presumed pain to the fetus.

“It is a scare tactic to prevent women from exercising their right as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Coloroso said.

She also said the new requirements would be unsafe.

“There is no medical procedure in place that would give doctors guidelines whether or not the anesthesia is safe and how much they can use before it will become dangerous,” she said.

House Bill 90: Criminal penalty amendments

The bill modifies the criminal code regarding crimes motivated by bias, giving the courts and the Board of Pardons and Parole the authority to consider the act to be one of bias or other aggravating factors.

“What we are saying is a crime against one is a crime against society,” Curtis Haring, senior political science and treasurer of the College Democrats. “If you are committing a crime specifically because you are or are perceived to be part of a group, the full extent of the law should be brought down upon you.”

Opposing the restriction on extracurricular clubs

The motion is designed to ban all gay-straight alliances in Utah High Schools by preventing discussions about identity and development with specific groups.

“In Utah we have to take a stand. We have to say we will not tolerate this type of hate in our state,” said John Spillman, senior in political science and sociology. “Race issues are queer issues. Women’s issues are queer issues. Every issue is a queer issue because it will affect one of us.”

House Bill 7: Repeal of exemption from nonresident tuition

The bill is designed to repeal Senate Bill 144, which allows undocumented students to attend higher education institutions in Utah if they have resided in the state for at least three years and graduated from high school.

“Regardless of whether they’re citizens, they have met all the same entry level requirements and paid the same taxes as every other U student,” said Breanne Miller, president of the College Democrats.

[email protected]@chronicle.utah.edu

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