Castle Country Radio was able to speak over the telephone with Representative Christine Watkins about what is taking place this week at the legislation session. She was able to talk about a State Stone, House Bill 213 and the renaming of Dixie State University.

Utah has a State Rock which is coal but they do not have a State Stone. After visiting with businesses in the Basin area Watkins learned that at one time years ago, they wanted to have the State Stone be Honeycomb Calcite but nothing became of it. So she has taken it upon herself to present this idea again to the legislature.  “There’s a little town over there called Hanna and it’s mined up in the mountains behind that. It’s called Honeycomb Calcite because it truly looks like a honeycomb. There are different colors from light yellow to dark. Now calcite can be found anywhere in the world but this honeycomb in unique to Duchesne, unique to Utah, and to the United States,” said Representative Watkins. Once she presents this idea to officials, she will keep us posted as to whether or not Honeycomb Calcite will be named the new State Stone or not.

A bill that she has found to be of interest is House Bill 213, Canine Injury Amendments. “It passed the floor today and what it does it provides that a person is not liable for an injury or a death that’s caused by that person’s dog to another animal. Not I’m not talking people, to another animal, it occurs on private property if the dog was reasonably secured because its on their private property and the other animal enters without permission,” explained Representative Watkins. This basically protects people from lawsuits and being held liable. The bill has passed the house and is on its way to the Senate.

The renaming of Dixie State University has been in the headlines lately and because it’s a state university they have to have permission from the legislature to do a name change. “Its in our laws, in our languages everywhere they have to get permission from the legislator to start looking for a new name. Now we haven’t approved a new name, we’re just giving them permission to create a committee to go out and meet with people in the community, and look into different names,” stated Representative Watkins. This is the first step in conducting a name change for the university and the process could take some time.