SERVICES
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS & LOBBYING
Relationships with legislators and state administrators set the foundation for a successful strategy. At Capstone, we value the relationships we have developed throughout our years of working for our clients with state and local government. Whether it is working on specific legislation, trying to obtain a state appropriation or coordinating with state agencies on rules or enforcement of rules, Capstone has developed the relationships to meet with key policy makers.
We will utilize our personal relationships we have developed throughout the years, our analytic analyses and strategy building to benefit our clients.
COALITION DEVELOPMENT
At times, successfully representing clients depends not only on Capstone or the information provided by our clients, but it relies on the ability to bring other organizations or individuals together to strengthen our request. We have successfully worked with a number of interests to develop a broader support base. Specifically, we have utilized this strategy and ability on strengthening Utah’s indoor clean air act, raising tobacco taxes, enacting legislation on misclassification of employees in the construction industry and unifying interests for the benefit of public safety.
POLICY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
While providing the information and research necessary for successful legislative or administrative actions primarily falls with the client, Capstone has the unique ability of analyzing disparate pieces of information and carefully crafting the data to provide a strong basis for legislative or administrative action. Capstone will look at each issue and break down the basic components of the data needed and work with the client to factually generate supporting documentation.
One of Capstone’s strengths is our ability to look at raw data and display it in a form that is clear and concise for policy makers to understand and accept.
MAJOR LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2020-2021
Assisted in the passage of legislation to expand statewide housing mediation services and rural pre-development grants for affordable housing projects
Assisted in the passage of legislation to require the sharing of information between law enforcement agencies regarding police officers facing internal disciplinary investigations when those officers are seeking employment at another agency
Assisted in drafting and the passage of legislation to allow lawful residents who have been in the country for five years to become police officers and dispatchers
Assisted in the passage of legislation that created a grant program to provide mental health resources for first responders
Conceptualized and assisted in the passage of legislation that transferred the Utah State Fire Academy from the Department of Public Safety to Utah Valley University, and transitioned its funding from the state’s general fund to the state’s education fund
Assisted the passage of $10 million for the development and preservation of affordable housing
Assisted in the passage of legislation that closed the loophole that allowed gambling to illegally occur in our state
2010-2019
Participated in and helped draft legislation to ensure that the Tier 1 Firefighter retirement account remains fully funded from the Insurance Premium Tax, and secured $17 million backfill from the state’s general fund
Negotiated and assisted in the passage of legislation to require cities to create moderate income housing plans, all while carefully balancing the goals of multiple city clients with varying housing needs
Assisted and negotiated among interest groups to allow for expedited licensure for plumbers and electricians
Negotiated and assisted in the passage of legislation restricting pawn shops from accepting gift cards, items with defaced serial numbers or other indicia, new items, and also require photographs for some items and fingerprints for all transactions
Negotiated and assisted in the passage of legislation increasing retirement benefits for Tier 2 public safety employees
Assisted and negotiated among interest groups to add a designation category for nonemergency secure behavioral health transport providers and vehicles
Participated in and helped draft legislation that creates a certification for fire sprinkler fitters
Passed legislation to provide funding for public safety to cities hosting homeless resource centers
Assisted and negotiated among interest groups to pass legislation amending firework restrictions and use
Passed legislation to license elevator contractors and elevator mechanics (strengthening
professionalism, consumer and employee safety)
Passed legislation to increase tobacco tax
Passed legislation to affect the misclassification of employees in the construction industry
Passed legislation for the AED account, creating a state matching fund for schools and local
governments to put AEDs in public safety vehicles and school buildings
Passed legislation in four consecutive sessions which ultimately created the Utah Communications
Authority to oversee all of public safety radio and telephone communications including the 911 network
and CAD Compatibility
Assisted and negotiated among interest groups to establish minimum standards for the use of
body camera technology for law enforcement
Received state funding of $2 million for the ACS construction of a Utah Hope Lodge
2000-2009
Amended Utah’s asset forfeiture statute to provide additional revenue for law enforcement;
the law was adopted as a citizens’ initiative “B”
Passed hate crimes legislation. (Prior to 2006, Utah was one of four states without a hate crimes
penalty enhancement or sentence aggravator)
Passed the indoor clean air act amendments making Utah 100% indoor clean air
Secured Governor Huntsman's veto on legislation negatively affecting step parents and
non-biological grandparents' rights
Passed pet animal felony torture legislation
1990-1999
Re-worked the Class B and Class C local government motor fuel tax distribution formula
Assisted in returning the Olympic portion of the local sales and use tax to local
governments
Allocated state sales tax revenue to the Class B and Class C road fund for local governments
Increased beer and liquor tax and re-worked distribution formula for local governments
Developed consensus on a new distribution formula for the local option sales tax,
changing it from a total point-of-sale to a population/point-of-sales formula
Increased sales and use tax revenues for Olympic venue construction
Passed legislation to include a college student on the Utah State Board of Regents
Developed the Downtown Business District Act