Thursday, December 09, 2004

DRAPER, UT—Governor-elect Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. today announced the schedule for Utah’s 2005 Inauguration Ceremony and associated events celebrating Utah’s culture and history. As mandated by Utah State Constitution, the swearing-in ceremony for elected state officials will take place at noon on Monday, January 3, 2005. Since its completion in 1916, all state inaugural ceremonies have taken place at the Utah State Capitol; however, due to the Capitol’s on-going restoration project, the 2005 Inauguration Ceremony will be held at Abravanel Hall in downtown Salt Lake City. Those being sworn into office include Governor-elect Huntsman, as well as Lt. Governor-elect Gary R. Herbert, Attorney General Mark L. Shurtleff, Treasurer Edward T. Alter, and Auditor Auston G. Johnson. The Utah National Guard will direct this event, with General Brian Tarbet serving as Host and Master of Ceremonies. Other festivities surrounding the inauguration include an Interfaith Inaugural Musical Program that will be held on Sunday, January 2, 2005 at 6:00 PM at the historic First Presbyterian Church located at 12 C Street and South Temple. Multiple musical groups representing various Utah congregations and denominations will perform. On Tuesday, January 4, 2005, Governor Huntsman will be hosting a public open house celebrating the 109 th year of Utah’s Statehood at West Valley City’s E Center. 4:44:53 PM

Following a demonstration of the software application, the Utah Residential Mortgage Regulatory Commission applauded the state’s new online Mortgage License Renewal System. As part of Governor Walker’s initiative to make state government more accessible, the online system is now available to mortgage licensees 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at no additional cost. The system will soon be available to real estate agents and appraisers. The Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Real Estate, in conjunction with Utah Interactive Inc., launched the online renewal service November 2004. The Mortgage License Renewal System may be accessed on the Division’s Web site: www.commerce.utah.gov/dre. Licensees need only to click the icon “Online License Renewal” at the lower right side of the Division’s home page. Once the licensee has established authenticity and entered the system, the licensee will be given the option to change an address or renew a license. To renew a license, the licensee will be asked to do the following: Confirm mortgage entity affiliation Respond to five qualifying questions Sign an electronic affidavit Make payment with appropriate credit card (Visa or MasterCard) Print confirmation of renewal, which includes receipt of payment A renewed license certificate will be mailed to the licensee within one month after online renewal has been completed. To avoid late penalties and expiration, mortgage licenses must be renewed before expiration of the existing license. “Licensees have been wanting a faster and easier way to renew their licenses—the new online Mortgage License Renewal System gives them just that. We are very pleased to provide our licensees with this accessibility and convenience,” said Executive Director Klare Bachman. 4:42:51 PM

The Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) announces the first of its kind online Controlled Substance Database. “Utah licensed practitioners, pharmacists and law enforcement needed the database service 24/7. In keeping with our mission of protecting the public, we are very pleased to make it happen,” said Executive Director Klare Bachman.  In 1995, the Utah State Legislature passed a bill implementing an electronic prescription-monitoring program, now commonly known as the Controlled Substance Database (CSDB). This law made Utah the first state to monitor all controlled substance prescriptions. The purpose of the database was to provide a resource to aid in the prevention and treatment of prescription controlled substance drug misuse, including law enforcement efforts. The database became available in 1997. But up until now, database information was disseminated only during regular business hours through oral, mail, or facsimile methods. On December 1, 2004, the following authorized individuals may access information from the database through the Internet: Licensed practitioners having authority to prescribe controlled substances to the extent the information relates specifically to a current patient to whom that practitioner is prescribing or considering prescribing any controlled substance. Within the near future, other authorized individuals will include: Licensed pharmacists; and Federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities. The state’s new online Controlled Substance Database is a resource of which all prescribing practitioners should be aware. It can provide valuable information, day or night, in monitoring prescriptive practices and identifying substance abuse among drug seeking patients. Primarily, the database can assist a practitioner who is concerned that a patient may be an addict or who suspects that a patient may be “doctor shopping” for drugs. With Internet access, a practitioner may conduct a CSDB patient search and immediately receive relevant information—while a patient waits. Authorized individuals may access the CSDB program at http://csdb.utah.gov. Anyone needing further information on the online database program is invited to contact Database Administrator Marvin Sims or his staff at (801) 530-6220 or csdb@utah.gov. 4:40:33 PM