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House adopts interim rules, suspends reading of bill titles and accepts rules committee report
Summary
The House temporarily adopted rules from the previous legislature, approved a motion (two‑thirds) to suspend reading full titles of bills and accepted a rules committee report that assigned a large slate of bills to standing committees and set many measures for later reading.
The Utah House voted on organizational motions that will shape how the 1997 session proceeds. Members approved a motion to adopt the same rules used by the prior (50th) legislature until new rules can be drafted and adopted, and later approved a motion to suspend the reading of the full titles of bills and resolutions on the calendar to expedite floor work. The presiding officer noted that suspension of title reading requires a two‑thirds vote; the necessary threshold was met.
The Rules Committee presented its report recommending that several bills and resolutions be printed and referred to standing committees. Representative Bill Hickman moved adoption of the committee’s report; the House adopted it on a voice vote. The Speaker then announced committee assignments and said many of the reported bills would be considered read for second reading and placed on the third‑reading calendar for debate.
The clerk read a long prefatory list of bills (covering topics from public safety and higher education to taxation, property and transportation). Among the measures mentioned were HB 3 (State building preventive maintenance), HB 15 (Transit District Authority), HB 67 (children's reading skills appropriations), HB 171 (housing coordination and planning), and HB 204 (alcoholic beverages and restaurant regulation). The House indicated these first‑reading items will be referred to rules and to the appropriate standing committees for further consideration.
Votes and outcomes: motions to adopt prior rules, to suspend title readings and to accept the Rules Committee report were all carried by voice votes; the transcript records 'Aye' responses but no roll‑call tallies.
What happens next: committee hearings and the rules committee’s work will determine which measures reach the floor for debate and final votes.
