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Utah House convenes, certifies membership and suspends three-reading requirement as hundreds of bills are introduced
Summary
At the Jan. 20, 2002 organizational session, the Utah House of Representatives certified membership, approved a motion to suspend the three-reading requirement for bills, and the reading clerk announced the introduction of hundreds of House bills and resolutions to be referred to the Rules Committee.
The Utah State House of Representatives convened its 2002 general session on Jan. 20, 2002, with the presiding officer announcing a quorum and calling the House to order.
The chief clerk read the certificate of membership for the 2002 general session. "I, Alina Walker, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Utah, do hereby certify that by the electors... chosen by the electors as members of the legislature of the state of Utah to serve in the House of Representatives," the certificate stated, and it noted gubernatorial appointments of Eric K. Hutchins (appointed 08/22/2001 to House District 38) and Steve Mascaro (appointed 01/08/2002 to House District 47) to fill recent vacancies.
During initial organization, an unidentified member moved "that the individual representatives be given the opportunity to sign pre filed bills if permission is granted by the chief sponsor of that bill." The transcript records the motion being introduced but contains no subsequent roll-call or voice vote on that specific proposal.
Later in the session an unidentified representative moved "that we suspend the requirement that every bill be read by title 3 separate times in the House of Representatives." The motion applied to all bills and resolutions introduced during the session, with the proviso that a majority of the House may direct the reading of the long title, short title, or both. The motion was approved by a voice vote, with the presiding officer announcing that the motion passes.
Following the organizational motions, the reading clerk announced a first reading of a broad set of measures that will be referred to the Rules Committee. The clerk read dozens of House bills and resolutions covering diverse policy areas — including HB 4 (motorboat driver licensing), HB 5 (school uniform amendments), HB 16 (blood and breath alcohol testing), HB 101 (racial profiling), HB 116 (attendance at local government meetings), HB 140s–200s spanning public safety, education, taxation and administrative changes, and multiple House resolutions and joint resolutions. The presiding officer confirmed that these measures would be read for the first time and referred to the Rules Committee.
Representative Hatch moved that the House recess for 15 minutes for the purpose of allowing the Rules Committee to meet; the motion carried, and the House recessed with authorization for the committee to convene in Room 303.
The actions of the day were procedural and organizational: certification of membership, a procedural change to suspend the three-reading requirement (approved by voice vote), the listing and referral of numerous bills to committee, and a short recess to allow committee organization to proceed. The transcript records no recorded roll-call votes on specific bills during this session.
What happens next: the referred bills will proceed through the Rules Committee and the House calendar according to the chamber's rules; additional hearings, committee work and votes will follow in subsequent floor sessions.
