Utah House reads U.S. Bill of Rights, hosts Martin Luther King Jr. program and adopts rules committee report

The Utah House of Representatives resolved into the Committee of the Whole on the first day of the 2002 general session to hear a full reading of the U.S. Bill of Rights and a Martin Luther King Jr. program, and earlier adopted a rules committee report placing dozens of measures on the third‑reading calendar.

The rules committee recommended that, under suspension of the rules, a long list of bills and resolutions be considered read for the second time and placed on the third‑reading calendar. A member moved to approve the committee’s report and the motion was adopted by the House, after which the Speaker called for the scheduled ceremonial program and the Chamber moved into the Committee of the Whole for the Bill of Rights reading and the commemoration.

Representative (name not specified), speaking on a point of personal privilege, noted HJR 10 from the prior session and said the legislature had resolved that on the first day of the 2002 general session the Bill of Rights be read aloud in both houses. “Today, the Bill of Rights is in jeopardy,” the representative said, calling for vigilance in guarding constitutional protections and introducing students from Kimber Academy who would take part in the reading.

The assembled readers recited the text of the Bill of Rights, covering the First Amendment’s guarantees for religion, speech and assembly; the Second Amendment’s language on a well‑regulated militia and the right to keep and bear arms; protections against quartering of soldiers, unreasonable searches and seizures, and self‑incrimination; the Fifth and Sixth Amendments’ due‑process and trial protections; and the Ninth and Tenth Amendments’ reservation of rights and powers to the people and states.

Bill Haley, introduced as a guest and described in the program as the son of the late Alex Haley, spoke briefly about service and community responsibility, offering an anecdote about “a turtle on top of a fence post” to illustrate that personal success often depends on others’ help. “So no matter what we attain in life, we always needed someone’s help to get there,” Haley told the House.

Reverend Dr. Franz Davis delivered the keynote address for the Martin Luther King Jr. program. Drawing on Dr. King’s “drum major” sermon, Davis urged members to make public service a priority and to pursue change through legal, political, social, educational and economic means. He called for rejecting racial discrimination and profiling and emphasized three lines of action: acknowledge the inherent good in people, challenge the status quo, and exercise the “power of suffering” by advocating for those without a voice. Quoting King, Davis said, “Whosoever would be great among you shall be your servant.”

Representative Garn moved that the House dissolve the Committee of the Whole and express appreciation to the speakers and organizers; the motion was adopted. Before recess, Representative Del Rey reminded members of scheduled events including an industry dinner and a Public Health Day in the Capitol Rotunda and asked members to complete sign‑up sheets. The House recessed until 2:00 p.m.

The session combined formal chamber business — adopting the rules committee report and setting a broad slate of bills for third reading — with a ceremonial observance of the Bill of Rights and a commemorative program marking Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. The rules committee report lists dozens of bills to be placed on the third‑reading calendar (text of bills and specific calendar placements were read into the record).