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Utah House opens 2006 session, keeps prior leadership and adopts 2005 rules
Summary
The Utah House of Representatives convened for its 2006 general session, declared a quorum, appointed Sandy D. Tenney as chief clerk, approved motions to retain the 2005 organization and rules, and read a large batch of bills for first reading and committee assignment.
Speaker Greg J. Curtis called the Utah House of Representatives to order on the morning of Jan. 16, 2006, declared a quorum present and opened the 56th general session. The House moved rapidly through organizational business, approving motions to keep the same leadership structure and adopt the House and joint rules used during the 2005 session.
The session included a formal appointment of Sandy D. Tenney as chief clerk and the reading of a certificate of membership signed by Lieutenant Governor Gary R. Herbert. Representative Alexander moved that "the House of Representatives continue with the same organization for the 2006 annual general session as was constituted during the 2005 annual general session," a motion the House approved by voice vote.
Why this matters: adopting previous rules and leadership preserves procedural continuity while allowing lawmakers to focus on substantive bills. The House also confirmed a procedural practice that limits daily readings to short bill titles unless a majority requests a long title, a measure intended to speed floor proceedings.
After the organizational motions the reading clerk presented a long list of bills for first reading (House bills 6–109 and 204–270 among many others). The Speaker and Rules Committee assigned those bills to the Rules Committee and to standing committees for deliberation. Committees named for assignments included Business and Labor; Education; Government Operations; Health and Human Services; Judiciary; Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice; Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment; Political Subdivisions; Public Utilities and Technology; Retirement and Independent Entities; Revenue and Taxation; Transportation; and Workforce Services and Community and Economic Development.
Representative Lockhart emphasized a related housekeeping request later in the morning, asking members to approve fiscal notes promptly (by email or phone) to avoid holding up bills in Rules Committee. The House took no final votes on policy measures during the morning session; the actions were procedural steps to organize the chamber and move bills into committee for further work.
The House recessed at noon for a Committee of the Whole program and later recessed for the day until 2:00 p.m.
