Utah House opens 2007 session; Greg J. Curtis elected speaker by acclamation

The Utah House of Representatives convened Jan. 15, 2007, for the opening of the 57th Legislature. After ceremonial music and an invocation by Elder David Bednar, members were sworn in and the House conducted organizational business, culminating in the election of Greg J. Curtis as speaker by acclamation.

Elder David Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles offered the opening prayer, asking that "principle will prevail in all the things that are done in this important body" and closing "In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen." The House then moved to administer oaths of office and register attendance using the chamber’s electronic voting system.

Representative David Clark moved that "Representative Greg J. Curtis be elected as speaker of the Utah House of Representatives for the 57th Legislature by acclamation." The motion carried on an audible vote after being seconded, and the new speaker took the chair. In his remarks, Curtis thanked family and colleagues, recalled a narrow election and recount, and urged members to work hard and compromise where appropriate. "As you know, every 2 years, we begin our session with fresh faces, new ideas," he told members.

The House approved a motion to have Elder Bednar’s prayer and Speaker Curtis’s remarks printed in the House Journal. Members also adopted, temporarily, the House, joint and interim rules used by the 56th Legislature until new rules could be drafted and adopted. The speaker was authorized to appoint committees to notify the Senate that the House was organized and to wait upon the governor; the appointed members were named on the floor.

The House’s organizational actions on Jan. 15 set the procedural framework for the session and established leadership and temporary rules while standing and joint rules are drafted and reported to the chamber.