Utah House opens 2008 session, adopts organization and rules; dozens of bills introduced

The Utah House of Representatives convened for the opening of its 2008 general session with ceremonial remarks, a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance before moving quickly through organizational business and the first reading of scores of bills. Speaker Curtis presided as Representative Dave Clark moved that “the House continue with the same organization for the 2008 general session as set up and constituted for the 2007 general session,” a motion the House adopted by voice vote.

The adoption of prior leadership and the House rules were placed with brief motions and no debate. Representative Urquhart moved that the House adopt the same House rules and joint rules as were in effect for the 2007 General Session; the motion passed by voice vote. Representative Clark also moved to continue the practice of reading only short titles of bills and resolutions unless the majority directs otherwise, citing the Utah Constitution; that motion likewise passed.

House clerks read the Office of the Lieutenant Governor’s certificate of membership listing representatives chosen at the 2006 general election and several appointees filling vacant seats. The clerk then read the short titles of a large number of bills to be considered read for the first time and referred to the Rules Committee. The reading included, by short title, bills on school finance and Medicaid, amendments addressing controlled substances and parole, measures on economic development incentives, water and transportation measures, and proposals ranging from minimum wage provisions to a veterans’ nursing home appropriation in Ogden. The House announced those bills would be referred to the Rules Committee for assignment.

Speaker Curtis opened the session by thanking the restoration team and staff, calling the restored Capitol “a singular honor” and urging members to “serve with honor and serve with distinction.” The House took several procedural actions by voice vote during the opening, including authorizing the Speaker to appoint committees to notify the Senate and to wait upon the governor; Speaker Curtis appointed Representative Agard and others to the notification committee and Representatives Bigelow, Allen and Cosgrove to the governor committee.

Actions recorded in the transcript were procedural and adopted without roll-call tallies in the record provided; those motions included continuation of the 2007 organization, printing the invocation and speaker remarks in the House Journal, adoption of the 2007 rules, authorization to notify the Senate and the governor, a motion to read only short bill titles, and a motion to recess until 2:00 p.m. The clerk’s reading covered an extensive list of House bills and resolutions that were considered read for the first time and referred to the Rules Committee.

The House recessed until 2:00 p.m. after the morning’s ceremonial and procedural work. No floor debate on substantive policy items was recorded in the provided transcript portion.