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Utah House Organizes for Second Special Session; Governor—s Proclamation Calls for FY2009 Budget Adjustments
Summary
The Utah House convened for a second special session in September 2008, kept its existing leadership, adopted prior rules, accepted a gubernatorial proclamation calling for fiscal-year 2009 budget adjustments and related measures, appointed committees to notify the governor and Senate, and adjourned until Sept. 26 to allow subcommittee work.
SALT LAKE CITY —6 September 2008
The Utah House of Representatives convened in a second special session on Thursday, organized its leadership as previously constituted and adopted the same House and joint rules from the 2008 general session, members said.
The House began with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance led by Representative Brad King, followed by a short series of procedural motions to confirm that leadership and housekeeping rules would remain the same for the brief session. "Let our deliberations be respectful," King said in the opening prayer.
In a reading delivered by Chief Clerk Sandy Tenney, the governor—s proclamation —signed by Governor Jon M. Huntsman Jr. and Lieutenant Governor Gary R. Herbert—called the 50th Legislature into a second special session in September 2008 for several purposes: to make adjustments to the fiscal year 2009 budget to conform to the most recent revenue estimates and to amend statutes necessary to implement those adjustments; to consider amending state and local sales and use tax provisions regarding exemptions for aircraft parts and equipment and requiring some exemptions to be claimed by refund; to consider permitting the State Board of Education to exempt a district or charter school from testing requirements under the Utah Performance Assessment System for Students (U-PASS); and to consider issuance of general obligation bonds for capital facilities and transportation projects.
The House voted without recorded roll-call tallies to: continue the existing organization of leadership, adopt the prior session—s rules for the special session, authorize the Speaker to appoint a delegation to meet with the governor and to meet with the Senate to report the House was organized, and to continue the practice of reading only short titles of bills and resolutions on the calendar unless the full House directs otherwise. The motions were made and carried by voice vote; exact tallies were not specified in the transcript.
Speaker remarks included a notice that the chamber had newly installed, broadcast-quality cameras: "when properly focused, it can read what you're writing or read your lips," the Speaker said, a comment members acknowledged as a reminder that their floor activity is under broadcast observation.
The Speaker outlined the work plan for the session: a brief floor meeting followed by caucuses and Appropriations Subcommittee sessions to consider recommended budget adjustments; the House planned to reconvene the next day at 9 a.m. to consider subcommittee recommendations. Representative Dave Clark moved that the House adjourn until Friday, Sept. 26, at 9 a.m.; that motion carried and the House stood adjourned to allow subcommittees to meet and prepare recommendations.
What happens next: committees were scheduled to meet with Appropriations subcommittees and report back to the full House when it reconvened; any bills or budget adjustments arising from those meetings would return to the House calendar for further consideration.
