House elects Rebecca D. Lockhart as Speaker; she outlines priorities including immigration, health and a $300M structural imbalance

Representative Rebecca D. Lockhart was elected Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives at the opening of the 50th Legislature and immediately took the oath of office.

The nomination was made from the floor and adopted by voice vote; Representative Brad Dee then moved by acclamation to elect Rebecca D. Lockhart as Speaker, and the House approved the motion with no recorded opposition. Lockhart was sworn in and recited the oath to "support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this state" and to "discharge the duties of my office with fidelity."

In her opening address, Lockhart invoked the legacy of Martha Hughes Cannon and framed the session around a set of priorities. She said the House will debate immigration reform and health-care reform and address education and "a dangerous $300,000,000 problem known as structural imbalance." She also emphasized principles of federalism and state sovereignty, asking rhetorically, "Is Utah willing to tell the federal government to go away when it oversteps its authority?"

Lockhart urged members to "read the bills that come before" them, to "listen more than talk," and to act as "statesmen and stateswomen" while engaging in lively and principled debate. She highlighted the variety of backgrounds represented in the House and pressed members to provide constituents with explanations for their votes and to consider how legislation will affect future generations.

The House moved to print the invocation offered by Elder Ronald A. Rasband and Lockhart's remarks in the House Journal by unanimous vote.

Next procedural steps included the formal adoption of standing rules (addressed in a separate motion) and the referral of introduced bills to committee.