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Utah House opens 2012 general session, adopts organizational rules and introduces first-round bills
Summary
At an organizational meeting on Jan. 23, 2012, the Utah House of Representatives swore in appointees, adopted prior-session rules and committee assignments, read a wide set of bills for first consideration and recessed until 2:15 p.m.; Speaker Rebecca Lockhart urged civility and a focus on education and vulnerable youth.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House of Representatives convened for the opening of its 2012 general session on Jan. 23, swore in newly appointed members, adopted organizational rules and sent a large first batch of bills to committee before recessing until the afternoon.
Speaker Rebecca Lockhart opened the session by thanking student participants and describing priorities she said should guide the 45-day session: education, support for research and business, concern for homeless and vulnerable youth, and fiscal restraint. "I can promise that the next 45 days will be both fulfilling and frustrating," Lockhart said in her opening remarks.
The session included formal, routine business required to organize a legislature. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor certified the list of elected members in a reading signed by Greg Bell, and the Speaker administered the oath to three gubernatorial appointees named in letters from the governor: Lowry Snow, Craig Frank and Daniel McKay.
On procedural motions, Representative Dee moved that the House "continue with the same organization for the 2012 general session as was constituted for the 2011 general session," referring to the speakership and caucus leadership; the motion was approved by voice vote. The House also approved a motion to print caucus leadership and committee membership in the 2012 House Journal.
Representative Wayne Harper, speaking for the Rules Committee, recommended a set of bills be lifted from rules, read for second reading and placed on the third-reading calendar; the House adopted the committee report by voice vote. The reading clerk introduced a long list of House bills and resolutions for first reading and referral to committee, covering topics that included higher education budgets, public safety, health and human services, education policy, taxation and local government matters. Among items read for first consideration was HB 199, listed as a bill on the elimination of daylight saving time.
The Speaker announced committee referrals for many introduced bills, assigning bills to standing committees including Business and Labor; Education; Government Operations; Health and Human Services; Judiciary; Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice; Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment; Revenue and Taxation; Transportation; and Workforce Services and Community and Economic Development.
The House recessed at the Speaker's direction until 2:15 p.m. The joint committee appointed to notify the governor reported that the governor will address a joint convention of the legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 6:30 p.m., in the House Chambers.
The proceedings were largely organizational and procedural; there were no recorded roll-call tallies in the transcript for floor votes described as voice votes.
