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Lane Beatty elected Utah Senate president; urges less partisan rhetoric and highlights transportation work
Summary
The Utah State Senate elected Lane Beatty as its president on opening day, where he delivered a wide-ranging opening address urging cooperation across parties, recounting transportation planning milestones, criticizing media-driven agendas, and announcing temporary adoption of prior rules to begin the session.
The Utah State Senate on Jan. 20, 1997, elected Lane Beatty as president by voice acclamation and installed him with the traditional oath. The motion to nominate Beatty was moved and carried, and senators escorted him to the podium to take the oath and assume the presidency.
In his opening remarks, President Lane Beatty urged senators to reduce partisan rhetoric and work across aisles. He said, “This is no longer a time for politics. It is a time for us to solve the problems of what we must,” and asked members to represent their constituents while defending the institution of representative government. Beatty repeatedly emphasized families and civic service as guiding priorities.
Beatty outlined the long-term work on transportation planning in Utah, summarizing milestones he attributed to studies and projects dating to the 1980s — including an I‑15 corridor study, design appropriations in the early 1990s, and the creation of a Centennial Highway Fund with significant appropriations. He framed transportation as an example of multi-year, bipartisan planning and asked the Senate to seize opportunities created by prior work.
He also highlighted reforms in legislative process and transparency, noting that hundreds of bills were already posted online and praising staff for preparing fiscal notes and bills in advance. Beatty urged colleagues to read legislation before voting and to work with the staff who produced preparatory materials.
Procedurally, the Senate agreed by voice vote to adopt the rules of the prior legislature temporarily while a rules committee reviews updates. The body also approved a motion to spread Beatty’s remarks on the Senate journal.
The session proceeded to committee assignments and other opening-day business after Beatty’s remarks; he closed by urging decorum and dedication to service.
The Senate recessed for lunch and planned to return for further assignments and the governor’s address later in the day.
