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Utah Senate pauses to mourn lawmaker’s wife after fatal childbirth; newborn survives
Summary
The Utah State Senate opened its Jan. 24 session with a prayer and public condolences after Senators learned that Senator Bob Steiner’s wife, Jackie, died in childbirth; members prayed for the family and briefly recessed to allow staff and senators to offer support.
The Utah State Senate opened its Jan. 24 session with a moment of grief after leaders announced that Senator Bob Steiner’s wife, Jackie, died during childbirth while their infant son, James, survived.
An unnamed chamber chaplain led the body in a prayer asking that the Senate "set aside our petty differences and our personal prejudices and remember to love our neighbors as ourselves," and asked members to "extend [a] prayer of faith on behalf of all of us" for the Steiners. Senators rose to join the prayer, and several members spoke afterward to express sympathy and recall Jackie’s character. "She was a marvelous partner for Bob," one senator said during the floor remarks.
After the prayer, Senator Hilliard moved that the Senate recess for 15 minutes; the motion was adopted by voice vote. When the Senate returned, President Vincent Beatty called the chamber to order and the day's business resumed. The condolence and brief recess were announced on the record so the Senate’s actions and expressions of sympathy would be part of the public journal.
No formal legislative actions were taken as part of the condolence; the recess and the public prayer were procedural responses to the announcement. The session proceeded afterward to roll call, committee reports and the day's legislative calendar.
