Utah Senate opens session; governors office reports SB 1 signed, House transmits SB 26

SALT LAKE CITY Feb. 4, 2008 The Utah State Senate convened Tuesday with an invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance and a roll call that established a quorum as the chamber began its day's business.

Pastor Eric Morgan of Living Waters Christian Fellowship opened the session with a prayer asking lawmakers for guidance and restraint, saying, "we come before you with great humility" and asking that members be endowed with "wisdom and knowledge and understanding" as they work on legislation.

President Valentine then called the roll and declared the Senate had a quorum, noting members present and one absence. The Clerk read communications to the body, including a Feb. 4 letter reporting that the governor had signed several measures and forwarded them for filing.

The Clerk read that SB 1, the state agency and higher education budget appropriations bill, and a concurrent resolution recognizing Nobel Prize winner Mario Capecchi had been signed and transmitted to the lieutenant governor for filing. The communication was dated Feb. 4 and noted the transmittal of the signed measures.

In a separate House communication, the Clerk said the House had passed Senate Bill 26, dealing with fire management areas, and that the measure had been signed by the Speaker and transmitted to the Senate president for signature and processing. The Clerk also began to announce that the House had passed, as amended, House Bill 28; the available transcript cuts off before details of that measure or its amendment were provided.

There was no substantive debate on the measures in the available portion of the transcript; the items were presented as routine communications to the Senate for signature and processing. The session proceeded after the Clerks announcements.