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Utah Senate convenes special session to address investigative rules, settlements and appointments
Summary
Gov. Gary R. Herbert called the Utah Legislature into a first special session to consider changes to legislative investigative procedures, several licensing and practice rules, a roughly $3 million settlement payment and to confirm gubernatorial appointments; the Senate passed all measures it considered and consented to multiple appointments.
The Utah Senate convened in a first special session in July 2013 after a proclamation from Governor Gary R. Herbert calling lawmakers back to Salt Lake City to address legislative subpoena and investigative procedures, immunity for witnesses, licensing for investigators, certain practice-of-law provisions, a proposed settlement and a set of gubernatorial appointments.
The governor's proclamation, read into the record, listed seven specific purposes for the special session, including "changes relating to the legislative subpoenas, the provisions of testimony and evidence to the legislative branch, including the grant of immunity to a witness," and a resolution and appropriation tied to a settlement. The Senate established quorum, appointed committees to notify the governor and the House and agreed to suspend several procedural requirements to consider measures immediately.
Senators moved quickly through the agenda. The chamber consented to a slate of judicial and administrative appointments transmitted by the governor, and the Senate adopted motions to consider multiple House-originated bills without the usual committee delays. President Niederhauser led roll calls and formal votes recorded throughout the session.
The session's business mixed statutory changes with immediate fiscal decisions. Lawmakers discussed temporary exemptions that would allow investigative committees to close meetings or classify records when doing so would not interfere with criminal investigations, and clarified that any grant of "use immunity" under the bills would not bar prosecution based on independently obtained evidence.
Procedural votes to suspend constitutional reading requirements and other rules were unanimous or near-unanimous in most cases, allowing the Senate to move each item through final passage and transmit bills back to the House for enrollment or the governor's signature. The Senate adjourned after recognizing birthdays and staff awards.
The Senate's actions during the session were procedural and legislative: several bills moved forward to final enrollment and multiple appointments were confirmed, reflecting the specific and time-sensitive items listed in the governor's proclamation.
