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Utah Senate Meets in Extraordinary Session, Confirms Cara L. Pettit and Multiple Gubernatorial Appointments
Summary
The Utah Senate convened in a tenth extraordinary session called by Gov. Gary R. Herbert to consider appointments. The Senate adopted session rules and consented to the governor’s nominees, including confirming Cara L. Pettit as a Third District Court judge by a 28-0 roll call.
The Utah State Senate met in a tenth extraordinary session in October 2014 to consider gubernatorial appointments and unanimously consented to the nominations, including confirming Cara L. Pettit to the Third District Court.
Governor Gary R. Herbert’s proclamation — citing Article 7, Section 6 of the Utah Constitution — called only the Senate into an extraordinary session to consider appointments made since the close of the 2014 general session. The Senate clerk reported a quorum: 28 present and one absent.
Early in the brief session, Senator Ben Tassell moved that the body adopt the Senate rules used during the 2014 general session for the extraordinary session; the motion passed without debate. The president then appointed a committee to wait upon the governor’s representative and the Senate proceeded to consider nominations.
The Judicial Confirmation Committee reported favorably on the nomination of Cara L. Pettit to be a judge of the Third District Court. Senator Scott Jenkins summarized Pettit’s background — noting her accounting degree, CPA credential and legal training — and moved the Senate consent to the appointment. The clerk took a roll-call vote and the Senate consented to Pettit’s appointment, 28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent. The presiding officer announced the confirmation and invited Pettit to address the chamber.
After the vote, Cara L. Pettit introduced family members and colleagues and thanked the Senate. She said she was “humbled, honored, thrilled” to serve and described public service as her motivation for the bench. Pettit also remarked on the strength of the Third District bench and expressed appreciation for the confirmation process and those who supported her.
The Senate briefly resolved into a Committee of the Whole to hear Pettit and, on motion of Senator Ockman, dissolved the committee after her remarks. The governor transmitted a second set of appointments — to bodies including the state records committee, Utah Commission on Uniform State Laws, Southern Utah University Board of Trustees and Board of State History — and Senator Hilliard moved consent to the slate as read.
Senator Steven (Stevens) rose to endorse one appointee to the Board of State History, Ken Gallagher, before the clerk conducted a roll-call vote on the full slate. The Senate consented to the additional appointments by roll call, 28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent. The president directed a committee to notify the governor’s representative that the Senate had concluded business for the day.
Senator Okerlund moved to adjourn, and the Senate adjourned sine die. Senators remained briefly afterward for birthday acknowledgments.
Votes at a glance: The Senate adopted temporary session rules (passed without recorded opposition); the Senate consented to the appointment of Cara L. Pettit to the Third District Court (roll call: 28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent); the Senate consented to a slate of additional gubernatorial appointments (roll call: 28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent).
