Representative wants to change a few rules

By Bob Bernick Jr.
Deseret Morning News
Published: Monday, Jan. 10, 2005 9:36 p.m. MST
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A veteran Utah House member who has lost two close races for speaker wants to change a House rule to specifically allow registered lobbyists to have a voice in leadership elections.

Rep. Dave Ure, R-Kamas, finished second in the last two speakership contests — in 2002 to then-Speaker Marty Stephens, and last November to the new speaker, Rep. Greg Curtis, R-Sandy.

Ure, a 14-year House member, wants two other internal changes to House rules, both of which would open up how the House operates.

He wants verbal conflict-of-interest declarations — supposedly made before a House or committee vote — to be mandatory, not at the discretion of the legislator.

And he wants the huge electronic vote tally board in the House Chamber to be modified so that lawmakers and the public only see that a representative has voted, not whether a vote is "aye" or "nay" on a specific bill or amendment, until after the vote has been closed, tallied and made final.

Ure said the current ban isn't working. But beyond that, trying to curtail lobbyists' political activities "is unconstitutional, a violation of their free political speech."

In addition, Ure said he and others feel a bit betrayed when they are swayed by a legislator during debate on a complicated issue only to learn after the vote that person had some kind of conflict of interest the body didn't know about. Thus the pre-vote, verbal declaration of conflicts should be mandatory, Ure said.

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Finally, too many of the 75 House members watch the chamber vote board before casting their own, he said. The change will lead to "more active and in-depth debate" before bills are voted on, said Ure, as less-informed lawmakers seek to educate themselves, not just follow the votes of respected colleagues.

Curtis said: "I disagree that the lobbyist rule is unconstitutional." Leadership contests are "votes among caucus members only — not the general public." And no one is trying to stop any voting member from his free speech, he said.

"I acknowledge that some lobbyists are getting around the rule," he said. But junking the rule could lead to formal endorsements by lobbyists and/or special interest groups in leadership races.

Curtis actually wants to consider "hiding" the yes and no voting: "Dave and I actually approached the last two speakers about that; both said no."

"I'd like to have all these (Ure-backed ideas) discussed on the floor, because they should be considered," Curtis added.

House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake, said the ban on leadership elections, while violated by some lobbyists, "is a good rule and I'd hate to see it changed."

E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com

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