A veto override session looks unlikely
Huntsman vetoed four bills and four budget line items. Legislative leaders are now polling their members to see if there is two-thirds support in both houses to call an override session.
Unlike previous governors, Huntsman let lawmakers know which bills he would veto. Even though some lawmakers grumbled about the governor's comments, they appear to be doing just what he wanted.
"I think the strategy of being open, up-front, crystal clear always is good policy. And, I think, the right strategy," Huntsman said Tuesday. "We've been consistent all along. . . . I don't think it came as a surprise to anyone what we vetoed."
The governor said he exercised his veto power "very judiciously." Had he not been so direct with legislators, Huntsman said he "very likely" would have had to reject a much larger stack of bills.
"The Legislature generally gives you high marks for being honest," he said. "If they see you as trying to play games and take advantage of a situation where you have to rely on a very careful balance of power, then I think there generally is a sense of retalition.
The only vetoed bill that could get enough support for an override session is HB148, a controversial family law bill sponsored by Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, legislative leaders said.
But even though Christensen, who is running for the U.S. House this year and doesn't want to look weak to any voters, and some of his supports are pushing for such an override, early counts out of the House override poll don't look good for any of the vetoed measures.
"There really is no controversy on the budget line items," said Senate President John Valentine on Tuesday.
Huntsman line item vetoed more than $235 million in transportation spending. But he did it because a mistake in several of the huge budget bills took the road money out of the wrong accounts.
"That will be fixed in our special session," said Valentine. Huntsman says he will call the 104 part-time lawmakers back into special session, probably in May, to debate and vote on Huntsman's "fairer, flatter" personal income tax reforms, which died the last night of the 2006 session in the House.
By the Utah Constitution, legislators have until April 30 to call themselves into an override session. If they do, they may only vote any of the vetoed bills up or down, without amending the bills or passing related new bills. And it takes a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate to override a gubernatorial veto.
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