Huntsman dismisses 'sideshow' legislation

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. on Thursday dismissed "sideshow" legislation such as the origins-of-life bill, urging lawmakers to stay focused on issues important to Utahns.

The governor's comments, made during his monthly KUED Channel 7 press conference, may well apply to other so-called message bills this session including legislation to ban gay-straight alliances from public high schools and a so-called "soft repeal" of the 17th Amendment, which in 1914 provided for popular election of U.S. senators.

"Sometimes, the frivolous and the less important capture headlines," Huntsman said. "The longer-term issues that we face as a state are those surrounding job creation, education, basic mobility, transportation, quality of life — we need to stay focused on those."

As governor, Huntsman said, "that's exactly where my focus is. I'm not going to get side-tracked on any sideshows."

The origins-of-life bill sponsored by Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, has already passed the Senate. But it could run into trouble in the House, where Majority Whip Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, has said he can't support the bill.

Huntsman suggested the bill may never reach his desk and said if it does, then "we'll do what we think is right" based on his previous opposition to mixing religious beliefs and science in the classroom.

"What I have seen most recently is not an origins-of-life bill. It's been watered down to a relatively benign statement, and where it goes from here is anybody's guess," the governor said.

Buttars was hospitalized last weekend for an undisclosed ailment and has yet to return to the Legislature. He is also behind the proposal to ban gay-straight alliances in public high schools, although that legislation has yet to surface.

Huntsman also dismissed the chances of two other pieces of legislation being considered this session.

One of them is a Senate bill that would take away the governor's ability to halt the construction or expansion of low-level nuclear waste disposal facilities.

That bill would allow lawmakers to override the governor, but Huntsman said, "I don't think that's going to happen" and that it is appropriate for the governor to have "unilateral rights to jettison" such projects.

"I don't worry about the Legislature trying to put forward anything that ultimately will be successful," the governor said. "There might be some attempts, but I think there is a deeper sentiment in the legislative body in support of what it is we're trying to do."