Vote rates on Hill tallied

So, for example, the Senate Business and Labor Committee has seven members — but four are party leaders. So a "full" quorum there is considered to be just three of the seven members. A working quorum may be just two members (a majority of those who are not party leaders).

Indeed, just two members were present for six of that committee's 54 votes on bills this year. In another 12 votes, fewer than a real majority of members were present. Overall, its voting attendance rate was just 66 percent, the lowest in the Legislature. That raises questions about how thorough and fair public hearings and the review of bills are, with just two people present.

Valentine said that as Senate president, he would take a look at the make-up of that committee and perhaps remove some leaders. Doing work with just two members "is a concern," said Valentine, who was unaware of the problem.

Several other committees also had votes with fewer than a true quorum present. And several have relatively low overall voting rates. Among those with the lowest rates were the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, 67 percent; the Senate Judiciary and Transportation committees, both 70 percent; and the Senate Education Committee, 71 percent.

A 'truancy' problem?

The Morning News analysis shows that the average lawmaker missed one of every 10 votes on the Senate or House floor, and no one made all of the floor votes. In committees, a typical member missed one of every four votes. The analysis looks at votes only on bills and does not count votes in budget or rules committees.

The overall voting percentage of 90 percent on the floor and 77 percent in committees may sound good at first. But consider that Utah law classifies public school students as "habitual truants," subject to court fines, if they are absent eight days without excuse, or just 4 percent of all days possible, while attending 96 percent.

More than 80 percent of lawmakers would earn "unsatisfactory" citizenship grades under that standard for missing floor votes.

And that standard would certainly include Valentine's low 5 percent voting rate in his three standing committees. Some question why he should assign himself to standing committees if he is going to miss so many votes —especially considering that House Speaker Greg Curtis did not give himself any standing committee assignments this year.

"Because there are only 29 senators," compared to 75 House members, Valentine said. "Sometimes I have to be present on important (standing) committees to vote to make sure the (Republican) caucus positions on bills and spending goes forward," he said.

Curtis, R-Sandy, told the newspaper that he did not place himself on any standing committees "because I would just miss most of the votes," tending to his speakership duties, "so why do it?"