5,000 officials meeting in S.L.

When 5,000 legislators from around the country convene Monday in the Salt Palace for the annual National Conference of State Legislatures, they should find a "more balanced" and conservative NCSL, says Utah House Speaker Marty Stephens, president of the nation's largest legislative organization.

When the four-day convention adjourns Thursday, Stephens will end his year as head of the NCSL. And the Farr West Republican says among other issues he's championed the past 12 months is an attempt to make the organization more business-friendly and more in tune with the Republican majority of legislatures across the United States.

The annual convention is the highlight of the organization's yearly activities, and the Utah Legislature is hosting this state's first NCSL national meeting — having raised more than $800,000 for the event.

For years, most of the nation's 50 state legislatures have been controlled by Democrats, says Stephens. And because NCSL's agenda is basically set at its annual conventions via member resolutions, it is natural that that agenda reflected the Democratic majority of most state legislatures.

"But now most legislatures are controlled by Republicans," said Stephens. As NCSL president — a job that rotates between a Republican and a Democrat each year — Stephens says he's worked to make sure that change shows through.

Anti-business?

Longtime Utah lobbyist Sue Ferry, wife of former Utah Senate president and now fellow lobbyist Cap Ferry, says a number of business/conservative groups have recently become disenchanted with NCSL.

The Ferrys have several national clients, including pharmaceutical and health-care firms. Recent NCSL conventions have had biased presentations and debates on Medicaid, drug cost reimbursements and other health-care related topics, Sue Ferry said.

NCSL has "become a liberal, or even ultra-liberal, organization," she said. "We've seen an anti-business bias. The last four to six years, (NCSL) has just become so one-sided. Our pharmaceutical (clients) are not participating" in NCSL activities "as much as in the past. In fact, a lot of businesses are giving their (financial) support to other (legislative associations), like ALEC."

ALEC is the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative legislative association. Under Stephens' speakership in the Utah House, the state began paying for Utah lawmakers' trips to ALEC-sponsored events. Utah has belonged to NCSL for decades.

Stephens and William T. Pound, executive director of NCSL, have heard complaints like Sue Ferry's before. "I know that in the past, some (business people) have felt that way," said Stephens.