Little diversity on Hill — still

Incoming Rep. Mark Wheatley, D-Salt Lake, is ready for today's start of the 2005 legislative session. The freshman says he's approaching the session with his "eyes and mind open."

But Wheatley and another freshman Latino lawmaker, Ross Romero, D-Salt Lake, say they'd rather the session didn't start on Martin Luther King Jr. Day — a federal and state holiday.

"I think that should be changed," Wheatley said of a state constitutional requirement that the session start on the third Monday in January.

Still, Wheatley said he's looking forward to commemorating King's peaceful activism toward a dream of a colorblind society today, along with fellow lawmakers at a brief ceremony.

"The 'I Have a Dream' speech still brings shivers to your soul when you hear it," he said. "It is so inspirational."

Romero said Utah needs to embrace its increasing diversity. The composition of Utah's Legislature traditionally isn't reflective of that diversity.

Still, even with the loss of one black lawmaker — Republican Sen. James Evans — the number of minorities in the Legislature doubled to four of the 104 lawmakers on Election Day.

Rep. Duane Bourdeaux, D-Salt Lake, who is black, was re-elected. And freshman Republican Curt Oda of Clearfield adds a Japanese American voice to the House. Oda is also the only minority GOP lawmaker.

Utah doesn't rank high on non-racial diversity, either. There are only 15 women in the 75-member House; five in the 29-member Senate. And around 80 percent of Utah legislators are members of the LDS Church.

There are, however, three incumbent lawmakers who aren't racial minorities but who represent Utah's diversity — Salt Lake Democratic Reps. David Litvack, who is Jewish, and Jackie Biskupski, who is lesbian; and Sen. Patrice Arent, D-South Cottonwood, who also is Jewish.

While the Legislature's diversity (3.8 percent minority) still doesn't reflect the nearly 16 percent minority population statewide, according to census estimates, some in the minority community are encouraged that more people of color will be serving.

"As Hispanics we feel more represented," said Luz Robles, co-chairwoman of the Utah Hispanic Legislative Task Force. In fact, this is apparently the first time Hispanics have been elected since civil rights activist Sen. Pete Suazo, D-Salt Lake, was re-elected in 2000. (He served in the House for years before being elected senator.) Suazo died in 2001 and his widow served out his term.

Litvack said diversity at the Capitol is a welcome way to bring "different life experiences into the debate. I look forward to Ross and Mark to bringing a new perspective."