GOP killing Democrats' reform bills

"Legislators file bills because they believe their issue at least should be heard by the public," said Becker, D-Salt Lake. "I'm naturally disappointed my bill won't even be heard. If the majority (party) doesn't want to even hear these (legislative) reform bills, well, that is unfortunate."

Tuesday, on a strict party line vote, Republicans in a Senate committee killed Democratic Sen. Karen Hale's attempt to restrict lawmakers' personal use of their campaign funds.

In what appeared to be an orchestrated move in House Rules, Rep. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, moved that Becker's bill be struck from consideration, adding it had little chance of passage in the Senate. The Rules Committee sifts bills, sending them out to standing committees for public hearings. It's unusual for Rules to kill bills early in the session.

Rep. Dave Litvack, D-Salt Lake, spoke against Adams' motion, saying the House considers, even passes, bills all the time that likely don't have much of a chance in the Senate. Becker's gift-ban bills "have never had an adequate hearing" in the House before, and it needs one this year, Litvack said.

The committee's three Democrats — Reps. Neal Hendrickson, D-West Valley; Jackie Biskupski, D-Salt Lake; and Litvack — then voted to hear HB144. Joining with the Democrats to hear the bill was Rules chair Rep. Becky Lockhart, R-Provo. Lockhart's husband, Micron lobbyist Stan Lockhart, historically is the largest provider of Jazz tickets to legislators, lobbyist reports show. The committee's other Republicans then voted to kill HB144.

---

E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com