Substitute offered for minority reports

The issue of allowing minority reports "has not gone to bed yet," said Rep. Neal Hendrickson, D-West Valley City.

The House Rules Committee voted this past week to pass HR7 with a second substitute offered by Rep. Rebecca Lockhart, R-Provo. The resolution heading to the floor abolishes the privilege of filing a minority report but sets forth the practice of reading the names of the committee's dissenting voters.

Lockhart said the names would be recorded in House journals for future reference, just as a minority report would be.

"It's important that we give each person an equal opportunity to report," said HR7 sponsor Rep. David Ure, R-Kamas.

Lockhart said her substitute is meant to provide a way for equal presentation of opinions by all who vote on any particular issue. Voters would have the option of having their names listed and read with the bill's recommendation.

"Neither side should have an advantage in putting forth their position," she said. "The floor debate is the proper place to do that. Opinions do not belong in a paragraph or a multiple-page attachment to a bill."

Rep. David Litvack, D-Salt Lake, said the option to provide a minority report is a matter of courtesy to any dissenting voter.

"It happens in very rare instances and when there are very strong feelings there," he said. Litvack voted against the resolution with intent to debate it on the floor with fellow Democrats, Hendrickson and Rep. Jackie Biskupski, D-Salt Lake, who also voted to fail the resolution in the committee meeting.

"This is not a majority vs. minority thing," Hendrickson said.

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