Utah lawmakers eager to 'reform' — others

Utahns overwhelmingly say they want legislators to get on the stick and start passing government reform bills, a new poll shows.

But while lawmakers are moving forward bills that "reform" executive branch activities, they are killing bills that, in some cases, would apply the same standards to themselves.

In a new survey for the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV, pollster Dan Jones & Associates found at least 75 percent support for seven different reform measures that are before lawmakers this session — but only those that apply to the executive branch of government are making any headway.

For example, already approved by the Senate is a constitutional amendment, asked for by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., that would limit the terms of Utah governors to two four-year stints in office.

Several years ago, legislators repealed a 12-year term limit law that applied to them even before the law forced anyone from office.

Tuesday, a House committee approved a bill that would ban state employees from taking any gift valued at more than $25, if the employee was getting it because of that person's state position.

Yet already this session, legislators have killed bills that would have:

• Curtailed lawmakers from giving their own campaign funds to themselves.

• Banned most gifts to legislators from lobbyists.

• Allowed lawmakers to continue taking lobbyists' gifts but make public more legislators' names who take those gifts.

"It's a curious thing," said Tony Musci, chairman of Utah Common Cause, a government watchdog group. "It's almost mind-boggling that (legislators) don't see the hypocrisy" in restricting what the governor, top state executives and/or rank-and-file state workers may do, but don't apply the same standards to themselves.

True, Huntsman asked for the restrictions placed on himself and his top aides — like not allowing a future governor or Cabinet member to become a paid lobbyist for one year after leaving office. (Legislators routinely kill a bill each session that would stop legislators from immediately becoming paid lobbyists upon leaving office. All but one retiring speaker of the House in the last decade have become lobbyists upon leaving office.)

A bill limiting campaign contributions in gubernatorial races is also on tap this year at Huntsman's request.

Huntsman promised executive branch reform as part of his campaign last year but has been careful not to say he expects legislators to follow his ethical path.