House OKs dismantling of a state department

With a few objections, including most of the members of House GOP leadership, a huge bill that dismantles the current state Department of Community and Economic Development passed to the Senate Friday.

HB318 is one of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s main goals this session. He fired 33 non-merit employees in the state's economic and travel agencies a week after taking office in January and announced that he would move the state's economic development operations into the governor's office.

The bill makes many changes in how economic development is organized in the state.

But several House leaders, including House Majority Leader Jeff Alexander, R-Orem, warned that legislators may be moving too quickly in adopting the major change.

"I believe we don't know what we've got here," said Alexander, "How we will spend these (economic development) funds in this state."

Supporters said Huntsman needs the changes now so he can quickly re-energize the state's economic development efforts.

Alexander, House Majority Assistant Whip Ben Ferry, R-Corinne, and a few other Republicans tried to amend the bill to make it take effect not July 1 but in mid-2006. They argued Huntsman could still put economic development in his office, operating from administrative rules and internal policies.

Their attempts failed.

Alexander, Ferry and House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, all voted against the measure. It passed, 55-19, but in announcing the vote Curtis commented: "It might yet still fail." Several House members warned HB318 could have a rocky time in the Senate, which will consider it next week.