17th Amendment bill clears its first hurdle

Sen. Howard Stephenson's controversial bill that would make Utah's U.S. senators more accountable to the Legislature cleared its first hurdle Tuesday, advancing out of the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee on a 3-2 party-line vote.

The Draper Republican says the bill is intended to bring Utah's federal representation back in line with the original intent of the Constitution's framers, which was changed by the enactment of the 17th Amendment allowing for the direct election of senators.

"States have become pawns in the hands of the federal government," Stephenson said.

The bill would allow legislators to give direction to the state's U.S. senators and require the senators to report their progress back to the Legislature.

Originally, the bill would've permitted members of the Legislature to pick their party's senatorial candidates. The bill that Stephenson brought to the committee Tuesday says that the Judiciary Interim Committee should consider whether a political party ought to utilize the legislative party caucuses to assist in the selection of Senate candidates.