Gun-bill maneuver backfires on 4 senators

When the Senate Republican caucus held a press conference after Friday's afternoon floor session, a few GOP senators were missing.

And when those who attended the conference got to their Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee meeting, it became clear to them why their colleagues were absent.

Sens. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan; Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden; Mark Madsen, R-Lehi; and David Thomas, R-South Weber, scooted off the floor as soon as the session ended to attempt a political maneuver that backfired so badly Madsen ended up voting to table his own bill.

The four entered the committee room, formed a quorum and then voted to pass out Madsen's SB24, which amends Utah's gun law to allow any legal gun owner to carry a concealed, loaded weapon in his or her car.

When the full committee met, those who attended the news conference were visibly upset when they learned what had transpired, prompting them to reconsider the bill and table it.

"Most of us were not only not on the prevailing side (of the vote), we were not here for the debate. Nor did the audience have an opportunity to participate," said Sen. Patrice Arent, D-South Cottonwood.

Madsen first attempted to keep the bill on the agenda until the committee's next meeting, saying that Buttars, who left sick after the vote, wanted to partake in the debate. But members of the committee were too upset to allow that motion to pass, and it was obviously doomed from the start.

"We were asked to be in a caucus room at 4 o'clock after we adjourned. And some were told to come down here instead of going there, and it seemed that only one side of this debate that was asked to do that," said Sen. Al Mansell, R-Sandy.

After Madsen admitted that was intentional, Mansell requested to make a substitute motion, which ended up tabling the bill. It takes two-thirds vote to bring back a tabled bill.

"I could see the writing on the walls. . . . I tried to move this out in accordance with the rules — the rules have come back and gotten me," Madsen said.

Although there was opposition to the bill, whether it would've passed or not remained uncertain.

"(Mansell and I) felt like if (some) things could've been worked out there was probably a pretty good bill here," said Sen. Gregory Bell, R-Fruit Heights. "Unfortunately, we didn't get to have that discussion."

Others voiced reservations about the bill regardless.

"It seems to me that everything can be obtained that people want my getting a concealed weapons (permit) to me . . . and it seemed to be that we were doing away with concealed weapons permit, because you don't need to get one," said Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan.

"I think when we're looking at the safety of our children and we're looking at the safety of our officers, this is certainly not a bill that I could support," Arent said.

The committee voted 6-2 to table the bill, with Thomas and Christensen dissenting, but not before Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich, Price, gave Madsen some advice.

"When you do that next time, adjourn right after you do it."

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