No override session

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. will not face a legislative veto override session this year, keeping his veto record perfect.

Senate President John Valentine said Wednesday that a final count of the 29 state senators shows that 20 senators did not want to try to override any of Huntsman's vetoes. Only nine senators voted "aye" on an override poll of members.

Regardless of the final count of House members, since the Senate says "no" there will be no override session. It takes two-thirds votes in both the House and Senate to have an override session.

"We're pleased this part" of the 2006 Legislature "is over and now we can focus on a special session on tax reform," Huntsman deputy chief of staff Mike Mower said.

Valentine, R-Orem, said he was "not overly surprised by the Senate vote. It is always difficult to have an override session, and it is intended (in the state Constitution) to be that way."

House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, was also not surprised by the Senate position. Even if the Senate had supported an override session, he said that "our preliminary numbers" indicated that there was not support in the House, either.

Another problem for House members pushing for a veto is the lack of leverage with the Senate.

"The vetoed bills were all House bills, so we cannot even try to negotiate with the Senate, even if we wanted it," he said.

Actually, when Utah had a Democratic governor (the late Scott M. Matheson) and a Republican-controlled Legislature, there were veto override sessions most years.

But since Republicans started winning the governor's office in 1984 — and as the GOP kept control of the House and Senate — the majority Republicans have been loath to override a veto given by their state partisan leader.

In fact, former GOP Govs. Norm Bangerter, Mike Leavitt and Olene Walker rarely, if ever, faced an override session.

Huntsman vetoed one bill during the 2006 Legislature. Senators voted two-thirds majority to override SB70's veto. But the House didn't even take a vote on the bill before adjournment March, allowing the veto to stand.

The governor vetoed three bills and four budget line items after the general session adjourned. By law, legislative leaders have to take a poll of members. And if two thirds in both in both houses vote for an override session, one must be called by leaders before April 30.