From Deseret News archives:
Reject new Capitol rules
A new rule which still has to undergo a 30-day public comment period beginning Sept. 1 would ban the distribution of leaflets and other free-speech activities outside the rooms in the West Building, which is serving as temporary quarters for the Legislature. What it likely would not ban, however, are registered lobbyists. They would continue to have access to lawmakers, sending them notes and requesting personal meetings.
Legislative leaders note the public would have the same privilege. But as anyone who has spent time at the Capitol knows, lawmakers often ignore such requests unless they come from familiar lobbyists they know and trust.
As in most cases, members of the Capitol Preservation Board would have done well to pay attention to their attorney in this case, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. He said the state can expect lawsuits if it treats one group differently than another. What the board should not do, he said, is send the message that if groups do not have a lobbyist, they will be ignored.
In the past, however, people have retained the right to stage protests or hand out leaflets. At the very least, this can get the attention of the media, and the resulting publicity may in turn get the attention of lawmakers.
The Capitol construction project does pose problems. Without some restrictions, protests and other public displays could hamper the work of lawmakers. But any rules to deal with this problem must treat all members of the public equally. Although it is easy to forget, lobbyists are not part of government. They are members of the public.
Utah lawmakers may stubbornly refuse to impose any meaningful restrictions on gifts and other interactions with these folks, but the proposed new rules are not in the interest of good government.
Comments
- Aggies beat Spartans in snowy Logan 4:31 a.m.
- TCU 55, Utah 28 4:24 a.m.
- BYU 24, New Mexico 19 4:21 a.m.
- Jazz game at a glance 3:00 a.m.
- Real Salt Lake: Game at a glance 3:00 a.m.
- Stanford ends Y's soccer season 2:20 a.m.
- Jazz hope D-Will returns soon 2:19 a.m.
- Snow, SUU lose 2:18 a.m.
- Toone saves day for Wildcats 2:15 a.m.
- Win in New Mexico good for Y? 2:15 a.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
358 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
200 - BYU happy to escape with victory
200 - Will state consider gay rights law?
148 - TCU creams U.
146 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
130 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
129 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
106 - Celtics crush Jazz
104
Maybe someone out there can help me understand how raising the state...
Let me get this straight .... BYU has to play badly against a terrible team...
If BYU plays like this against AF, if will resemble the trouncing TCU put on...
Short term progress with no long term considerations and implications of...
Sounds like a great bad movie. No story, explosions galore, special effects...
The Davis person that keeps talking trash on Hunter just needs to get a...
exposed is an understatement hahahhahaha
In your opinion you state that the free market does not work in healthcare....
I do not find it hard to believe. Word gets around when an Apostle comes. I...
Are these donation limits per donation or the amount they can give? Are these...
Get some help, you sound depressed. When I moved her, I also had no friends....


You can be the first to comment on this story.