From Deseret News archives:

4th seat faces lots of hurdles

Published: Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2006 12:37 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
WASHINGTON — The number of steps remaining for Utah's new fourth House seat greatly outnumber the days lawmakers will have to act on it.

The bill's supporters remain optimistic it will go through this session but there are many "ifs" that need to turn into certainties before potential candidates should start mulling campaign slogans.

Congress is now in recess until Nov. 9, but will likely remain in session only until Nov. 17 before lawmakers go home for Thanksgiving. It is not clear how long it will be in session in December, if at all.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., has no formal date set for a special session of the Utah Legislature to consider redistricting the state into four congressional districts, said spokesman Mike Mower, but he will consider calling a special session after the Nov. 7 election.

The original bill, which contains a voting House member for the District of Columbia, and an at-large seat for Utah, passed the House Government Reform Committee earlier this year.

But the bill also needs to pass the House Judiciary Committee before it can go to the full House for a vote and then on to the Senate for consideration.

Story continues below
House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., does not like the at-large component of the bill and wants to see Utah sign off on splitting the state into fourth districts before he will consider the bill.

This means, in the six Congressional work days after the election, the following would have to occur:

• Governor calls special session

• Utah legislators agree on a four-district map to include a new fourth district

• Sensenbrenner agrees to take up the bill in the House Judiciary Committee

• The House Judiciary Committee passes the bill

• The House passes the bill

• The Senate puts the bill on its schedule

• The Senate passes the bill

• President Bush signs bill into law

Each step on its own can take more time than the process would allow at this point. If the bill does not pass by the time Congress adjourns, it will need to be introduced at the start of the next Congress in January. Even if the House passed the bill, it would hit the Senate at the same time it would be finishing up the 2007 budget, which would be more than a month overdue at that point, so where it would fit in the schedule might be hard to figure out.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image

Jim Matheson

previousnext

Latest comments

SLC council OKs gay rights policies

To the 1:59 commentator, In case you missed it, I support the law as...

Utah case: U.S.-Indian culture clash

Her mother is LDS. They don't believe in body piercings. Her father is Sikh....

Celtics crush Jazz

maybe then you should be on Jerrys staff as you know so much, lucky to have...

Fort Hood suspect charged

Despite the fact that the U.S. Military has gun-free zone's on all bases (and...

Swine flu has sickened 22M

A couple of points: 1. I thought the CDC told doctors and clinics in...

It is my opinion that the Church cannot be more clear on this issue, and yes,...

There are plenty of arguments that do not require religion. How would...

SLC council OKs gay rights policies

Whose there? A couple of gay guys wanting to marry in the temple! Bad...

Utah case: U.S.-Indian culture clash

BullDawg, funny that you would mention the dispossessed Native Americans and...

Bloom where you're planted

I'm starting to fall in love with her columns.

Advertisements
Advertisement