Huntsman to call session to map a 4th seat for Utah

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said Monday he'll call state lawmakers into special session in the next week or so to come up with the boundaries for a new fourth seat in Congress for Utah.

Deseret Morning News graphic Proposed 4th District Requires Adobe Acrobat.

Legislative approval is needed before a key congressional committee will consider giving Utah the new seat. A final decision could come by the end of the year, during the "lame duck" session of Congress that begins later this week, after today's election.

Although the governor said earlier this fall he was willing to bring the Utah Legislature back to consider redrawing the state's congressional districts to include the new seat, his announcement to the Deseret Morning News surprised legislative leaders.

"Man, that's a big order to ask for," said Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, predicting that whatever lawmakers come up with won't be liked much by either party "because it will feel too rushed."

Valentine noted that a proposal the governor and lawmakers came up with earlier this year for the congressional committee generated "fierce opposition. ... Redrawing boundaries is a tough issue. It usually take us an entire session to do it."

House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, said he didn't realize, either, that the governor was ready to take action. Curtis was more optimistic that lawmakers would be able to come up with an acceptable map.

"Hopefully, we're all working together for the benefit of the state of Utah," Curtis said. "I think it would clearly have the potential of benefiting both groups (Republicans and Democrats). It doesn't need to be a partisan issue."

Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, said on KSL radio's Doug Wright Show on Monday that he believes the bill is over for now.

"I don't think it's going to happen early," Bennett said on the morning broadcast.

He compared the fourth-seat debate to a "whack-a-mole" game, in which, as one problem is solved, another problem pops up.

Bennett said there are "just enough quibbles" on the fourth-seat situation that it likely will not be finished this session. Bennett said the more time goes by, the more likely people in the state will just want to wait until the next census, anyway.

Also on Monday, Utah's lone Democrat in Congress, Rep. Jim Matheson, said he had not heard of the possible movement on the special session but that nothing has changed in his thoughts on the issue.