57th Legislature: Ethics targeted again

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. delivers his annual State of the State address tonight to the newly convened 2007 Legislature and Utah citizens. He will focus on state tax surpluses, education and the need to raise ethical standards in state government.

The Utah Legislature started its annual 45-day general session Monday with its own speeches, prayers and praise of the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. All 75 members of the House were sworn in, along with about half of the 29-member Senate.

The governor's half-hour speech begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be carried live on local TV stations. As a salute to Utah's military men and women who have served in the war on terror, Huntsman will speak from the National Guard's Salt Lake City International Airport facilities.

"The governor will be addressing the foundations of the state — education, economic development, governance and ethics," his spokeswoman, Lisa Roskelley, said. Most of those topics were already emphasized in his proposed budget made public late last year.

But Huntsman's decision to talk about ethics on the second day of the legislative session could bring some surprises. In his first State of the State address two years ago, he called for excellence in governance and promised to "minimize politics and maximize service."

Lawmakers long have been reluctant to approve ethics bills, killing attempts to lower the value of gifts they can accept from lobbyists before their names become public.

However, a bill was introduced Monday that would slightly tighten lawmakers' campaign fund raising. Rep. John Dougall, R-Highland, wants to stop legislators and the governor from accepting any campaign contributions during all special sessions — while another part of his measure would prohibit legislators, but not the governor, from taking contributions at the Capitol complex.

Until the last day of February, lawmakers will struggle with adopting what will be the largest ever state budget at $10.7 billion, sift through hundreds of bills and resolutions (approximately 300 will ultimately become law) and argue over hundreds of millions of dollars in tax cuts.

But even with an extra $1.6 billion available in one-time tax surpluses and new ongoing tax revenue this year and next, there will still be a few bills that would actually raise specialty taxes and/or fees.

In his opening remarks Monday morning to fellow House members, Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, who starts his second two-year term as speaker, joked about his close re-election last November. Winning by just 20 votes, he said he was almost the "Biggest Loser," a takeoff on the TV diet reality show.