Stephens puts House in order
Assignments show who's hot — and who's not

New chairmanships of Utah House committees have been chosen by House Speaker-elect Marty Stephens and his management team. The selections will boost the influence of some politicians, while diminishing that of others.

While committee chairmanships and vice chairmanships are not generally vital to everyday Utahns, they are a measure within the Legislature of who is on the rise or decline, who will be making critical budget and bill decisions and who will get a single vote but little more.House Speaker Mel Brown, R-Midvale, is noticeably absent from any committee chairmanship or vice chairmanship, a rarity for a 12-year veteran of the House who was a major power-player during most of the 1990s.

Brown was planning a successful run for a precedent-setting third two-year term as speaker this year until just before the Nov. 3 election. His re-election was clouded and his speakership race was seriously damaged by personal and legislative problems. Ultimately, Brown, facing a strong challenge from Stephens, didn't run for speaker again. The night of leadership elections, Brown said he would serve wherever he was asked. But he apparently had a change of mind.

Brown said Tuesday that he thought it inappropriate that some long-standing budget chairman could be pushed aside to make room for him. "I've had a chance to serve in leadership; give someone else a chance," Brown said.

Stephens, R-Farr West, said he offered Brown a budget subcommittee chairmanship, but Brown declined. Asked what his role in the 1999 Legislature would be, Brown said Tuesday, "Well, we'll have to see -- that will work itself out."

Clearly rising in power are Reps. Jeff Alexander, R-Orem, and Susan Koehn, R-Woods Cross. Alexander becomes House budget chairman, where he will oversee putting together the state's $6 billion budget.

Koehn becomes chairwoman of the House Rules Committee, where bills are passed out for hearings or killed. In the final days of each session Rules "sifts" remaining bills -- a process were bills are sent directly to the floor for votes, a critical gate-keeping job.

"We picked people for Rules that we believe won't play games, that everyone (in the Legislature) will get a fair hearing," said Stephens.

There are other shake-ups in the 1999-2000 House as well. Gone from the powerful Rules Committee chairmanship is Rep. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, a conservative caucus leader and strong Brown supporter.