Hughes, who was cleared of six separate ethics complaints in late October, was the Rules committee vice chairman for 2007-08 and in line to take over the powerful committee's chairmanship next year.

Ferry got that post, however, with Hughes still being the Rules vice-chairman. While Ferry is considered a moderate on some issues, he is the son of former Senate president Cap Ferry, who, with his wife, Sue, are well-known lobbyists carrying a number of influential clients So Rep. Ferry could be open to criticism of Rules' actions through that family connection.

The Rules committee decides which bills are advanced to the required public hearings and/or votes on the House floor. The committee — which is strongly influenced by what the speaker and other GOP leaders desire — can kill a bill without it ever getting a public hearing.

Most GOP House members only get one chairmanship, if even that. An exemption for 2009 is Rep. Mel Brown, R-Coalville, a former House speaker. Brown was tapped to be chairman of both the retirement budget and standing committees.

New Senate GOP leaders announced their committee chairs and members several weeks ago.

Both Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, and Rep. Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley, return in 2009 as budget chairs of the all-powerful Executive Appropriations Committee, made up of elected leadership.

But because there are so many new members of both the House and Senate, Republican and Democratic leadership teams, half of the 20-member top budget committee will be new to that committee next year.

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com