2009 legislative session 'kinder and gentler

Maybe it's the tough budget woes that have drawn Utah legislators together.

Maybe it's a change in personalities at the top.

Most likely it's both, as state legislators say the 2009 general session has been "kinder and gentler" than expected.

That was the consensus on Capitol Hill, reflected in more than a dozen interviews taken over the last several weeks. And fears about a divided 2009 Legislature, expressed last fall, have fallen away.

"Let's put it this way," one House GOP leader put it. "So far, we haven't had anyone jump up and stalk out of a meeting."

He was referring to a confrontation in 2007 when then-Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, and then-House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, each walked out of a leadership meeting.

And personalities certainly appear to be a part of tone this year. There are three new GOP leaders in the Senate and two in the House, including new Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, and new House Speaker David Clark, R-Santa Clara.

"My light has never been refused," said Rep. Chris Johnson, D-Salt Lake — meaning Clark has always allowed her to talk from the floor on a bill. Refusal to be recognized "was a regular occurrence with Curtis," she added.

"In the past, we've seen (GOP House leaders) try to herd their freshmen (Republicans), sometimes spank them over their votes or debates. And we haven't seen that, either," she added.

"Speaker Clark has set the tone," said House Minority Leader David Litvack, D-Salt Lake. "It has been a fair process."

Clark himself says he has had to sit a few House members down in his office and tell them frankly to calm down, watch what they say, "trying to take care of some things" before they exploded in public.

Senate Minority Whip Ross Romero, D-Salt Lake, said he has been pleased with "the opportunity to be included" in not only Republican budget discussions but even invited in at times to talk to reporters during GOP leaders' media briefing.

The great exception in cordiality, of course, were comments made against gays and lesbians by Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan. But even then, Senate Minority Leader Pat Jones, D-Holladay, praised Waddoups "for always having his door open to me" as she expressed her concerns about Buttars' actions.

Senate Democrats wanted Buttars punished more harshly than Waddoups decided. Still, when Waddoups attended a packed Democratic press conference on the issue, Waddoups was invited up to the podium to talk about it.

"This has been a kinder, gentler session," said Johnson, an assessment confirmed by both Republicans and Democrats alike.

In House GOP caucuses, leaders have complimented their Senate Republican counterparts and GOP Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. for working well together, especially over tough budget decisions.