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Lawmakers defend omnibus ed bill

The simplest test of whether or not it is Constitutional: Has it been done before?

Answer: No.

It is unconstitutional.

These folks are clearly in way over their head. In 100+ years of Utah with that Constitution they have just now found a brand new right. Apparently it was there all along. We just didn't read it the right way. hmmm

Expect Curtis to lose, and Bramble to win but be embarrassed at how close it is for him.

If I used the words that accurtely describe my disdain for these three (Curtis, Bramble and Valentine) the moderator wouldn't allow it. Utah is FAR bigger than their egos.

We always hear about conflicts of interests about Legislators yet Sheryl Allen and other Educrats blatantly run legislation to maintain the status quo to protect their turf and enhance their income while the Media gives them a pass every time. If "logrolling" is such a concern why is is only over an education issue that Sheryl is so concerned? Seems rather disingenuous to me.

I wonder if Curtis has ever heard of seperation of powers or checks and balances. Sure the legislature can pass whatever it wants to pass (even if it was defeated before) but the judicial has a right to review the constitutionality of any piece of legislation. Legislative power is consitutionally balanced with judicial power. Curtis can fight to preserve legislative power but it doesn't make it constitutional.

Even though in Utah this is all supposed to work in theory, it seems the only balance of power this state has is the people and the referendum process. With such a super majority in the state government because of gerrymandering of legislative districts to exclude democrats, I think some republicans think they can do anything. Even though they have 80% of legislative seats, they did it with 55% of the vote. A super majority is in reality a simple majority and it doesn't take that many people to change their mind for a change to come about in our state.

Curtis can talk all he wants about legislative power, what he needs to think about is the power of people who have been insulted by his legislation.

The fact that this log rolling effort encompasses bills that never made it out of committee or had already been defeated makes the blatant lawlessness apparent! Sure, tie it up with millions of dollars of important education funding and do it at the last minute so no one in the public has a chance to have their voices heard. This is a blatant disrespect of Utah's citizens. Something the Utah legislature is getting really good at!!

DesNews Editors - It's Billion - with a B. ...schools' $2.5 Billion budget...

BBKing - It has been done before. In fact, before 2006 there was always only one Public Education budget bill (in 2008 there were at least three). See 2005's bill which included program changes as varied as Charter Schools, K-3 Reading, and Public Education Job Enhancement.

The fact that this log rolling effort encompasses bills that never made it out of committee or had already been defeated makes the blatant lawlessness apparent! Sure, tie it up with millions of dollars of important education funding and do it at the last minute so no one in the public has a chance to have their voices heard. This is a blatant disrespect of Utah's citizens. Something the Utah legislature is getting really good at!!

BBKing--

Omnibus has been done before - tax reform, immigration, alcohol, transportation - and will be done again.

What people hate about Congress is how they tie unrelated issues into budget bills. What the Utah Legislature did was tie education bills together.

I find it funny that Curtis Bramble and the boys are so concerned about someone infringing on their legislative power, but they don't seem to have any trouble infringing upon cities, counties, state and local school districts and boards, etc etc. Maybe we should just make them co-rulers of all the people of Utah. My only fear is would they stop there?

Greg Curtis et al, are still irritated because of the citizen override of the Voucher legislation. They have apparently found this rather unethical and perhaps unconstitutional way to pass bad education related bills as a way to get even with those of us who detected the many down sides of the voucher idea. The anti-public education boys will do anything and everything they can to get even. Having been caught with his hand in the till not long ago, you would think that Greg of all people would be a careful about running questionable legislation.

I read this article and really couldn't make heads or tails of what happened. Then I read the SL Trib article on this topic and was instantly enlightened. I'm not arguing the merits or lack of what happened with the issue. I'm saying it was poorly reported on in this article.