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SALT LAKE CITY — A bill shifting control of key legislative committees to the majority passed the Utah House on Tuesday with a number of Republicans opposed to changing the structure in place since 1975.
The sponsor of HB220, Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, said his intent in adding majority members to the Legislative Management Committee and Legislative Audit Subcommittee was to reflect the actual makeup of the Legislature.
"It's not about power. It's not about partisanship. It's not about politics," Christensen said, describing the move as the principles of proportionality "inherent in a representative democracy."
Republicans currently hold a supermajority in both the House and the Senate. Twenty-one GOP representatives joined the 12 Democrats in the House in opposing the bill, which has the backing of House leadership.
House Minority Caucus Manager Patrice Arent, D-Millcreek, raised concerns about the impact of the majority controlling the management committee that hires legislative staff, along with performing other administrative functions.
"Changing who does the hiring changes the nature of our staff," said Arent, a former legislative attorney. She said if the committee is seen as partisan, it will be harder for the Legislature to hire and keep attorneys, fiscal analysts and auditors.
Rep. Brad King, D-Price, who has served in minority leadership, said representatives need to ask themselves whether making the change makes Utah look more like Washington, D.C.
"Does it put politics over procedure?" King asked.
Only one Republican spoke on the bill, Rep. Kay McIff, R-Richfield. McIff, who voted against the bill, said if there are problems, they should be fixed, but "if there are none, we shouldn't create them."
The bill now goes to the Senate.
Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, said he suspects the bill has a "pretty good" chance of passing in the Senate, though he reiterated that there are good arguments both ways.
But he noted that the Executive Appropriations Committee currently has two more Republicans than Democrats.
"I don't think that process has been hurt in any way having majority on that committee," Niederhauser said.
Contributing: Dennis Romboy Email: lroche@ksl.com Twitter: DNewsPolitics
