Majority Republicans hold open, closed caucuses in Legislature's opening weeks

Majority Republicans hold open, closed caucuses in Legislature's opening weeks

(Ravell Call/Deseret News)


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SALT LAKE CITY — Two weeks into the 2016 Utah Legislature, majority House Republicans have not held a closed caucus. But the majority GOP Senate has held four closed-door caucuses per business as usual.

So far in their Tuesday and Thursday weekly closed meetings, Republican senators have talked about or had briefings on the Utah Fairpark, the state's controversial election law, Medicaid expansion, water issues and education bills, according to Senate Majority Leader Ralph Okerlund, R-Monroe.

Okerlund said the caucus hasn't taken any positions, though it favors the state fair continuing at its current location and that efforts are made to bring other events to the venue. He said he's not aware of any legislation on the issue.

Senate Republicans also decided not to advance any Medicaid proposals, letting those bills start in the House, said Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy.

Votes haven't been taken in the closed meetings, though leadership does sometimes try to get a sense of where the caucus stands on issues, Okerlund said.

The Senate, he said, intends to continue the practice so senators may have open and frank discussion without "grandstanding" for the public or press.

House Republicans held their regular Tuesday and Thursday caucus meetings both weeks. All of their meetings were open and no positions were taken.

Topics discussed included the pair of medical marijuana bills in the Senate and the arguments for the state suing the federal government for control of public lands, as well as information from the state elections office on the new signature-gathering process for candidates.

Last Thursday, caucus members heard a warning from leadership about the possibility the state revenue growth estimates agreed to last December may have to be revised downward when they're adjusted later this month, largely because of the impact of low gas prices on severance and income tax collections.

House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper, said House Republicans may yet hold some discussions behind closed doors this session. He said that would likely be to talk about divvying up the budget because so far, no issue has become as contentious as Medicaid expansion was last year.

"I still maintain that there is some candor you want to be able to have, that you don't want to be misinterpreted as callous to, or insensitive to," vulnerable populations, the speaker said, noting that any decisions on the budget made in a closed caucus would end up being voted on in public.

"The budget isn't one you can avoid. So if you have a closed caucus on a budget, it's not like you can just decide we're not going to do a budget," he said.

Last year, Medicaid expansion plans advocated by GOP Gov. Gary Herbert were stalled and later stopped by House Republican votes in closed caucuses.

Hughes said House caucuses should be seen as open.

"If we've closed the caucus as seldom as we have, we don't have closed caucuses. I would argue that we have open caucuses and there have been occasions where we have closed them," the speaker said. "I think we're kind of working on the mode right now."

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