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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Lobbyists would be prohibited from giving Utah lawmakers gifts worth more than $5 if a bill that passed 64-6 in the House Tuesday becomes law.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Patricia Jones, D-Salt Lake City, believes generally banning lobbyist gifts would help restore the public's confidence in government and eliminate any perception that expensive items or trips influence legislators' votes.
"I had a couple people ask me why we need a gift ban. I retort back, 'Name me one good reason why elected officials should receive gifts,"' Jones said.
House Bill 94 now heads to the Senate, but its chances of passing there aren't nearly as good.
"I really don't see going to a meal as a gift," said Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem. "We haven't seen abuses."
Valentine said he would be fine if the bill never made it to the floor.
Before Jones' bill was approved, it was amended by Rep. Scott Wyatt, R-Logan. Originally, legislators would have been allowed to receive awards without any limit on their value. Wyatt capped that at $50.
"That would prohibit the NRA (National Rifle Association) from giving me a $2,000 rifle," he said.
Wyatt's amendment also eliminated an exemption that would have allowed lobbyists to pay for legislators to attend national conferences, including food, drink and entertainment expenses associated with the event.
"If we're going vote against gifts we need to make sure it applies across the board," he said.
But other exemptions remain in the bill.
Those include campaign contributions, gifts between legislators, gifts from private employers and "educational" items related to performing official duties.
Rep. Bradley Johnson, R-Aurora, said he didn't understand why gifts would be banned and campaign contributions would not, saying those contributions could offer a greater influence.
Jones said that is a discussion for another time.
Her bill is one of several ethics bills being considered in the Legislature.
Sen. Karen Hale, D-Salt Lake City, has introduced a bill that would prohibit using campaign money for personal use. Her bill would also require those no longer seeking office to close out their campaign accounts and either donate the money to charity or set up another account to hold the money until another election.
Bills by House Majority Leader Jeff Alexander and Sen. Gregory Bell, R-Fruit Heights, would require lobbyists to file additional gift disclosure reports.
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On the Net: House Bill 94 http://www.le.state.ut.us/ 7/82006/bills/hbillamd/hb0094s02.htm
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
