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Richard Piatt Reporting There could be new rules that govern how people get their point across to the Legislature. A lot of people are afraid those new rules will restrict their right to free speech and access to citizen lawmakers.
Personal expression faces some proposed restrictions at the Utah state capitol and some people are afraid the new rules will compromise their right to free speech and access to citizen lawmakers.
Protesting and passing out pamphlets will be limited to outside areas and the lobby, under these new rules. With those limits, there are a lot of people who think lawmakers just won't listen.
The Capitol Preservation board, which governs the Capitol grounds, will make a final decision in a couple weeks. They say they're just trying to clarify the rules: People can still talk to legislators in public areas, it is passing out flyers and protesting that is limited.
Groups who feel they are the underdog and a minority voice are upset. They call the rules a free speech violation.
Darla Ball, Anti Hunger Action Committee: "How are they going to find out what they're doing wrong if they don't have people to listen to?"
Libby Hunter, Coalition of Religious Communities: "If there are people being inappropriate they can be dealt with individually. But they should be able to speak out; it's what our country is founded on."
Rep. Wayne Harper, Chair, Capitol Preservation Board: "What we're going to do is say if you want to approach a specific legislator or governor in a common area, that's fine; but if you want to protest or something like that, there are specific areas where you will want to be."
In the recent past there were a couple incidents that sparked this proposed rule change. In February, low-income advocates chased a lawmaker through the halls with a 'certificate of cowardice'. At other times, leaflets made personal attacks on a state Senator that some thought was offensive.
Most of the time, people just want to give lawmakers information, in an honest attempt to educate them on an issue. With these new rules they would be limited in where they could go.
