Utah Lawmakers Get Back to Work

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) The 57th General Session of the Utah Legislature got underway this morning with a lot of pomp and very little actual business. KCPW's Julie Rose reports from Utah's Capitol Hill:

 

It took the Utah legislature nearly two hours to swear-in new lawmakers and complete the formal business of speech giving and welcomes. If legislators heed the advice they received today, this session will see the Utah House leading out on policy issues, while the Senate plays the role of "anchor," offering a reality check and a safety net for proposals. Members of the Utah House outnumber Senators three to one on Capitol Hill.

Speaker Greg Curtis urged them to embrace their role as policy leaders - albeit with civility -- in contentious debates. Both Valentine and Curtis say they expect the work of creating a state budget this year to be more challenging than ever with more than one billion dollars in surplus.

Tomorrow they get down to the business of debating bills - starting with a handful of controversial proposals to reform Utah's health care and Medicaid systems.

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