(KCPW News) Former State Representative Craig Frank made his case to fellow lawmakers this afternoon that he is still a Utah legislator. He was recently disqualified from office when he discovered he doesn’t live inside his own district in Utah County. Frank argued that Cedar Hills residents who voted for him on the ballot in the last election would now be served by a lawmaker they didn’t elect.
“And to be thrust into that area because of that situation, in my opinion, is improper and illegal,” he said.
Frank said when the legislative boundaries were drawn after the 2000 census, the border for House District 57 was supposed to coincide with the boundary of Cedar Hills, and thus should include his home and 2,500 other residents that he’s been representing.
House Majority Whip Greg Hughes, however, argued against simply declaring that Frank lives in House District 57, when it appears that he does not.
“We have to establish residency, and if we do that, and we know that you’re outside of that line, then I think there’s an obvious consequence to that,” said Hughes.
Hughes said he does support re-drawing the legislative boundaries so that Frank can continue to serve. However, Governor Gary Herbert’s office has said he will not call a special session to do so. After hearing testimony from residents who support Frank, the House Management Committee later voted to find that he does not live in House District 57.
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