(KCPW News) The 63rd Utah Legislature officially convened Monday with opening ceremonies in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Leadership quickly set the tone for the 45 days of the legislative session in their opening speeches. Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, lauded Utah’s economic growth over the past decade.
“If it were a car race, no one would be in our rearview mirror,” Adams said. “If it were a football or basketball game, it would be a blowout.”
Adams also said the Legislature plays an integral role in making sure that growth continues on for decades to come.
In the House of Representatives, Speaker of the House Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville, shared similar sentiments as the Senate President. However, Wilson also issued a warning to fellow lawmakers, referencing the effort to repeal tax reform crafted by the Legislature during a special session in December.
“Legislation by referendum, while part of the political process, can be divisive and short of facts,” Wilson said. “It has proven ruinous for many states that have turned down that path and turned away from basic principles of a democratic-republic.”
More than a thousand bills have already been requested covering topics like abortion, education funding, rural economic development, air quality, public lands management and a constitutional amendment that would change how judges are appointed.
The Legislature will meet for 45 days and end on March 12.
Coverage by Tim Pierce
(Photograph courtesy of the State of Utah)
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