Legislature gliding to a quiet finish

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Mar 2, 2008 | by Nicole Warburton Deseret Morning News

With only three days remaining in the Utah Legislature's 2008 session, much of the state's budget has been wrapped up and only a few major issue bills remain to be debated.

Among the topics still on the table: immigration, school equalization, funding for transportation and teacher salaries. Several small funding bills will also be debated, but lawmakers and the governor say there are few items left on their agendas.

For the most part, it's been a quieter, more respectful session than usual, according to legislative leaders.

Over $11 billion in funding has been allocated, with only a few remaining millions left in the Legislature's treasury.

"There are still policy statements, but the financial portion is pretty much done," said House Majority Leader Dave Clark, R-Santa Clara. "It's been a smoother session."

Still, this is the Legislature. A lot can happen in three days, he noted -- bills can be amended and small last-minute funding issues could come up.

"I think we've got general agreement, but until we adjourn sine die, I've learned to pay attention," Clark said.

That optimism about the potential for efficiency during final three days is echoed by Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, who said he is still hoping to finish by dinnertime Wednesday -- an almost unheard of accomplishment in legislative sessions, which typically conclude in a scramble until midnight.

Regarding education, lawmakers are still debating whether to boost the state's basic per-student funding formula by an extra 1 percent in one-time dollars. GOP leaders and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. met late Thursday to work out a deal on the increase, which would be on top of a $1,700 salary increase for teachers and 2.5 percent hike in Utah's weighted pupil unit, or WPU.

Huntsman said in an interview that there is little left on his agenda this session with the exception of the additional money for teacher salaries.

"I think all our priorities are moving as we had anticipated and hoped," Huntsman said.

In addition, the governor also avoided a veto override on a bill intended to limit his powers to sign agreements on behalf of the state similar to one dealing with climate change made last year with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

As promised, Huntsman vetoed the bill Friday night. But legislative leaders agreed not to attempt to override that veto after the governor promised in the future he will consult with them before signing any such agreements to "give them a sense of direction."

As for the immigration issue, which has dominated debate on both the House and Senate floors, major proposals are still undecided.

A sweeping immigration bill that would create barriers against undocumented immigrants getting jobs or public benefits could be heard on Monday. SB81 was amended in the Senate to make it effective in July 2009, rather than this July. The change was made to allow time for a proposed immigration task force to do its job.

However, Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, the bill's sponsor, said during Senate debate he was worried the bill could be gutted before it has a chance to work. The House could still try to amend it to make the bill effective this year.

Meanwhile, a slate of House immigration issues are still undecided. So far, only one has been sent to the governor. It requires the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel to study potential federal reimbursement for costs associated with illegal immigration.

Another hot topic is transportation, which has yet to receive substantial new monies this session. Lawmakers are debating a .05 percent sales tax hike to fund "choke point" road projects, but some have expressed concern with the deal given the state's record surplus.

Senate budget chairman Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, said transportation is the one hole in the budget lawmakers are still debating. But for the most part, work is wrapping up, he said.

"I feel personally that we're ahead of schedule," he said, adding that the biggest challenge this year has been "high expectations," especially when the session started.

"Any group would have liked to have gotten more," Hillyard said.

Contributing: Lisa Riley Roche, Jennifer Toomer-Cook and Deborah Bulkeley

E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com