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Separation Of Powers Bills A 'Top Priority' For House Speaker

Julia Ritchey
/
KUER

A special election to fill a congressional vacancy in Utah’s 3rd District exposed a serious rift between the governor’s office and the Utah Legislature this year.

That's why House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper, says when it comes to who has the authority to spell out how political vacancies are to be filled, the legislature plans to make it clear next session: it’s them.

“We just don’t want anyone to think we’re a part-time branch," he says. "We’re a full-time branch, we  just have a part-time legislative service and session.”

Earlier this year, when former Rep. Jason Chaffetz quit Congress to join Fox News, the governor and lieutenant governor quickly arranged for a special election to coincide with municipal races. The governor said he had the authority to do so without consulting the legislature.

Hughes disagreed and now he’s making it a top priority to put a structure into law detailing the logistics and process for special races.

“That kind of bled into separation of powers issues," he says of the spat with the governor. "What is the the separate but equal role of your legislative branch? We want to make sure, moving forward, that we’ve covered our bases.”

Hughes says they might also consider a bill that allows lawmakers to convene themselves in a special session with or without the governor’s decree.

“I think there are some narrow cases where we should be, as a branch, able to do that," he says. "That will certainly be a topic that will be discussed during the session.”

Two lawmakers have opened bill files to address political vacancies, but neither contain specific details yet.  

 

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