Legislation

WASHINGTON — Far-reaching legislation that grants a chance at citizenship to millions of immigrants living illegally in the United States cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a solid bipartisan vote Tuesday night after supporters somberly sidestepped a controversy over the rights of gay spouses.

The 13-5 vote cleared the way for an epic showdown on the Senate floor on legislation that is one of President Barack Obama’s top domestic priorities — yet also gives the Republican Party a chance to recast itself as more appealing to minorities.

The action sparked rejoicing from immigration activists who crowded into a Senate committee room to witness the proceedings. “Yes, we can! Si, se puede” they shouted, reprising the campaign cry from Obama’s first run for the White House in 2008.

If anyone doubts the wisdom of the state constitutional limit of 45 days for the Utah legislative session, here is some math for you.

Our industrious and hardworking legislators averaged approval of a little more than 12 bills per calendar day — 72 a week. By the end of the session, 544 new bills had been passed to swell the contents of our state statutes. Only a very few of these proposed new laws will ever be discussed by the general public.

This influx of new laws creates a feeling of mixed emotion in me.

SALT LAKE CITY — The gun battles of this legislative session may come down to the question of state versus federal control.

Utahns enjoy broader firearms protection than most states provide, thanks to a clause in the state constitution that goes beyond guaranteeing the right to bear arms and also secures that right for the “security, and defense of self, family and others.”

That control is unlikely to be changed significantly this legislative session, say a number of lawmakers. But what if the federal government intervenes with new gun-control laws?

Therein would lie a major battle.

SALT LAKE CITY — A veteran lawmaker says the numbers show that the Legislature is pushing less legislation than normal this year, and legislators' efficiency in addressing measures is at a high.

In a news briefing Tuesday, Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, said, by his tally, legislators have introduced 483 bills this session, which he described as one of the lowest levels in years.

He said the high has been 662. Of this session’s 483 bills, 65 bills have also passed both the House and Senate at its halfway point. He said that is a higher percentage of passage than in the past.

As humans, we have a shortsighted view of history. It can be hard to imagine things being different from what we see day in and day out.

Yet, things differ greatly from the past. It can be hard to grasp the realities of what it was like to live in the past, in part because we want to impose our current knowledge on past generations, our current laws and morality on past societies.

I was asked to give a speech to the American Association of University Women the day this column comes out. In preparing for that presentation, I’ve been researching the history of the law and how it has treated women in the past. I reached a simple conclusion: I’m glad my wife, daughters and granddaughter are living today. The law in the past was not kind to women.

SALT LAKE CITY — The speed limit on two long stretches of interstate in the Top of Utah would be increased from 75 to 80 mph as part of an expansion of high-speed zones outlined in a measure approved by a House transportation committee Thursday.

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah House Speaker Rebecca Lockhart, R-Provo, urged state lawmakers to back off the need to generate so much legislation and joked it would be appropriate if Gov. Gary Herbert were a little heavier with his veto pen.

In remarks made to open the 60th session of the Utah Legislature, Lockhart urged lawmakers to back off the urge to generate lots of bills. She said lawmakers will consider almost 1,000 bills this year and that history shows as many as 400 of them may pass.

She said the bills will amount to almost 200 new pages of code.