Poll: Utah lawmakers, Herbert get 'C' for session

SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns have given the Legislature and Gov. Gary Herbert an overall C grade for their performance during the session that ended earlier this month, according to a statewide poll.

The Deseret News-KSL survey found Utahns gave a C-plus for how the state budget was handled and a C grade for how lawmakers handled the immigration issue. The governor signed legislation last week that will increase immigration enforcement but also implement a guest worker program in the state.

The poll also shows nearly 90 percent of those surveyed thought the process used to water down the state's open records law was probably or definitely inappropriate. Eighty-four percent said the issue was somewhat or very important to them personally, and 83 percent oppose a provision that would make most electronic communications by legislators private.

The new law, which also increases fees for public records, is the target of a petition drive seeking a public vote to repeal it.

Political analysts attributed lawmakers' C grade to quick passage of the changes to the Government Records Access and Management Act in the waning days of the session.

"The Legislature has become very adept at blowing its own foot off in the last couple of days," said Kirk Jowers, director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics.

Overall, the Legislature received an A grade from 2 percent of Utahns, a B from 31 percent, a C from 31 percent, a D from 18 percent and an F from 12 percent, according to the poll.

Herbert garnered an A grade from 10 percent, a B from 28 percent, a C from 29 percent, a D from 13 percent and an F from 12 percent.

Senate President Michael Waddoups, House Speaker Becky Lockhart and both houses of the Legislature received overall C grades.

The survey of 432 Utahns was conducted Tuesday through Thursday by Dan Jones & Associates. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.75 percentage points.

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Information from: Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com