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Government Operations Interim Committee

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MINUTES OF THE

GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS INTERIM COMMITTEE

Wednesday June 18, 1997 . 9:00 a.m. . Room 416 State Capitol



Members Present:
    Sen. L. Alma "Al" Mansell, Chair
    Rep. Jordan Tanner, Chair
    Sen. LeRay McAllister
    Sen. Robert M. Muhlestein
    Sen. Robert C. Steiner
    Rep. Trisha S. Beck
    Rep. Perry L. Buckner
    Rep. Neal B. Hendrickson
    Rep. Joseph G. Murray
    Rep. Lowell A. Nelson
    Rep. Michael R. Styler    

Members Absent:
    Rep. Martin R. Stephens

Staff Present:
    Mr. John Q. Cannon,
     Research Analyst
    Mr. John L. Fellows
     Associate General Counsel
    Ms. Junie G. Anderson,
     Committee Secretary

Note:    A list of others present and handouts distributed are on file in the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.


1.     Call to Order - Chair Tanner called the meeting to order at 9:08 a.m.

2.    Committee Business -

    MOTION: Rep. Murray moved to approve the minutes of the May 21, 1997 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Muhlestein, Rep. Hendrickon, and Rep. Nelson absent for the vote.

3.    Campaign Finance Reform - Chair Tanner briefed the committee on the issue of campaign finance reform. He suggested that the issue is a nonpartisan issue that needs attention. Mike Christensen, Executive Director, Utah Foundation, reported on the Foundation's study of federal and state campaign finance laws. He distributed a handout titled "Utah Foundation - Campaign Finance Presentation to the Utah State Legislature," and provided a slide presentation on the subject. He gave a brief overview of federal legislation and a 50-state comparison study. He provided a summary of several states' individual contribution ranges for candidates running for local and statewide offices. He said that, based on this study, the Utah Foundation recommendations are to: (1) make the Elections Office an independent agency; (2) increase the size of the staff of the Elections Office; and (3) educate Utahns about the income tax checkoff for political parties.

    Committee members asked questions of Mr. Christensen. Chair Tanner suggested that spending limits should also be considered.

    Cassie Dippo, Utah Common Cause, supported campaign finance reform. She spoke in support of electronic filing and an election law commission. She suggested clarifying reporting and making reports uniform. Common Cause also supports contribution limits and voluntary expenditure limits.

    Claire Geddes, United We Stand America, said that campaign finance contribution limitation is important to Utah. She said that high-power corporations have too much influence on legislative issues and the average citizen cannot compete because of large amounts of monetary donations given by corporations. She suggested that campaign finance reform could help re-engage a cynical and disenfranchised citizenry.

    Sandy Peck, League of Women Voters, spoke in support of limits on campaign contributions. She said that the league's main goal is to take more money out of politics and to involve more voters in politics. She asked the committee to consider electronic filing of reports. She also suggested consideration of public financing.
    
    Kelleen Potter, Lt. Governor's Office, addressed Mr. Christensen's recommendations. She briefed the committee on the administrative portion of the issue of campaign finance.

     MOTION: Sen. Steiner moved that staff prepare two bills: (1) a bill to establish an Election Law Commission; and (2) a bill addressing other campaign finance reform issues. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Mansell, Rep. Beck, and Rep. Nelson absent for the vote.

4.    English as Official State Language - This item was not heard at this meeting.

5.    Fusion (multiple party) Candidates - John Fellows, Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, explained that a fusion candidate is an individual who appears on the ballot as a candidate of more than one party. He suggested that committee members discuss if they would like to look at legislation that prohibits candidates from appearing on the ballot as nominees of more than one party.

    Kelleen Potter, Lt. Governor's Office, said that if fusion candidates are allowed, her office needs clarification on how to list them on the ballot. She also asked that the committee make recommendations to the Elections Office for direction on how a fusion candidate would pay the filing fee(s) to run for office.

    Rob Bishop, State Chairman of the Utah Republican Party, said that the Utah Republican Party has no official position on this issue. He said that the Republican Party would give a formal recommendation on this issue to the committee by September. He pointed out several concerns that the Republican Party had with allowing fusion candidates.

    Steve Stromness, Grass Roots, and member of Davis County Republican Central Committee, said that government should not step in when there is no compelling reason to do so, and that political parties could take care of this issue.

    J. Robert Latham, Counsel for the Utah Libertarian Party, distributed a handout titled "Presentation on Multiple Party Nominations in Utah," and briefed the committee on its contents. He supported multiple party nominations and encouraged the committee to not restrict fusion candidates.

    Ms. Geddes encouraged the committee to continue to allow fusion candidates. She suggested that the election process should be more inclusive, and less exclusive.

    Ms. Potter requested guidance to know how the Elections Office should deal with fusion candidates. Rep. Styler requested that Ms. Potter prepare a list of procedural questions that the office must contend with and present them to the committee for consideration.
    
6.    Adjourn -

     MOTION: Sen. Mansell moved to adjourn the meeting at 11:43 a.m. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. McAllister and Rep. Beck absent for the vote.

    

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