Welcome to The Senate Site

By Lyle Hillyard
Utah State Senator, District 25

I noticed an article the other day in the newspaper raising the old issue: Should lame duck legislators still travel at state expense to national meetings when they will not be able to use that information in upcoming sessions as they will no longer be serving? The newspaper article made some good points, and I would generally accept those arguments.

However, I think there are a few other considerations that may have an impact. When I was first elected, I was asked by the President of the Senate to attend a national meeting of NCSL because the Senator who had been assigned to a particular committee could not attend. Although everything had been arranged beforehand, when arrived at the meeting I discovered a rule that does not allow a substitute legislator to vote on issues in the national committee. So while I could attend and participate in the discussion, Utah did not have a voice in that final policy vote. A legislator at the end of his or her term can still add value by representing the state of Utah in these national organizations.

Second, I have attended meetings and picked up material that I know will help other legislators who are interested in the issue. I just pass that information along to the interested member and they can use it. Had I not attended, the material would not have been provided to those who need it. I know from previous leadership positions that we try to make sure that every committee is represented and that legislators attend their meetings so that the three goals of attending national meetings are accomplished:

1 - To express Utah’s position on national and state issues,

2 - To gather knowledge of what is happening in other states so that this can be used in Utah, and

3 - To meet people who are experts in their own states so that as issues come up in Utah, there is reference in the other states for input on what they are doing to handle the problem.

My suggestion would be, rather than making an iron clad rule that lame ducks are forbidden to travel for the state, look at each case and make a reasoned judgment.

1 Comments:

 alizia said...

I have attended all the meetings and picked up material that will help other legislators who are interested in that issue. I just pass that information along to the concerned member and they can use it.
________
alizia
Addiction Recovery Minnesota

7/17/2008 4:32 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home