1 down, 44 to go!

The Senate kicked things off today with the National Anthem, sung by the fantastic Miss Sandy Utah, and an energetic chorale performance by the Chamber Choir from American Leadership Academy.  Linda K. Burton of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened our proceedings with a prayer.  We also heard the State of the Judiciary, given by Chief Justice Matthew B. Durrant. We swore in the senators, voted in a new senate president, live-streamed a media briefing, confirmed a new judge and send a truckload of bills to committee.

Essential links:

-  Trib: Utah Senate opens with calls for prudence

-  Standard Examiner: First day of Utah’s 2013 legislative session one of ceremony, economic concern

- DNews: Two educations bills move forward (transparency and medical school funding)

- KUER: New senate president calls for fiscal responsibility

- The House of Reps blog re: a proposed adjustment to legislative compensation

-  ABC 4′s brief synopsis

- Trib on Senator Osmond’s bill: What if agencies provided services only by internet or by phone? 

- Cool new Session Dashboard by Ancestry.com’s front-end web developer

- Baker’s Dozen: What Josh Loftin will miss about the legislative session

- YouTube: Senate President [almost] gets a promotion

Pres. Niederhauser: there is high honor in the offices we assume, but the people in those offices come and go. #utpol #utsen

— Deidre Henderson (@DeidreHenderson) January 28, 2013

Sen. Thatcher on school finance transparency bill: “We’re already collecting this data it’s just not being shared with the public” #utleg

— Lisa Schencker (@lschencker) January 28, 2013

Utah citizens of all ages here to watch the senate opening ceremony. #utleg #UPR twitter.com/BriannaBodily/…

— Brianna Bodily (@BriannaBodily) January 28, 2013

@jimdabakis Is that a senate seat or mechanical bull? Swiveling like a boss. #internobservations #utpol #utsen — Bryan Jerry Smith (@SmithBryanJ) January 28, 2013

Day 1 is in the books. Here’s the view from the steps of the Capitol.twitpic.com/bz46ah #utpol #utleg — RobertGehrke (@RobertGehrke) January 29, 2013

Top 10 things I learned on opening day of the #utleg: #1: If you chair a committee, you can cancel the meeting at will. #utsen #utpol — Deidre Henderson (@DeidreHenderson) January 29, 2013

We have a new senate president. #utpol lockerz.com/s/279973231 — Todd Weiler (@gopTODD) January 28, 2013

As of today, the #utleg has 207 bills that are ready to go, 76 bills in the final stage, and 84 bills out for approval. #utpol

— Utah Senate (@utahsenate) January 28, 2013

And a photo album.  Wish you were here!

We’ll see you tomorrow bright and early for Business, Economic Development, & Labor Appropriations Subcommittee,  Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee, and Social Services Appropriations Subcommittees, which all stream live online audio at le.utah.gov.

Good night!