The 2012 Legislative session began this morning at 10:00 am. Here is the view from Victory Road as I was driving in to the Capitol earlier this morning….and yes, I did pull over to the side of the road to take this photo.
The morning began with a beautiful prayer by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the LDS Church. He asked that a blessing of humility and civility be present in the legislative session and that those involved would work towards all that was right and good. Since Elder Hallstrom is a neighbor it was a special treat o see him there this morning and to feel of his spirit. We then had the privilege of hearing the Provo High School Chamber Choir sing ”The Star Spangled Banner,” “America the Beautiful,” and the beautiful British hymn “I Vow to Thee, My Country.”
I’ve included the lyrics to that hymn, set to Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter,” below:
- I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,
- Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love;
- The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,
- That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;
- The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
- The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.
- I heard my country calling, away across the sea,
- Across the waste of waters she calls and calls to me.
- Her sword is girded at her side, her helmet on her head,
- And round her feet are lying the dying and the dead.
- I hear the noise of battle, the thunder of her guns,
- I haste to thee my mother, a son among thy sons.
- And there’s another country, I’ve heard of long ago,
- Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;
- We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;
- Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;
- And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,
- And her ways are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace.
Speaker Lockhart shared some remarks that included several experiences she has had throughout this past year meeting exceptional people across the state. She ended by encouraging House members to “be bold and be brave” so that “when the session is over you’ll be able to say you did your very best.” A good admonition.
We also witnessed the swearing in of the three most recent members of the House: Rep. Craig Frank (R-Pleasant Grove), Rep. Dan McCay (R-Herriman), and Rep. Lowry Snow (R-St. George). I look forward to working with my new colleagues.
During a break for lunch I was able to go to the Capitol cafeteria with my husband who was visiting for the morning. He deserves the title of my favorite constituent and it was a treat to have him up at the Capitol.
We returned from lunch in time to hear Utah State Supreme Court Justice Christine Durham deliver her state of the judiciary address. It was impressive to hear the innovations and efficiencies they have applied in the past several years that have resulted in improved court reform and judicial administration. I am highly impressed with the great work they do.
Then it was off to the Political Subdivision where we heard 4 bills, several of which were very hotly scrutinized and debated. Usually this early in the session you hear bills that are fairly non-controversial or simple, but that was not the case. One bill dealt with a state requirement to perform a seismic assessment on buildings built prior to 1975 when they undergo a complete roof replacement. The other deals with a clean up of the Utah Voter files by requesting either an acknowledgement of a correct current address from the voter at least once every 10 years, or the voter actually placing a vote in an election at least once every 10 years in order to maintain their status on the voting rolls. Very interesting topics and we will hear more from both of these bills I’m sure.
Thanks for following this legislative blog. As we move forward I will be including on the right sidebar a list of every vote taken on the House floor and continuing to write a more in-depth accounting of the activities of the day than I include in a Facebook or twitter post. However, you are welcome to follow me on either of those sites. You can search for me @utahbecky on twitter and Becky Edwards on fb. As always I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks for those who have completed and mailed in their legislative surveys. I mailed the surveys to every registered voter within both my current and new legislative district boundaries. However, if for some reason you didn’t receive one, you may login to www.utgop.org/edwards and complete the survey online. You may also choose to complete it online even if you received a survey in the mail.
One last thing….please join me, Rep. Jim Nielson, and our new Senator Todd Weiler, at a Legislative Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 25th, at the Bountiful City Library, 620 S. Main in Bountiful. We will begin at 7:00 pm and I hope to see you there.
Again, thanks for your interest and input. I look forward to hearing from you.
