HollyOntheHill writes ablog on the “Conference Committee” process.    Link HERE.

I have provided the following explanation at her request related to the end of the process  (having been in a few conference committees myself over the years):

Only one thing happens in the conference committee as a result of the “meeting of the minds:” that is the creation of a conference committee REPORT

The conference committee report will contain the determination of the committee (by majority).  One determination is NOT to support the form of the bill as it comes to the committee.  Another determination is to accept the bill as it came to the committee.  However, the form that usually comes out of the Conference Committee is a comprimise, or, “reconstruction” of the point(s) in question

The determination of the committee is then written into the REPORT, and then presented to the Senate and House separately for a vote to CONCUR.  If both the Senate and the House “CONCUR with the conference committee,” the bill passes.  If either house “refuses to CONCUR with the conference committee,” the bill is theoretically “dead” at that point; however, a number of other motions can be made at that point to keep the bill alive

A bill is not completely finished unless, 1) it is signed/lapses into law OR 2) on the last night of the session, at midnight, the “enacting clause” is struck.  Striking the enacting clause of a bill “kills” it

This is generally speaking how the Conference system works.  (There are variations.)

Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. (not to be confused with Jon, Sr., Area Authority Seventy for the LDS Church), recently announced that he supports Civil Unions…contrary to 70% of Utahns who don’t support such a measure.   Click HERE for Salt Lake Tribune article. 

AS A SIDE NOTE…

Huntsman, a four-year lame duck (announced during the State of the State Address he would not seek re-election), would have found it hard to run for re-election AND president of the United States…simultaneously.  With an 88% state-wide job approval rating, he shouldn’t find it that difficult to convince the National GOP, and the rest of the Electorate, that he would make an exceptional commander-in-chief.

Some fun pictures from the second week of the Legislative General Session this year! Includes Charter School day, etc.

Holly Richardson, blogger extraordinaire, has her own place (blog spot) now.  Congratulations, Holly!!!

Holly is providing exciting, up-to-date coverage of  issues on the Hill.  I look forward to staying informed on things happening on the far side of the Capitol.

Thanks, Holly! 

Click HERE for “Holly On the Hill”

Several ETHICS and CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM bills are teed up and ready for House and Senate hearings. Keep track of the numerous bills filed by Representatives and Senators by clicking HERE (Ethics) and HERE (Campaign Finance).

Also, if you have any thoughts on these important issues, I’d love to read your post.  (Please don’t make me edit your comments…remember, I’m the first amendment guy.)

A few fun pictures from the first week of the 2009 General Legislative session.

Wednesdays and Thursdays during House Floor time, the House considers Senate bills first.  If there are no Senate bills to consider OR if all the bills on the House Senate Calendar have been considered, then a motion “under suspension of the rules” to consider House bills is made and the House then moves to debate bills on the House calendar (usually the third  reading calendar).

The same procedure is consistent with the order of business in the Senate related to House bills on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Bill under current consideration is SB13 Administering Substances to Wildlife (Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem).  Representative Roger Barrus is the House Floor Sponsor.