General Session 2011: Day 42 - Def Comedy Jam, GRAMA Wrinkles, and a Jazz Bear

After Friday night's showdown on HB 116, the House needed some emotional relief from that high tension experience.  Here is the comedic stylings of the Representative from Kanab with the rest of the House pitching in ad lib:

Also today we honored Jerry Sloan for his career with the Jazz:

Finally, we had a meeting on the GRAMA situation and learned more about what is happening with the press, the public, and where HB477 is going.  It appears that the speed in which HB477 was passed through our body has created in interest in the media to come to the negotiating table on writing an agreeable piece of legislation.  Several years ago, Representative Aagard worked on a task force with the press to accomplish just such a feat.  Unfortunately, after offering input and agreeing to a bill, the press reneged on their support and the legislation that was created by the task force failed.  The desertion of the press on support for the revision had discouraged the legislature from reviving the issue until now.

The plan now is for HB477 to be recalled soon for another vote.  It will be amended to be implemented in July of 2011.  In the meantime, a new task force will be created involving the press and a new agreeable piece of legislation will be drafted with their input.  That new bill will be approved in a special session to be called in June by the Governor.  However, if the press reneges again on their commitment to participate in the process, HB477 will become law as it currently stands.  Obviously, there is a strong incentive for all parties to come together on this issue.