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Show Rep Gorr Concerned Over Growing Load In the Legislature Grand County's representative in the Utah House of Representatives, has i become extremely concerned about the projected workload facing the Utah Legislature when it convenes next week. I In a letter to State Senate President Moroni Jensen, Mr. Garr, along with his ' colleague, Mike Dmitrich of Price, urged I that legislators be limited on the number ! of bills that might be pre-filed for I consideration during cominjj sessions. I "We are alarmed that at the present time, there are in excess of 600 pieces of f legislation pre-filed. Our Legal Service I Department estimates that we may be " asked to consider some 1,200 legislative measirres during the 1977 general legislative session, which is, as you well I know, an impossible task. . "The proliferation of such excess I legislation creates problems not only by I escalating personnel and printing costs, ' but also may eliminate the consideration i of many important pieces of legislation " that fall by the wayside because of time I limitations. , i "We therefore respectfully request that leadership establish joint rules that will allow each Legislator to file not more than five legislation bills or resolutions during any legislative session. "Such limitations will provide for a maximum of 525 pieces of legislation, 375 House and 150 Senate measures, which we feel are truly adequate to meet the actual needs of the state and provide for realistic and adequate consideration of all measures introduced." Under current law, the legislature establishes its own rules, and could by their own decision, impose such limitations. Although upwards of a thousand pieces of legislation have been proposed each of the last few general sessions, only about half that number have seen action, due to the workload. Usually, by mid-term in the sixty-day session, a sifting committee is appointed to report out only a limited number of bills for daily consideration. As a result, many pieces of legislation die in sifting committee. |