Show Information Series More ore Questions and ad Answers About Utah Constitutional The following article is the thelast thelast last of a series reprinted by bythe bythe the Express from the revision question and answer answer pamphlet by bythe bythe the League Lague of Women Voters of Utah The purpose or of this series is to provide Express readers with ith information and a more I complete understanding of the proposed constitutional changes to be decided in the upcoming November elections PROPOSAL 6 POWER OF LEGISLATURE TO 10 CALL IT SELF INTO SPECIAL SES SES- SES SESSION SION QUESTION 1 1 What are the provisions of this amendment 1 THE LEGISLATURE shall be allow allowed d to c call all itself into special session upon the written request of two thirds of the membership of each house 2 During the special session called by the Legislature only matters brought before the ses 1 slon sion by It a resolution approved by two thirds of the member ship of either house may be considered I QUESTION 2 Why is this I amendment recommended j 1 AT THE PRESENT time the Legislature can convene far tor special session only when the governor issues a call and can consider only those matters requested reo re- quested by the governor If the legislative branch is to serve as asa asa a ch check ck against executive pow pow- power er then it needs the power to call itself into session in the event a need for control arises Also the executive should not be be the only branch having the power to initiate legislation be tween regular sessions of the Legislature It should be poss ible for the Legislature to ini needed legislation problem arl arises es Further urther giving such power to the the Legislature will bring the law making pro cess cess closer losel to the people At Atthe Atthe the present time residents of Utah must use the initiative per pc which Is a difficult pro pro- enough citizens feel that a m exists that needs immediate solution solution they can an contact contact their legislators and the legislators can then call them them- themselves I selves s Into bibo se the gover gover- nor refuses to call a special session QUESTION 3 Why is the two two- thirds vote of the Legislature required to call itself into ses ses- ses session sion Requiring an extraordinary majority of the members to tomake make makl the request effective I would prevent any small major ity from abusing the privilege governor QUESTION 4 Why is the gov not allowed to introduce bills before n a session to be eaU calf ed by the Legislature If the governor has something ing that really needs consideration he should be able to get gel sup sup- support port for introducing a bill from flom of the members of one of the houses If he cannot command that much support he also will not be able to get enough support to secure pas pas pas- passage sage and introducing the bill would he be a waste of time Also the Legislature should be assur ed that it can can call itself into session to consider an emergency cy matter without being forced to consider additional bills that could wait until the regular sea ses sion PROPOSAL 7 LEGISLATIVE SALARIES Question 1 What are th the pro- pro provisions visions of this amendment 1 Provides for legislative sal sal- salary ary of oC 1000 per year until such time as changed by law 2 No salary increase is to become effective during the session voted 3 Legislators to receive com com- compensation for Cor expenses as set by law when engaged in Official business QUESTION 2 What are arc Jeg eg paid at the present time AT THE PRESENT time leg are paid per year and 5 5 per day for COl expenses when the Legislature is actually in session This makes a total pay of 1300 for a two year term tem plus 10 cents per mile for travel to and from the session for one one trip per week QUESTION N 3 Arent Aren't present salaries adequate Legislators come corne from allow all OV I Ier er cr the state They are farmers lawyers business men or sal I aried employees They must leave their other work and live in Salt Lake City Vh n the Leg Leg- Legislature is in session The 5 per day allowance may not even pay for their meals The salary certainly does docs pot not com com- compensate for Cor the loss of income from Crom their other othel business com I In fact most legislators are arc los los los- losing ing at least 1000 while serving the state for Cor one term QUESTION 4 How do legis legis- legis legislative compensations in Utah compare with those in other states COMPENSATION COMPENSATION across the thet I nation varies greatly New Hampshire pays only and New York pays per bi bi- bi biennium Utah ranks rank's forty forty fifth fifth The medial biennial Lion tion of the state legisla legisla- legislatures tures Is The average leg biennial salary is During the fifteen year period from 1950 to 1965 the na na- na national lional median salary in In- In Increased creased percent There was wasa wasa a gain of percent in the average legislative salary for forthe forthe the same period The difference in the two statistics can be ac- ac accounted accounted counted for Cor by the fact that gains in more recent years have been made among states which already ranked high in legislative compensation Dur Dur- During ing the same period three of oC the lowest ranked states New Hampshire Rhode Island and UTAH did not raise their le leg leg- legislators isla tors pay at all Source Compensation study made by bythe bythe the Citizens Conference on State Legislatures s presently at the printers QUESTION 5 Isn't it danger danger- dangerous ous to allow legislators to set salaries through statutory law The amendment contains a safeguard in that the members of the Legislature receive no benefit from Crom votEd increases during the session voted This means that they must face the voters in a campaign for le t e- e election before they can receive the increase in pay There are 27 states that allow leg legislative salaries to be set through sta law Of these 13 are still till below the national average in legislative compensation QUESTION 6 How low does docs the budget for maintaining the Utah Legislature compare with other states THE MEDIAN for Cor all state budgets in was twenty twenty- one cents per capita per year The low was two cents per cap Its ita in Wyoming and Tennessee The high was in Alaska I IThe where distances are great and travel costs are arc large Utah spent less than 10 cents per capita per year but In the la last t biennial appropriation the amount was increased to about 15 cents per per year QUESTION 7 What effect has haslow haslow low pay had on legislative turn turn- turnover over Low pay for legislators has resulted in a high rat rate of hirn- hirn turn turn- turnover over While many that th the alar poL anyone anyone to a legislative lve career eare r most would also deem it fair that a legislator should not sus sus- sus tain tam n a loss of 1000 or more more each year In Utah the evi dence is plain that some legis legis- legis legislators are forced to quit be be- be because cause of the financial sacrifice examining In the total turnover in the House years percent of the turnover vas was vol It was even higher in inthe inthe the Senate PROPOSAL S L 8 Ti TITE J BO BOARD iD i'D OF EXAMINERS QUESTION 1 What is the purpose purpose of this amendment THE PURPOSE of this amendment is to abolish the Board of Examiners QUESTION 2 What is the Board of Examiners and what are its duties The Board of Examiners consists of the Governor Sec Sec- Secretary of State tine and the Its duties are to examine all claims against the the state and aU all salaries not fixed by law QUESTION 3 What is meant by all all claims against the state THE COURTS have interpreted ted these words to mean every 5 cent bill the state spends a million million dollars II a day It means all pay checks of state employ employ- employees ees all tort claims all bounty claims for Co predatory an an- an animals all contract claims etc QUESTION 4 Isn't abolish abolish- abolishing ing the Board of Examiners removing moving a needed check on true the Mate ac f It Is questionable that the Board of Examiners is actually a check The constitutional re re- re that it examine all claims against the state means that it is expected to examine about bills dally daily The us us- us usual I ual procedure is for the Board to meet abut about ten minutes dally daily and initial the top sheet on each stack thereby approving all of them without examination This can certainly be better handled by a staff in the Fi Fi- Fi Finance nance Department and then checked by an auditor QUESTION 5 Can the Board of Examiners actually overrule I or 01 nullify legislative intent through Its control over state funds Is there an example I where this has been done I SEVERAL YEARS ago the legislature refused to appropriate ate state funds to build a green yet house the greenhouse was built The Board of J Examiners authorized ed it from Crom the Abe contin gene genc fund Cund There have been refusals to pay travel sea ses that have been authorized In fact if the Board chose to todo todo do so it could actually bring the opera operation tion of oC the Legislature to a halt halt- the Legislature can cannot cannot not even buy a piece of paper or a pencil without the consent of the Board |