They may disagree on a number of issues, but all three Republican candidates for governor say they want to see an amendment to the Utah Constitution dealing with prayer at public meetings. And the sooner the better.
"I am an unabashed proponent of prayer in public meetings," said Mike Leavitt, cautioning it is important that the language placed before voters "will pass muster, that it is language agreed upon by constitutional attorneys."Organizers of a Monday press conference at the Capitol say the two Democratic candidates for governor were invited to participate but "chose not to make a statement."
Lawmakers met in special legislative session several weeks ago to deal with a number of pressing issues. But prayer in public meetings was not one of them - much to the chagrin of those who wanted lawmakers to address the issue.
Still reeling from the legal cost of defending the state's abortion law, not enough lawmakers - 50 House members and 20 Senators are needed to approve a constitutional change before it can be placed before voters - were ready to step into another fight on a moral issue.
"We need to broaden the whole debate on moral issues. There's an economic side, too," said candidate Richard Eyre, who predicted Utah would become a mecca for businesses seeking Utah's unique morality.
"So many Americans are seeking what we have to offer. We shouldn't try to be more like Nevada and Colorado and California."
Leavitt agreed an amendment is needed, but he said "this is not an economic principle. It's a matter of principle."
Utah finds itself in a precarious legal situation on the issue of prayer in public meetings. A 3rd District judge ruled that prayer at Salt Lake City Council meetings violated the state constitution, which prohibits government support of religion.
Mike Stewart, who referred to himself as an expert on the constitution, called the ruling "a fairly ridiculous assertion" but added "the cat is out of the bag and needs to be caught."
Without a constitutional amendment "we're chilling every government official from standing up and commenting from a diverse point of view," Stewart said.
Those who argue the state must move quickly on the issue say the 3rd District ruling could very well spawn further prohibitions against historically accepted activities with religious overtones, including the singing of Christmas carols, teaching comparative religion at schools or even displaying works of art with religious themes.
Susan Roylance with United Families of Utah has been spearheading the drive to get the prayer issue on the November 1992 ballot. United Families and the Eagle Forum have mailed initiatives to 10,000 Utahns with instructions to gain 10 signatures each and return them by July 1.
At least 100,000 signatures are needed to place the amendment on the ballot.
Roylance is also continuing her campaign to have Gov. Norm Bangerter call a special session of the Utah Legislature to approve language that could be placed directly on the November ballot. She is also asking lawmakers to sign pledges in support of a constitutional amendment.
"It looks good," Roylance said. "We have a number of them (lawmakers) in hand who voted no before."
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Public hearings
Interim Judiciary Committee co-chairman Rep. Lee Ellertson, R-Orem, said legislative leaders asked for public hearings on government prayer.
Lawmakers have been lobbied to put on the ballot a constitutional amendment that would overturn a judge's ruling that prayers at public meetings violate the Utah Constitution.
Ellertson said Wednesday he scheduled the hearings to begin July 15 in Salt Lake City, with four others following through mid-August around the state, but Senate President Arnold Christensen, R-Sandy, scotched the plan.
Christensen said he had not been informed of plans that require approval of the Legislative Management Committee, which was never granted.
The hearings "are off until they're cleared by the committee," he said. Besides, "they haven't got any money to do it," Christensen said.