Utah House member Byron Harward announced this week he's resigning from his Provo district after serving 11 years.
While there is regular turnover in the 75-member House and many members serve with distinction and sacrifice, Harward will be especially missed.As a journalist who has covered the Legislature for 17 years, I have found Harward to be refreshing because he bucked the system. And he often bucked the system by knowing it better than anyone else.
In the past several legislatures, Harward, 47, was the House parliamentarian. In that role he often was asked, or he volunteered, opinions on how the House goes about conducting its debates, amendments and votes on bills and resolutions. He's been the most active parliamentarian I can remember.
He was also a reformer. In 1991, Harward was honored by Utah Common Cause for his sponsorship of a campaign financial disclosure bill for legislators. Using his knowledge of internal rules, Harward that year forced open to the press and public a conference committee where senators where planning on gutting his bill. Faced with TV cameras in a crowded, small room, the senators gave way.
But while a stickler for the rules, Harward's real impact has come through his debates and amendments.
Several years ago, as part of a general story on the Legislature, I went around asking various lawmakers who they wanted on their side of an issue, who they feared as opponents. Harward was mentioned, along with only two or three others, by all those interviewed as a person they'd love to have speaking with them, hate to have on the other side.
Harward used to be on the GOP leadership ladder, rising through the ranks in the old days of the House when a speaker only served one, two-year term and so there was a steady progression from assistant whip, to whip, to majority leader and speaker.
But he got knocked off that ladder in 1992.
And his downfall came, many said at the time, because he was such a stickler; because he debated and amended, or tried to amend, so many of his colleagues' bills.
While not a lawyer, Harward is law trained. By competitive bid, his company prints the state's code each year. Harward reads every bill, prepares dozens of amendments ranging from one or two words to whole sections, all which sometimes make significant changes to a proposed law.
And he's smart.
If it's one thing your average legislator doesn't like - and secretly resents - is having someone stand up on the floor and through debate showing more knowledge of the bill and issue than the sponsor does.
Personality and style aside, long after Harward's name is forgotten in Capitol halls one legacy will remain.
In 1988 two Harward bills formed the Administrative Rules Committee - a group he has co-chaired ever since.
In typical fashion Harward bumped up against powerful forces in his effort to give the legislative branch of government distinct authority to review and kill rules made by the executive branch.
Then-Gov. Norm Bangerter threatened to veto Harward's two bills. But after Republican and Democratic legislative leadership promised to override any Bangerter veto, the two sides got together and the new committee was formed.
Twice a month, the group of legislators meet and reviewed voluminous and sometimes arcane rules. The committee, by veiled threat, often gets bureaucrats to change or kill proposed rules. If they fail to take the hints, bureaucrats every year see Harward filing a bill that through law changes rules legislators don't like.
The Administrative Rules Committee is legislative drudgery at its best. And Harward loves it.
But Harward says the legislative work has become too much and his law publishing business is suffering. Two years ago, the computer-loving Harward started an Internet website that contains the Utah code, legislative committee agendas, all bills filed and much more.
The Deseret News subscribes to the service and not a week - sometimes not a day - goes by when I don't log on and search the code or agendas or bills through Harward's service. Harward writes all the software himself.
During the 45-day general legislative sessions, when his Web site was updated daily starting at 4 a.m. each morning by his business's staff, Harward says he'd work eight or 10 hours a day on the Legislature and another six on his Web site.
It all became too much.
So, by resigning now he'll have more time for his business, his family; more time to spend at his beloved hobby - long distance horse racing. And he may come back to the Legislature later, if time and opportunities permit.
"I'm not tired of serving (in the House). I love it," he said this week.
Still, for now, and for some time in the future, Harward will be missed.