PROVO -- They'll push for growth funding for higher education, protection for gunmakers, smoke-free airports and a cap on the number of students in each new Utah school.
One proposes a state law creating Boy Scouts of America license plates, while another would like voter information pamphlets to tell Utahns more about disciplinary action against judges.Although the 16 Utah County legislators all have their own agendas for the 2000 session of the Utah Legislature, there are two things you can count on from the delegation: They will vote conservative, and they will stick together.
"We have a fairly united group working together," said Rep. Jeff Alexander, R-Orem, one of the veterans among Utah County legislators. "That's important because of the relatively few numbers we have in the Legislature.
"We have to use our votes wisely on any issue affecting Utah County."
All 16 Utah County legislators (there is one state senator based in Salt Lake County whose district includes part of northern Utah County) are Republicans. Their lives outside the Legislature include a range of pursuits from teaching school to selling life insurance. There's a registered nurse, retired statistics professor, rancher and several small business owners.
Their backgrounds vary widely, but their political views on most topics do not.
"You don't have to plan it," said Rep. Bill Wright, R-Elberta. "You don't have to be asking people to vote a certain way. They just know what to do."
Although they are all Republicans and among the most conservative in the Legislature, members of the Utah County delegation say they are representative of their constituencies. But southern Utah County used to be a Democratic stronghold, and a newly energized Utah County Democratic Party vows to take some seats in the November election.
"I just think we need more balance," said former Democratic state senator Eldon Money, a Palmyra rancher. "It isn't good when you get so lopsided."
For now, though, legislators aren't too worried about re-election. Most spent the weeks leading up to the legislative session meeting with constituents and drafting bills.
Among the things they came up with so far were a proposal by Rep. Lowell Nelson, R-Highland, to allow donors to Boy Scouts of America to sport specialized license plates; a measure by Rep. Katherine Bryson, R-Orem, that would allow voters to know more about judges up for retention; and Provo Rep. Jordan Tanner's plan that would effectively stop future construction of enclosed smoking areas in airports.
Rep. Matt Throckmorton, R-Springville, would like the Legislature to decree that gun manufacturers cannot be sued by the state or its counties and cities for claims based on the use of firearms, whether legal or illegal. Sparked by Chicago and later followed by various political entities, lawsuits against gunmakers recently became a fashionable political move.
The only exception to Throckmorton's proposal would involve lawsuits for breach of contract when the state, counties or cities purchase firearms.
But with education on the minds of most Utahns and their legislators this year, several proposals by teacher David Cox, a representative from Lehi, could garner the most attention. Cox proposes studying whether school districts should be limited in size.
He also drafted a bill that would limit the number of students at new schools. Under House Bill 38, new elementary and middle schools could accommodate no more than 600 students, junior high schools no more than 800 students and high schools no more than 1,000 students.
Something on the mind of nearly every Utah County legislator is Utah Valley State College.
"Every one of us is committed to making sure UVSC has the representation it needs," said Rep. Glenn Way, R-Spanish Fork. "All the Utah County legislators have many constituents attending UVSC."
Alexander said legislators will concentrate on securing more money to fund growth at the rapidly expanding Orem school, while Sen. Robert Muhlestein, R-Benjamin, has floated the idea of calling for a study regarding university status for UVSC.
"We're all united in our desire to see UVSC grow," Alexander said. "That's probably the No. 1 issue facing Utah County."
The Utah County delegation meets monthly when the Legislature is not in session, and they sometimes hold constituent meetings together. During the next couple of months, they will get together even more often.
While Utah County's relatively large size and geographic diversity mean each legislator will pursue his or her own particular issues, members of the delegation never get too far apart. After all, they have something else in common: No matter what they do, somebody won't be happy.
"This is one of those situations that's not totally enjoyable," Alexander said. "Anytime you're elected, you can never satisfy everyone."