H.R. 1 Enrolled

HOUSE RULES RESOLUTION - ACCESS TO
HOUSE FLOOR
2004 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: Ron Bigelow

LONG TITLE
General Description:
This resolution amends House rules governing admittance to the House Floor.
Highlighted Provisions:
This resolution:
. allows only House members, the governor, the lieutenant governor, legislative staff,
and interns access to the House floor while the House is in session; and
. requires news media representatives to remain in news media area when the House is
convened in session.
Special Clauses:
This resolution takes effect on July 1, 2004.
Legislative Rules Affected:
AMENDS:
HR-33.01
HR-33.06

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the state of Utah:
Section 1. HR-33.01 is amended to read:
HR-33.01. Admittance to House Chamber.
(1) As used in this rule:
(a) "Former legislator" means a person who is not a current member of the Legislature,
but who served in the Utah House or Senate at one time.
(b) "Governor's staff" means:

(i) a person employed directly by the Office of the Governor or the Office of the
Lieutenant Governor; and
(ii) the director of the Office of Planning and Budget.
(c) "Guest" means a person who is not a legislator, legislative employee, a member of
professional legislative staff, an intern, [a former legislator,] a lobbyist, the governor, or the
lieutenant governor[, or a member of the governor's staff].
(d) "House halls" means the passageways that allow access to the House chamber, House
lounge, House offices, and other areas behind and adjoining the House chamber.
(e) (i) "House offices" means the offices behind and adjacent to the House chamber and
the reception areas connected to them.
(ii) "House offices" includes the rules committee conference room.
(f) (i) "House space" means the House chamber, House lounge, House offices, the House
halls, and the other areas behind and adjoining the House chamber.
(ii) "House space" does not mean the common public space outside the front of the
House chamber.
(g) "Immediate family" means any parent, spouse, child, grandparent, grandchild,
great-grandparent, great-grandchild, or sibling of a member of the House who is not a lobbyist.
(h) "Intern" means a person who is an official participant in the intern program sponsored
by the Utah Legislature.
(i) (i) "Lobbyist" means either:
(A) a person required to register as a lobbyist by Section 36-11-103 ; or
(B) a person who is seeking to influence any legislator to vote for or vote against any
legislation.
(ii) "Lobbyist" does not mean the governor[,] or lieutenant governor[, or the governor's
staff].
(2) (a) While the House is convened in annual general session or special session and
except as provided in Subsections (2)(b), (c), (d), and (e):
(i) only legislators, legislative employees, professional legislative staff, interns, former

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legislators who are not lobbyists, [the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the governor's staff,]
the governor, and the lieutenant governor are allowed in the House chamber; and
(ii) a Representative may have no more than one guest in the House chamber at any one
time.
(b) A Representative may invite only one of the following to sit next to the
Representative in the House chamber:
(i) a member of the Representative's immediate family;
(ii) another legislator;
(iii) a legislative employee;
(iv) a member of professional legislative staff; or
(v) an intern.
(c) The Speaker may authorize special guests to be present in the chamber or to sit with a
legislator.
(d) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(d)(ii), lobbyists do not have access to the
floor of the House.
(ii) (A) [Notwithstanding Subsection (d)(i), the] The Representative sponsoring a bill
being debated by the House may invite one lobbyist with expertise on the bill being considered to
be present in the chamber.
(B) The Representative shall inform the Sergeant-at-Arms that the lobbyist is present.
(C) The Representative shall ensure that the lobbyist is seated on a bench in the rear of
the chamber during the presentation and debate on the bill.
(D) If, during the course of debate on the bill, the Representative needs the assistance of
the lobbyist, the Representative may request the permission of the Speaker to have the lobbyist
approach the Representative sponsoring the bill to provide the needed information.
(E) When the House moves to another item of business, the lobbyist shall leave the House
floor.
(e) Representatives who invite guests who are not lobbyists into the chamber shall:
(i) unless the guest is authorized by this rule to sit next to the Representative, ensure that

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the guest sits on a bench in the rear of the chamber; and
(ii) inform the guest that they may only stay for a short visit not to exceed one hour.
(f) Representatives who are visited by groups shall arrange with the Sergeant-at-Arms for
them to be seated in the gallery.
(3) (a) While the House is convened in annual general session or special session and
except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), only legislators, legislative employees, professional
legislative staff, immediate family, interns, former legislators who are not lobbyists, the governor,
the lieutenant governor, and the governor's staff are allowed in the House lounge.
(b) (i) A Representative may invite a small number of lobbyists or guests to meet with the
Representative in the House lounge to educate them about the legislative process or to discuss
specific legislative issues.
(ii) The Representative shall ensure that the lobbyists and guests leave the House space
when the meeting is over.
(4) (a) While the House is convened in annual general session or special session and
except as provided in Subsection (4)(b), only legislators, legislative employees, professional
legislative staff, immediate family, interns, and former legislators who are not lobbyists are
allowed in the House offices.
(b) (i) A Representative may invite a small number of lobbyists or guests to meet with the
Representative in the Representative's House office or the rules committee conference room to
discuss specific legislative issues.
(ii) The Representative shall ensure that the lobbyists and guests leave the House space
when the meeting is over.
(5) (a) While the House is convened as a body in House chambers and except as provided
in Subsection (5)(b), only the following persons are allowed in the House halls:
(i) legislators;
(ii) legislative employees;
(iii) professional legislative staff;
(iv) interns;

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(v) former legislators who are not lobbyists;
(vi) the governor; and
(vii) the lieutenant governor[; and].
[(viii) the governor's staff.]
(b) Immediate family, lobbyists, and guests in transit to the House chamber, House
lounge, or House offices may pass through the House halls.
(6) The Sergeant-at-Arms, under the direction of the Speaker, shall enforce the
requirements of this rule.
Section 2. HR-33.06 is amended to read:
HR-33.06. News Media.
(1) (a) News media representatives with House press credentials shall be admitted to the
House chamber, halls, lounge, and committee rooms.
(b) While the House is convened as a body in House chambers, news media
representatives shall remain in the area designated for the news media and may not enter the floor
of the House, the circle, or the Speaker's dais.
(2) With permission of the Speaker or the Speaker's designee, the news media may
conduct and record interviews in the House lounge, halls, available committee rooms, or in the
House chamber or gallery.
(3) The news media shall also comply with the other provisions in HR-33.02 and
HR-33.03.
(4) The Sergeant-at-Arms, under the direction of the Speaker, shall enforce the
requirements of this rule.
Section 3. Effective date.
This resolution takes effect on July 1, 2004.

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