Out of the Mouths of Babes…

by Senator Scott McCoy
District Two

According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the student legislators of the 19th annual 4-H Mock Legislature (and, no, they weren’t mocking the Legislature) rightly passed SB 14 which prohibits smoking in a car when a child is present. I only hope we don’t have to wait for these young people to replace the naysayers in the Legislature before we can get this commonsense measure enacted into law. Thanks for the vote of confidence. I feel vindicated. Now contact your Senators and Representatives and tell them to follow your lead.

Senator Romero Receives Justice Award

Last month, Senator Ross Romero received a Peace and Justice Award from the Utah Coalition of La Raza at its 15th annual Cesar Chavez Banquet.  Senator Romero received this prestigious award for his work as a legislator and lawyer in the community.  Senator Romero is a member of the Utah Minority Bar Association.  Read the post on the Utah Minority Bar Association blog. Congratulations to Senator Romero.

City Weekly’s Best Legislator

City Weekly’s 2008 Best of Utah issue hit the news stands April 3. City Weekly readers voted on 100 “best of” categories. Senator Scott McCoy is the Readers’ Choice for Best State Legislator. CONGRATULATIONS Senator McCoy. If you have a copy of the April 3 City Weekly issue, you can read about Senator McCoy on page 60. You can also read about Senator McCoy by clicking here and then scrolling down until you see his picture.

Senator Ross Romero is third runner-up for Best State Legislator. CONGRATULATIONS Senator Romero.

Goodbye to an Old Friend

by Senator Mike Dmitrich
Senate Minority Leader
District 27

Last month, my old friend, former Representative Gerald Woodmansee passed away at the age of 77. Since I’ve been on the Hill for 40 years, I believe I am the only current legislator who served with Jerry. He was a fellow House Democrat from 1969-1978.

Representative Gerald Woodmansee
Click here for Jerry’s obituary.

Jerry was a visionary legislator, promoting futuristic ideas long before their time. So visionary were his ideas that he sometimes had a hard time passing his bills. In 1973, he sponsored HB 45 to create the office of Lieutenant Governor. In 1975, he sponsored legislation to allow Court discretion in granting visitation rights to grandparents in divorce cases.

In 1976, he sponsored and passed HB25, Utah Indoor Clean Air Act, which prohibited smoking in public places or public meetings except in designated smoking areas. When designated, existing physical barriers and ventilation systems shall be used to prevent the toxic effects of smoke in adjacent nonsmoking areas.

Several times, Jerry sponsored legislation to provide funding for the purchase of the Devereaux House, and finally in 1978, HB 1, Devereaux House Appropriation, passed. After lobbying his colleagues for several years, he had the support he needed for the purchase. (Believed to be the first mansion constructed in Utah, the Devereaux House was the venue early Utah Territorial leaders used to entertain visiting VIPs. It was built in 1857.)

While serving with Jerry, we often played handball and I could NEVER beat him. Now I know the reason why. In Jerry’s obituary, it states, “…he regularly visited the Deseret Gym where he…gained recognition as a state handball champion.”

Representative Woodmansee was a wonderful friend. I will miss him.

Thanks for Keeping Us Safe

by
Senator Ross Romero
Senator Gene Davis
Senator Fred Fife

Last Saturday, March 29, Senators Romero, Fife, and Davis enrolled in Fire Ops 101, a genuine firefighter’s training experience for elected officials sponsored by the Salt Lake City Fire Department and the International Association of Firefighters. Fire Ops 101 was an example of the training that firefighters go through to prepare themselves for their strenuous and demanding profession.

Each senator donned a firefighting uniform, complete with gear, helmet, and boots and participated in hands on emergency situations. They climbed ladders carrying hoses and put out real fires in buildings, extinguished real car fires, extricated trapped victims in cars, and entered smoke-filled rooms wearing breathing equipment.

Senator Romero using cutting tools.

“It’s truly admirable to understand what firefighters have to do and the pressures they’re under and the effort they take to make sure we’re safe,” said Senator Ross Romero.

Senator Fred Fife said, “The stress from constant readiness on the job to meet the dangers of every call is a burden every firefighter must bear. That was demonstrated in the exercises. We learned that the work of firefighters requires teamwork and comradery. They displayed that for us. I learned much from Fire Ops 101, and it was a great experience for me.”

You can read reports and watch video of Fire Ops 101 at ksl.com, abc4.com, kutv.com, and The Salt Lake Tribune.

We express our sincere appreciation to our city’s firefighters for their commitment and bravery in performing the duties of their jobs.