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A lawmaker who had hoped to explore changes to Utah's collective bargaining laws said Wednesday he no longer plans to pursue such legislation this session.

Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, along with fellow Education Interim Committee co-chairman Rep. Bill Wright, R-Holden, had asked legislative leaders in the summer for permission to have their committee study the elimination of collective bargaining for public employees — an issue that has sparked protests and consternation in states such as Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana.

The lawmakers got that permission, and Stephenson opened two bill files in his name regarding collective bargaining. He said he was considering drafting a bill that would eliminate collective bargaining and one that would just limit it to salaries and benefits to see which would gain the most support. But the lawmaker, who also co-chairs the Legislature's education budget committee, said Wednesday he no longer plans to run those bills this session.

"I've got so many other high profile bills I'm running this year," Stephenson said, referring to other proposals, including one that would create tuition tax credits to help struggling students attend private schools. "I want to focus on the bills that are going to take a lot of my time and energy."

That's not to say another lawmaker might not pick up the baton and carry similar collective bargaining bills instead — but it's unclear if anyone will.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, and House Majority Leader Brad Dee, R-Ogden, said they haven't heard of anyone else looking to push the issue this session. Both said collective bargaining hasn't come up in either of their caucuses.

"I'm not hearing anyone else talking about it," Jenkins said.

Dee said he believes collective bargaining should be a local issue.

"I think Ogden City schools were one example of the fact that it is a local issue and possibly the state shouldn't be in that type of business," Dee said, referring to the Ogden City School District's decision over the summer not to negotiate with its local teachers' union and instead give teachers take-it-or-leave it contracts to be individually signed.

In Utah, collective bargaining is optional. Nationwide, 34 states and the District of Columbia require collective bargaining for public employees and five states bar collective bargaining, according to the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh, Utah Education Association (UEA) president, said she's pleased to hear that Stephenson may no longer be running the bills.

"I'm really grateful," she said. "I think that Senator Stephenson has recognized that teachers and public employees deserve to have a voice in their salaries, benefits and working conditions."

Audry Wood, executive director of the Utah Public Employees Association, said she believes it would be more reflective of the public will to not run bills limiting collective bargaining.

"A lot of these individuals are the ones who are in charge of ensuring public safety and the safety of our children," Wood said of public employees. "I think the public is, overall, supportive of public employees and their ability to negotiate their work situations."

But just because Stephenson is no longer planning to sponsor bills to limit collective bargaining doesn't mean he's changed his mind about it.

"Privately, many school board members admit they have basically given away the store to the union through negotiations," Stephenson said Wednesday, "and collective bargaining should either be eliminated as it has been in some other states or it should be restricted to salaries and benefits."

Rep. Bradley Daw, R-Orem, already has opened a bill file that would bar unions from collecting dues straight from public education employees' paychecks. Stephenson said Wednesday he would support such a bill.

Also, Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, has asked legislative attorneys to draft a bill on collective bargaining. Wimmer said previously he likely would resign before the legislative session to run for Congress, but on Wednesday said he hasn't made a final determination on that. If he is around for the session, he said he would carry the bargaining bill; if not, he will likely hand it off to another lawmaker.

Still, his bill doesn't prohibit collective bargaining for state employees or teachers.

"It would just require that collective bargaining discussions be conducted publicly," Wimmer said.

Also, Sen. Aaron Osmond, R-South Jordan, is still working on a bill that could make potential changes to collective bargaining, mainly aimed at performance and accountability for teachers and administrators, but he said, "I certainly am not trying to send a message that collective bargaining isn't important or there isn't a role for collective bargaining in representing our teachers and giving them a voice."

Tribune reporter Robert Gehrke contributed to this report.