A quest by Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, to require fuller disclosure of lobbyist freebies to lawmakers failed on a tie vote Thursday. Bell had wanted to force lobbyists to disclose the beneficiary of any gift over $10, but he faced strong opposition from rural lawmakers who said it wasn't a problem and didn't need to be fixed.

Bell says he will attempt to bring Senate Bill 102 straight to a floor vote - a rare action. But for now it appears dead.

He said it was "profoundly disappointing" that SB102 didn't even get out of committee. "I really think they are misreading the populace," Bell said. "The populace wants disclosure."

There is some now, though lobbyists only have to name the recipient of a gift when its value is $50 or more. And some lobbyists have become incredibly adept at buying meals and other gifts worth $49, Bell said.

Lawmakers get showered with gifts and meals and Jazz basketball tickets before, after and during the session - a point many say doesn't buy their vote. But it does earn face time with a lawmaker.

Bell argued that after last summer's headline-grabbing scandals of Salt Lake County, residents need to be able to trust their elected leaders.

"The public's outpouring of disgust for this just mandates we review our rules," Bell said.

But Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, questioned the need for changes when no legislators have been accused of criminal wrongdoing.

"The simple fact is if you've got disclosure at any level, it isn't going to stop the process," Hickman said. "I just don't understand the rationale for it."

"Ten dollars to me, that's a sandwich at lunch. I don't think that's going to buy a vote," Hickman added.

But Bell questioned his colleagues' thinking: "Why the fear of transparency? . . . I don't understand why we don't want disclosure."

With only a few members of the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee present, the bill failed in a 2-2 vote. Hickman and Sen. Parley Hellewell, R-Orem, voted against it.

Rep. Ralph Becker, the House minority leader from Salt Lake City, has again proposed a straight-up ban on gifts to lawmakers - a proposal he, or other Democrats, have pushed unsuccessfully for years.

The Senate committee's move Thursday goes against the stated position of Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., who said during his campaign that elected officials should not accept freebies.