House Representatives said no to a complete ban on gifts from lobbyists Thursday, but agreed to disclose any gift costing more than $5.

Hello, Taco Bell Value Menu.

The bill would require legislators to report gifts that cost between $5 and $50 aggregately, and anything over $50 individually. The reporting trigger is now $50, and they only write reports once a year. The bill would increase that to four times per year.

Sponsor Rep. Jeff Alexander, R-Provo, said the bill would help lawmakers show they aren't unethically influenced, and protect them from unfair scrutiny.

"Saying that we would have no gifts would be a nice thing, but we are all part-time legislators," he said. "There would be opportunities where the media or maybe even others in our own body would just be waiting to catch somebody for some little thing, and I don't think we want to go there."

The bill clarifies that public officials such as city leaders should be considered as lobbyists, something that wasn't considered in the past, according to Alexander.

Democrats are pleased with the bill's passing but wanted more.

Rep. Patricia Jones, D-Holladay, submitted a substitute to Alexander's bill that would have banned gifts completely, with 29 "common-sense" exceptions. Examples included flowers to comfort the sick or events to which the whole legislative body would be invited.

"If gifts are outlawed, lobbyists won't give them, and lawmakers won't be tempted to take them," she said.

House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake City, said the number of gifts he receives at his office increases every year and added it was incumbent on them as public servants to remove the "unfair" perception of the public that they are "unduly influenced" by the gifts.

Becker tried to put a twist on Alexander's bill as well. He proposed lowering the cap at which legislators report individual gifts from $50 to $20, but to no avail.

"It doesn't take much to get above $20 any more," Alexander rebutted.

Still, there were a few who expressed displeasure with the bill in any of its forms.

"I have not seen a problem in this state at all with this," said Rep. David Cox, R-Lehi. "It doesn't stop anything that might happen under the table, anyway."

Cox went on to say the bill makes honest lawmakers vulnerable to entrapment.

"The reporters will continue to try and make this into more of an issue," he said. "I just don't see any value in passing this."

The bill now moves to the Senate.

HB 101: Lobbyist gift Limits and Disclosure

Rep. Jeff Alexander, R-Provo

Bill makes changes to gift limits and disclosure rules.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A8.