House and Senate Republican leadership will remain the same as the last legislative session, with House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, leading the House, and Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs, leading the Senate. At this morning’s organizational session, legislators were sworn in and selected their seats in the chambers for the upcoming session, and there was little change there, too.

In the Senate, after the oaths of office, Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, invited guests who were in the chamber to leave, and pointed out that members of the press had their designated areas but weren’t to encroach on the center area occupied by Lt. Gov. Jim Risch, or they could risk his ire. Risch, who was holding an extra-large gavel, pooh-poohed the warning, saying, “We have a kind lieutenant governor,” to which Davis responded, “We hope to in January.” Risch, who leaves office in January to join the U.S. Senate, pursed his lips and smiled, but declined to respond.

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