Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 200 (2015GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Arent, P.

Final action

House/ filed 3/12/2015

Outcome

Failed / filed without passage

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• creates the Voter Participation Task Force and provides for the task force's membership;
• provides for salary and expenses of task force members; and
• describes task force duties.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

TASK FORCE ON VOTER PARTICIPATION
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Patrice M. Arent
Senate Sponsor: 
 Peter C. Knudson
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill creates the Voter Participation Task Force.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ creates the Voter Participation Task Force and provides for the task force's
membership;
▸ provides for salary and expenses of task force members; and
▸ describes task force duties.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2015:
▸ to the Legislature - Senate, as a one-time appropriation:
• from the General Fund, one-time, $30,000, with intent language that $17,000 be
used to procure research services;
▸ to the Legislature - House of Representatives, as a one-time appropriation:
• from the General Fund, one-time, $34,000, with intent language that $18,000 be
used to procure research services; and
▸ to the Legislature - Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, as a one-
time appropriation:
• from the General Fund, one-time, $40,000.
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
This bill provides a repeal date.
Uncodified Material Affected:
ENACTS UNCODIFIED MATERIAL
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. 
Voter Participation Task Force -- Creation and membership -- Interim
rules followed -- Compensation -- Staff.
(1) There is created the Voter Participation Task Force consisting of the following nine
members:
(a) four members of the Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate, no more than
three of whom may be from the same political party; and
(b) five members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker of the
House of Representatives, no more than three of whom may be from the same political party.
(2) (a) The president of the Senate shall appoint one of the task force members from
the Senate as cochair of the task force.
(b) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint one of the task force
members from the House of Representatives as cochair of the task force.
(3) Salaries and expenses of the members of the task force shall be paid in accordance
with Section 
36-2-2
 and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5, Chapter 3, Legislator Compensation.
(4) The task force shall comply with the legislative interim rules in conducting the task
force's business.
(5) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support
to the task force.
Section 2. 
Scope and responsibilities.
(1) The task force shall:
(a) study issues related to voter participation in the state, including:
(i) past and present voter participation trends in the state and in the United States;
(ii) administrative barriers that may inhibit voter participation; and
(iii) other issues specific to the state that may affect voter participation; and
(b) at the November 2016 meeting of the Government Operations Interim Committee,
present to the committee:
(i) details of the work performed by the task force;
(ii) a description of issues the task force identified in the state that affect voter
participation; and
(iii) recommendations on how the state can improve voter participation in the state.
(2) The task force may contract with one or more entities that have expertise in public
opinion research to conduct research on a subject matter under consideration by the task force.
Section 3. 
Appropriation.
Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, for
the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, the following sums of money
are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or reduced from amounts
previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated. These sums of money are in
addition to any amounts previously appropriated for fiscal year 2015.
To Legislature - Senate
From General Fund, One-time
$30,000
Schedule of Programs:
Administration $30,000
To Legislature - House of Representatives
From General Fund, One-time
$34,000
Schedule of Programs:
Administration $34,000
To Legislature - Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel
From General Fund, One-time
$40,000
Schedule of Programs:
Administration $40,000
The Legislature intends that $18,000 of the amount appropriated to the House of
Representatives, and $17,000 of the amount appropriated to the Senate, be used by the Voter
Participation Task Force to procure research services to fulfill the task force's responsibilities
described in Section 2 of this bill.
Section 4. 
Effective date.
If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this bill takes effect
upon approval by the governor, or the day following the constitutional time limit of Utah
Constitution, Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's signature, or in the case of a veto,
the date of veto override.
Section 5. 
Repeal date.
This bill is repealed on July 1, 2016.
Legislative Review Note
 as of 1-23-15 9:38 AM
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel