Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 4002 First Substitute (2024S4)

Sponsor

Sen. Vickers, E.

Final action

Governor Signed 8/22/2024

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• establishes an expedited timeline for:
• placing a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot for voter consideration; and
• providing and posting certain information in relation to the proposed constitutional amendment;
• amends requirements and procedures relating to the ballot title, analysis, and arguments for a proposed constitutional amendment;
• makes conforming changes; and
• provides for repeal of the provisions of this bill.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

BALLOT PROPOSITION AMENDMENTS
FOURTH SPECIAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Evan J. Vickers
House Sponsor: 
Jordan D. Teuscher
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends election provisions regarding a proposed constitutional amendment.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ establishes an expedited timeline for:
• placing a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot for voter
consideration; and
• providing and posting certain information in relation to the proposed
constitutional amendment;
▸ amends requirements and procedures relating to the ballot title, analysis, and
arguments for a proposed constitutional amendment;
▸ makes conforming changes; and
▸ provides for repeal of the provisions of this bill.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
63I-2-220
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Third Special Session, Chapter 5
ENACTS:
20A-7-103.1
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
20A-7-103.1
 is enacted to read:
 20A-7-103.1.
Constitutional amendments proposed during specified timeframe --
Ballot title -- Analysis -- Arguments -- Publication.
If, after August 1, 2024, and before September 1, 2024, the Legislature passes a
resolution proposing an amendment to the Utah Constitution:
(1) the presiding officers shall submit the information and ballot title described in
Subsection 
20A-7-103
(3) to the lieutenant governor no later than:
(a) September 1, 2024, if the effective date of this bill is on or before September 1,
2024; or
(b) three calendar days after the effective date of this bill, if the effective date of this
bill is after September 1, 2024;
(2) notwithstanding Subsection 
20A-7-103
(4), the lieutenant governor shall certify the
letter or number and ballot title of each amendment or question to the county clerk of each
county no later than the deadline described in Subsection (1);
(3) the presiding officers shall:
(a) in accordance with Subsections 
20A-7-703.1
(2) through (5), prepare an analysis for
the proposed amendment for publication in the voter information pamphlet; and
(b) notwithstanding Subsection 
20A-7-703.1
(1)(b), submit the analysis to the
lieutenant governor no later than October 1, 2024;
(4) Sections 
20A-7-705
 and 
20A-7-706
 do not apply in relation to the proposed
amendment;
(5) no later than the day after the effective date of this bill:
(a) the president of the Senate may appoint a member of the Senate who voted in favor
of the proposed amendment, and the speaker of the House of Representatives may appoint one
member of the House of Representatives who voted in favor of the proposed amendment, to
jointly draft an argument in favor of the proposed amendment; and
(b) the minority leader of the Senate may appoint a member of the Senate who voted
against the proposed amendment, and the minority leader of the House of Representatives may
appoint one member of the House of Representatives who voted against the proposed
amendment, to jointly draft an argument against the proposed amendment;
(6) an argument described in Subsection (5)(a) or (b) may not exceed 1,000 words, not
counting the names and titles of the authors;
(7) the authors appointed to submit an argument shall submit the argument to the
lieutenant governor no later than seven days after the effective date of this bill;
(8) except as provided in Subsection (10), the authors of an argument may not modify
the argument after submission;
(9) except as provided in Subsection (10), the lieutenant governor may not modify an
argument in any way;
(10) the lieutenant governor and the authors of an argument may jointly modify the
argument after submission if:
(a) the modifications are made to correct spelling or grammatical errors or to correct a
mischaracterization described in Subsection (17);
(b) the lieutenant governor and the authors jointly agree on the modifications; and
(c) the argument has not been submitted for typesetting;
(11) when the lieutenant governor has received both the argument for the proposed
amendment, if any, and the argument against the proposed amendment, if any, the lieutenant
governor shall immediately send a copy of the argument in favor of the proposed amendment,
if any, to the authors of the argument against the proposed amendment, if any, and a copy of
the argument against the proposed amendment, if any, to the authors of the argument in favor
of the proposed amendment, if any;
(12) the authors who timely submit an argument under Subsection (7):
(a) may prepare and submit a rebuttal argument not exceeding 250 words, not counting
the names and titles of the authors; and
(b) shall file the rebuttal argument with the lieutenant governor within seven days after
the day on which the lieutenant governor sends copies of the arguments under Subsection (11);
(13) except as provided in Subsection (15), the authors of a rebuttal argument may not
modify the rebuttal argument after submission;
(14) except as provided in Subsection (15), the lieutenant governor may not modify a
rebuttal argument in any way;
(15) the lieutenant governor and the authors of a rebuttal argument may jointly modify
the rebuttal argument after submission, if:
(a) the modifications are made to correct spelling or grammatical errors or to correct a
mischaracterization described in Subsection (17);
(b) the lieutenant governor and the authors jointly agree on the modifications; and
(c) the rebuttal argument has not been submitted for typesetting;
(16) the lieutenant governor shall ensure that:
(a) a rebuttal argument is printed in the same manner as a direct argument; and
(b) each rebuttal argument follows immediately after the direct argument which the
rebuttal argument seeks to rebut;
(17) if, after the lieutenant governor determines that an argument or a rebuttal
argument mischaracterizes the position of a state entity, the lieutenant governor and the authors
of the argument or rebuttal argument cannot jointly agree on a modification to correct the
mischaracterization, the lieutenant governor:
(a) shall publish the argument or rebuttal argument with the mischaracterization; and
(b) may, immediately following the argument or rebuttal argument, publish a brief
description of the position of the state entity;
(18) notwithstanding Subsection 
20A-7-103
(4), the lieutenant governor shall certify the
letter or number and ballot title of each amendment or question to the county clerk of each
county no later than the deadline described in Subsection (1); and
(19) the deadline described in Subsection 
20A-7-801
(4)(b) does not apply to the ballot
title, analysis, arguments, rebuttal arguments, descriptions, or other items described in this
section.
Section 2. Section 
63I-2-220
 is amended to read:
63I-2-220.
Repeal dates: Title 20A.
(1) Section 
20A-7-103.1
, Constitutional amendments proposed during specified
timeframe -- Analysis -- Arguments -- Publication, is repealed July 1, 2025.
(2)
 Title 20A, Chapter 4, Part 6, Municipal Alternate Voting Methods Pilot Project, is
repealed January 1, 2026.
Section 3. 
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.