League of Women Voters of Utah public policy positions are the foundation for action by the League of Women Voters. Each year LWV establishes the priorities for the Utah Legislative General Session to focus work and resources. Priorities are drawn from the annual program and leadership. Below you will find our priority bills with drop-down brief explanations.
Check out our BILL TRACKER for the 2024 session here.
Our Legislative Updates:
January
Promote an open governmental system that is representative, accountable and responsive.
VOTING RIGHTS
Protect the right of all citizens to vote through free and fair elections.
Protect the citizen’s right to know and facilitate informed understanding and public participation in government decision-making by protecting the citizens’ ballot initiative and referendum process.
ELECTION PROCESS
Support campaign finance/money in politics regulations that enhance political equality for all citizens, ensure transparency, protect representative democracy.
Support redistricting processes and enforceable standards that promote fair and effective representation.
This bill amends provisions related to collecting signatures for, or removing signatures from, an initiative form, and initiative petition or referendum petition. Provides that an individual who signs an initiative packet or a referendum packet must read the entire statement included with the packet; does not require an attestation that the individual understands the statement or law.. Read the full text of HB079
Sponsor: Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost (D) HD22
LWV Position: Support
Status:
House Government Operations Committee - 1/19/2024 Held in Committee
Link to 1.19.2024 Committee Recording
House Government Operations Committee - 2/2/2024 2 p.m.
2/22/204 4 p.m. Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee Favorable Recommendation
2/28 - Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
This bill requires an elected official to annually file a conflict of interest disclosure, requires amendment if there are changes, gifts under $50 no longer reportable, clarifications on conflict of interest. Link to read HB080 S01
Sponsor: Rep. A. Stoddard (D) HB40
LWV Position: Support
Status:
2/14/2024 4 p.m. House Political Subdivisions Committee Passed Favorably.
Passed House
2/26/2024 Favorable Recommendation Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee
2/28 - Senate 2nd Reading Calendar
Sponsor: Rep. Andrew Stoddard (D) HD40; Sen, Todd Weiler (R) SD8
This bill concerns criminal offenses conducted against a public servant, party official, or voter. SO1 addresses coordination of HB15, HB27 and H83 if they each pass. S02 defines emotional distress. Read full text of HB83 S02.
LWV Position: Support
Status:
House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. 1/19/2024 - Passed HB83S01.
Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee 1/31/2024 - Passed Favorably
2/14 - Senate 3rd Reading Calendar Tabled.
2/8 - Returned to Rules
This bill provides that, for a ballot that is mailed to be valid, the election officer must receive the ballot before the polls close on election day. Link to read full test of HB214.
Sponsor: Rep. Norm Thurston (R) HD 62
LWV Position: Oppose
Status:
House Government Operations Committee, 1/22/2024: Motion to hold passed unanimously.
Katharine Biele, LWV Utah President, testified in Committee: I am Katharine Biele, president of the League of Women Voters of Utah. I too, like TJ Ellerback, have concerns about dropboxes and their availability to all Utahns. Our state has had a valid and popular vote-by-mail system for many years. In fact 89% of voters put their faith in it, according to the latest polls, and Utah stands as a model in the nation for safe, accurate and accessible voting. Changing the date will not only add confusion but would also disenfranchise many voters by adding unnecessary barriers. Also, the U.S. Postal Service cannot guarantee a 24-hour turnaround – It’s more like 1-to-5 business days. If the desire is to speed the process, we submit that this is not the way.
This bill contingent on the passage of a constitutional amendment (HJR14), modifies the vote percentage (60%) required to pass a statewide initiative that would impose a new tax or tax increase and requires additional initiative fiscal impact statement information. Read HB284
Sponsor: Rep. Jason B. Kyle (R) HD8; Sen. Lincoln Fillmore (R) SD17
LWV Position: Oppose
Status: House Government Operations Committee - 1/30/2024 - Passed Favorably. Listen to committee hearing.
2/12/2024 4 p.m.: Senate Revenue & Taxation Committee Passed Favorably
2/28 - Senate 2nd Reading Calendar (Circled)
This bill changes the repeal date of the Municipal Alternate Voting Methods Pilot Project from January 1, 2026 to May 1, 2024. Read the full text of HB290.
Sponsor: Rep. Katy Hall (R) HD11
LWV Position: Oppose
Status:
2/13/2024 8 a.m. House Government Operations Committee. Passed Favorable Recommendation
2/22 - Passed House. Senate Rules Committee
2/22 Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee Passed Favorably
2/29 - Failed in Senate. Returned to House.
This bill establishes a framework for the Legislature, by concurrent resolution, to prohibit the enforcement of a federal directive within the state by government officers if the Legislature determines the federal directive violates the principles of state sovereignty. Read full text of SB057 S03
Sponsor: Sen. Scott Sandall (R) SD1; Rep. Ken Ivory HD39
LWV Position: Watch
Status:
Senate Natural Resources, Agreculture, and Environment Committee: 1/17/2024 Favorable Recommendation
House Natural Resoruces, Agriculture, and Environment Committee 1/24/2024 Favorable Recommendation
1.30: Senate Concurrence Calendar
SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
SOCIAL POLICY
Secure equal rights and equal opportunity for all. Promote social and economic justice and the health and safety of all americans.
Support adequate financing of the public schools to ensure quality education.
Support policies and programs that promote equal access to education.
Support accountability, evaluation and transparency of publicly funded education, including various forms of school choice.
Requires the prioritization of protecting children from illicit pornography over other considerations in evaluation of instructional material, requires statewide removal after a specific number (2) local agencies vote to remove. Effective date 7.2.2024 Read the full text of HB29 S01.
Sponsor: Rep. Ken Ivory (R) HD39, Sen. Todd Weiler (R) SD03
LWV Position: The League of Women Voters opposes this bill which undermines the primacy of local control and autonomy, the primary right of parents to parent their children, and the priority of freedom of speech and equal opportunity. The bill gives outsized consideration of a minority of voices that wish to suppress freedom of speech, access to information, and equal opportunity to all of Utah’s public schools and their communities.
Status:
House Education Committee 1/23/2024 Favorable Recommendation (2 opposed)
Watch 1.23.2024 Committee Hearing
2.5: LWVUtah Action Alert: This bill makes it easier to remove books from schools statewide by allowing for a single book or instructional material to be removed from all Utah schools if at least three school districts or at least two school districts and five charter schools have deemed that the instructional material constitutes objective sensitive material. The bill would also be retroactive in that it would include any sensitive material determination that occurred before July 1, 2024. Utah has 41 districts and over 130 charter schools. The bill allows a small set of boards/schools to usurp the ability of locally elected and appointed boards to hold their own review processes and make determinations for their school communities. Specifically, the bill would allow for 2% -4% of LEAs and charter schools to decide on appropriate instructional materials for the remaining 96%-98%. The bill allows a small group of vocal parents and school communities to usurp the local control of other parents and school communities.
2/9/2024 2 p.m. Senate Education Committee - Passed Favorably with S01
2/16 Passed Senate
2/17 House Concurrence Calendar
2/23 Enrolled sent to Governor
This bill creates the Educator-Protector Program to incentivize school teachers to responsibly secure or carry a firearm on school grounds by providing reimbursements and liability protection. Read full text of HB119.
Sponsor: Rep. Tim Jiminez (R) HD28
LWV Position: Oppose
12/23/2024 8 a.m. Senate Education Committee Passed Favorably
Promote an environment beneficial to life through the protection and wise management of natural resources in the public interest.
Water: Support measures to reduce pollution to protect surface water, groundwater, and drinking water.
Strengthen conservation efforts to protect and preserve Great Salt Lake as the keystone ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere.
Climate: Support climate goals and policies that are consistent with the best available climate science and that will ensure a stable climate system for further generations.
Clean Energy: Support environmentally sound policies that reduce energy growth rates, emphasize energy conservation and encourage the use of renewable energies.
Office of Energy Development explanation of duties - advocate for state interest on federal energy, oversee legal strategy on federal overreach and permitting delays. Read the full txt of HB48.
Sponsors: Rep. Jack Colin (R) HD73, Senator Davis Hinkins (R) SD26
LWV Position: Oppose
Status:
1/29/2024 House Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee - Passed Favorably
Listen to 1.29 Committee Meeting.
2/12/2024 4 p.m. Senate Economic Development & Workforce Services Committee Passed Favorably
2/28 Sent for Enrolling
This bill changes the term renewable to clean where appropriate in statute. Read the full text of HB241.
Sponsors: Rep. Carl Albrecht (R) HD70, Sen. Derrick Owens (R) SD27
LWV Position: Watch
Status:
House Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee - 1/24/2024 Favorable Recommendation
Listen to 1.24.2024 Committee Hearing
2/8 Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment Committee - Favorable Recommendation
Listen to 2.8.2024 Committee Hearing
Passed Senate
2/17 - House Concurrence Calendar
2/6 Draft o Enrolled Bill Prepared
The board shall regulate the disposition, transfer, use, transport, recycling, treatment, and disposal by injection of produced water during, or for reuse in an oil and gas activity including disposal by injection. Read the full text of HB295.
Sponsors: Rep.Rep. Steven Lund (R) HD66; Rep. Evan Vickers (R) SD 28
LWV Position: Oppose
Status:
1/24/2024 House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee - Favorable Recommendation Unanimously
Watch 1.24.2024 Committee Hearing
2/8/2024 2 p.m. Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment Committee - Favorable Recommendation
Watch 2.8. 2024 Committee Hearing
2/28 Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
This bill modifies the state energy policy. provides that the state energy policy: is focused on human well-being and quality of life; encourages the use of dispatchable energy resources; fosters innovation and development to meet future energy demand; and allows for market-based solutions. Read HB374 S01.
Sponsor: Rep. Colin Jack (R) HD73
LWV Position: Oppose. The bill puts human health and environmental health at the bottom of priorities to be balanced. It still keeps all sources of hydrogen in the energy plan, and specifically supports continued use of fossil fuels. We opposed based not the league’s support or reducing carbon emissions and pollution.
Status:
1/29/2024 House Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee Passed Favorably
2.8 Passed House.
2/12/2024 4 p.m. Senate Economic Development & Workforce Services Committee
2/22: Passed Senate. Placed on House Concurrence Calendar
2/28 Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
This bill would stabilize and increase the credit rate for residential and small businesses rooftop solar customers in Rocky Mountain Power service territory to set to at least 84% of an average utility customer’s average monthly cost. Read SB189.
Sponsor(s): Sen. Wayne A. Harper (R) SD16
LWV Position: The LWV Utah supports environmentally sound policies that reduce energy growth rates, emphasize energy conservation and encourage the use of renewable energies. The LWV Utah supports environmentally sound policies that reduce energy growth rates, emphasize energy conservation and encourage the use of renewable energyies. Rooftop solar helps Utahns become more energy independent. It reduces electricity bills, cuts carbon emissions, and protects against rising electricity costs. Rooftop solar allows homeowners and businesses to invest in local energy resources that benefit them, and combined with battery storage, helps support a more resilient and stable electricity grid.
Rooftop solar allows homeowners and businesses to invest in local energy resources that benefit them, and combined with battery storage, helps support a more resilient and stable electricity grid.
Status:
2/8/2024 2 p.m. Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy & Technology Committee - Passed Favorably. Listen to hearing
2/28 Returned to Senate Rules Committee after 2nd Reading Circled
This bill establishes a grid enhancing technologies program to incentivize electric utilities to deploy technologies that increase transmission system capacity, efficiency, and reliability in already existing transmission corridors. Read SB191 S01.
Sponsor: Sen. Nate Blouin (D) SD13
LWV Position: Support environmentally sound policies that reduce energy growth rates, emphasize energy conservation and encourage the use of renewable energies.
Status:
2/12/2024 9 a.m. Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee. Passed Favorably
Watch the 2/12 Committee Meeting.
2/16 - Passed Senate
2/28 House Rules Committee
This bill directs the Great Salt Lake Commissioner to make a plan and conduct a pilot program to address wet water years. Read SB196 S91.
Sponsor: Sen. Nate Blouin (D) SD13
LWV Position: Strengthen Conservation efforts to protect and preserve Great Salt Lake as the keystone ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere
Status:
2/13 Favorable Recommendation Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee
Senate circled on 3rd Reading Calendar.
2/28 Returned to Rules
This bill directs the creation of the Water District Water Development Council (council). directs the creation of the Water District Water Development Council (council) in the state based on operating budgets shall enter into an agreement with one another and the division to form the Water District Water Development Council as a joint administrator of a joint or cooperative undertaking to jointly plan for generational water infrastructure and advance the responsible development of water within the jurisdiction of the water conservancy districts represented on the council to address water users' generational need water conservancy districts represented on the council to address water users' generational need.
Sponsor(s): Sen. Stuart Adams (R) SD7
LWV Position: Opposes LWV priorities by not promoting an environment beneficial to life through the protection and wise management of natural resources. SB 211 was designed to advance disastrous and controversial water projects despite serious opposition from the Utah public, by shrouding these activities behind a wall of secrecy. The Water Development Council can quietly advance new water diversions of Great Salt Lake water, in the face of massive opposition from the Utah public to drying up the Lake.
Status
2/12/2024 - Passed Favorably Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, & Environment Committee
Watch the 2/12 Committee meeting.
2/14 Passed Senate.
2/21/2024 - 8 a.m. House Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment Committee - Passed Favorably
2/21 - Returned to House Rules Committee due to fiscal impact.
2/28 - Passed House. Sent for Enrolling
SOCIAL POLICY
Secure equal rights and equal opportunity for all. Promote social and economic justice and the health and safety of all americans.
Promote a health care system that provides affordable access to a basic level of quality care including behavioral health that is integrated with and achieves parity with the physical health care system.
Support programs and policies to expand the supply of affordable, quality child care for all who need it.
Protect the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices.
This bill provides for a public-private partnership between private employers and the state. the state will allow unused buildings it owns to be retrofitted for child care rent free. private business will arrange for child care -- 60% for employees and 40% for the pubic. Read SB176.
Sponsor(s): Sen. Luz Escamilla (D) SD10
LWV Position: LWVUS supports programs, serivces, and policies at all levels of govenment to expand the supply of affordable, quality child care for all who need it, in order to increase access to employment and to prevent and reduce proverty" p. 151 Impact on Issues.
Status:
2/13/2024 Passed Favorably. Senate Health and Human Services Committee
2/21/2024 Favorable Recommendation House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee
2/8 - House 2nd Reading Calendar
SOCIAL POLICY
Secure equal rights and equal opportunity for all. Promote social and economic justice and the health and safety of all americans.
Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility and regulating the ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons.
Support regulation of firearms for consumer safety.
The bill establishes a system for school safety incidents: Established school guardian training with initial initial and ongoing requirements, including firearm proficiency. Link to read full text of HB84 S03.
Sponsor: Rep. R. Wilcox (R) HD 7, Sen. D. Ipson (R) SD 29
LWV Position: Watch
Status:
House Education Committee 1/23/2024 Passed Favorably
2/13: Senate Rules Committee
This bill creates a waiting period between the purchase of a firearm from a dealer and the delivery of the firearm to the purchaser. Read full text of HB097.
Sponsor: Rep. A. Stoddard (D) HD 40
LWV Position: Support
Status:
House Public Utilities, Energy & Technology Committee 2/9/2024 8 a.m. Recommendation failed. Watch the hearing.
This bill requires that a firearm is secured and provides penalites. Read full text of HB98.
Sponsor: Rep. A. Stoddard (D) HD 40
LWV Position: Support
Status:
House Public Utilities, Energy & Technology Committee 2/9/2024 8 a.m. Held in committee. Watch the hearing.
This bill creates the Educator-Protector Program to incentivize school teachers to responsibly secure or carry a firearm on school grounds by providing reimbursements and liability protection. Read the full text of HB119.
Sponsor: Rep. Tim Jimenez (R) HD28
LWV Position: Oppose
2/22/2024 Passed Favorably House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
2/26 - Senate Rules Committee to 2nd Reading Calendar. 2nd & 3rd reading suspended.
2/28 Senate to House with amendments.
This bill enacts civil and criminal provisions relating to an individual's failure to safety store a firearm in certain circumstances. Read the full text of SB083 .
Sponsor: Sen. Todd Weiler (R) SD8
LWV Position: Support
Status: Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee.
Never scheduled. 2/28 - Returned to Rules
SOCIAL POLICY
Secure equal rights and equal opportunity for all. Promote social and economic justice and the health and safety of all americans.
Support voting on and passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in Utah.
Support equal rights for all under state law regardless of race, color, gender, religion,national origin, age, sexual orientation or disability.
This joint resolution of the Legislature ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Sponsor: Rep. Mark A. Wheatley (D) HD35
LWV Position: The League of Women Voters supports this joint resolution which would enshrine the principle of gender equality in our country’s founding charter, help overcome obstacles that undermine women’s equality of rights under the law, and establish Congress’ ability to enforce that equality.
Status: House Rules Committee
2.5 LWV Utah Action Alert: This joint resolution ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The argument for encouraging the Utah Legislature’s support of this resolution is based on several foundational Utah documents and traditions:
Article IV, Section of the Utah Constitution adopted in 1895 which states that “The rights of citizens of the State of Utah to vote and hold office shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex. Both male and female citizens of this State shall enjoy equally all civil, political and religious rights and privileges.";
H.J.R. 21, Reaffirming the Value of Women, passed by the Utah Legislature in 2019, which recommended "that the language and intent of the Utah Constitution provision guaranteeing equal political rights be considered for inclusion in the United States Constitution and in the formation of policy and regulations.";
Utah’s early leadership in equal political rights; and,
The similarity in language and intent between the Equal Rights Amendment the Utah Constitution provision guaranteeing equal political rights.
Follow the link to complete the appropriate form for consideration.
Action Alert Request Form: complete if you would like consideration of an Action Alert sent to all LWV Utah members.
Request to testify on behalf the League: complete if you are willing to speak on behalf of the League in favor or opposition to a bill in a committee. Must be approved by the President of LWV Utah prior to speaking.
Submit a Bill for Consideration: Complete if you feel a bills should be included that is not currently there. Only bills that are numbered are on the list.
