S.J.R. 3 Enrolled

1

JOINT RULES RESOLUTION ON REQUESTS FOR LEGISLATION
2 2013 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Aaron Osmond
5 House Sponsor: John Knotwell
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This joint resolution modifies joint rules relating to submitting requests for legislation.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This resolution:
12 . modifies the required content of a request for legislation; and
13 . prohibits a legislator from prioritizing a request for legislation unless the request
14 contains specified information.
15 Special Clauses:
16 None
17 Legislative Rules Affected:
18 AMENDS:
19 JR4-2-101
20 JR4-2-102
21
22 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23 Section 1. JR4-2-101 is amended to read:
24 JR4-2-101. Requests for Legislation -- Contents -- Timing.
25 (1) (a) A legislator wishing to introduce a bill or resolution shall file a Request for
26 Legislation with the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel within the time limits
27 established by this rule.
28 (b) The request for legislation shall [designate]:
29 (i) designate the chief sponsor, who is knowledgeable about and responsible for

30 providing pertinent information as the legislation is drafted; [and]
31 (ii) designate any supporting legislators from the same house as the chief sponsor who
32 wish to cosponsor the legislation[.]; and
33 (iii) (A) provide specific or conceptual information concerning the change or addition
34 to law or policy that the legislator intends the proposed legislation to make;
35 (B) identify the specific situation or concern that the legislator intends the legislation to
36 address; or
37 (C) identify the general subject area within which the proposed legislation is likely to
38 fall.
39 (2) (a) Any legislator may file a request for legislation beginning 60 days after the
40 Legislature adjourns its annual general session sine die.
41 (b) A legislator-elect may file a request for legislation beginning on the November 15
42 after the annual general election at which the legislator was elected.
43 (c) (i) If an incumbent legislator does not file to run for reelection or is defeated in a
44 political party convention, primary election, or general election, that legislator may not file any
45 requests for legislation as of that date.
46 (ii) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall abandon each
47 request for legislation from the legislator that is pending on that date unless, within 30 days
48 after that date, another member of the Legislature qualified to file a request for legislation
49 assumes sponsorship of the legislation.
50 (d) (i) If, for any reason, a legislator who filed a request for legislation is unavailable to
51 serve in the next annual general session, the former legislator shall seek another legislator to
52 assume sponsorship of each request for legislation filed by the legislator who is unavailable to
53 serve.
54 (ii) If the former legislator is unable to find another legislator to sponsor the legislation
55 within 30 days, the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall abandon each
56 pending request for legislation from the legislator who is unavailable to serve.
57 (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(c), a legislator may not file a Request for

58 Legislation with the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel after noon on the 11th
59 day of the annual general session.
60 (b) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(c), by noon on the 11th day of the annual
61 general session, each legislator shall, for each Request for Legislation on file with the Office of
62 Legislative Research and General Counsel, either approve the request for numbering or
63 abandon the request.
64 (c) After the date established by this Subsection (3), a legislator may file a Request for
65 Legislation and automatically approve the legislation for numbering if:
66 (i) for House legislation, the Representative makes a motion to request a bill or
67 resolution for drafting and introduction and that motion is approved by a constitutional
68 majority of the House; or
69 (ii) for Senate legislation, the Senator makes a motion to request a bill or resolution for
70 drafting and introduction and that motion is approved by a constitutional majority vote of the
71 Senate.
72 (4) A legislator wishing to obtain funding for a project, program, or entity, when that
73 funding request does not require that a statute be enacted, repealed, or amended, may not file a
74 Request for Legislation but instead shall file a request for appropriation by following the
75 procedures and requirements of JR4-3-101.
76 Section 2. JR4-2-102 is amended to read:
77 JR4-2-102. Drafting and Prioritizing Legislation.
78 (1) (a) Requests for legislation shall be drafted on a first-in, first-out basis.
79 (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (1)(a), the following requests for legislation shall be
80 drafted before other requests for legislation when sufficient drafting information is available:
81 (i) a request for legislation that is prioritized by a legislator under Subsection (2); and
82 (ii) a request for legislation that is prioritized by the majority vote of an interim
83 committee.
84 (2) (a) Beginning on the first day on which a request for legislation may be filed under
85 JR4-2-101, a legislator may designate up to three requests for legislation as priority requests

86 subject to the following deadlines:
87 (i) priority request number one must be requested on or before the first Thursday in
88 December, or the following business day if the first Thursday falls on a holiday;
89 (ii) priority request number two must be requested on or before the first Thursday in
90 January, or the following business day if the first Thursday falls on a holiday; and
91 (iii) priority request number three must be requested on or before the first Thursday of
92 the annual general session.
93 (b) A legislator who fails to make a priority request on or before a deadline loses that
94 priority request. However, the legislator is not prohibited from using any remaining priority
95 requests that are associated with a later deadline, if available.
96 (c) A legislator who begins serving after a deadline has passed is entitled to use only
97 those priority requests that are available under an unexpired deadline.
98 (d) A legislator may not designate a request for legislation as a priority request unless
99 the request:
100 (i) provides specific or conceptual information concerning the change or addition to
101 law or policy that the legislator intends the proposed legislation to make; or
102 (ii) identifies the specific situation or concern that the legislator intends the legislation
103 to address.
104 (3) A legislator may not:
105 (a) revoke a priority designation once it has been requested;
106 (b) transfer a priority designation to a different request for legislation; or
107 (c) transfer a priority designation to another legislator.
108 (4) Except as otherwise provided in these rules, the Office of Legislative Research and
109 General Counsel shall reserve as many bill numbers as necessary to allow each request for
110 legislation that has been prioritized as permitted under Subsection (1)(b) to receive a lower bill
111 number than non-prioritized requests.

[Bill Documents]