S.J.R. 3

1

JOINT RULES RESOLUTION ON SUBMITTING AND
2 NUMBERING LEGISLATION
3 2013 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Aaron Osmond
6 House Sponsor: John Knotwell
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This joint resolution amends JR4-2-101 in relation to the deadlines and procedures for
11 filing a request for legislation and the requirements relating to numbering a bill or
12 resolution by short title only.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This resolution:
15 . provides that a legislator may not file a request for legislation after noon on the
16 second Monday in January, unless, on or after the first day of the general session, a
17 constitutional majority of both the House and the Senate approve a motion to draft
18 and introduce the bill or resolution;
19 . requires that, by the second Monday in January, each legislator shall, for each
20 Request for Legislation on file with the Office of Legislative Research and General
21 Counsel, either approve the request for numbering or abandon the request;
22 . provides that a bill or resolution that is numbered by short title only shall be
23 accompanied by a written statement that:
24 . is posted on the Legislature's website for public viewing; and
25 . describes the objectives and provisions of the bill or resolution; and
26 . makes technical changes.
27 Special Clauses:

28 None
29 Legislative Rules Affected:
30 AMENDS:
31 JR4-2-101
32
33 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
34 Section 1. JR4-2-101 is amended to read:
35 JR4-2-101. Requests for Legislation -- Contents -- Timing.
36 (1) (a) A legislator wishing to introduce a bill or resolution shall file a Request for
37 Legislation with the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel within the time limits
38 established by this rule.
39 (b) The request for legislation shall designate:
40 (i) the chief sponsor, who is knowledgeable about and responsible for providing
41 pertinent information as the legislation is drafted; and
42 (ii) any supporting legislators from the same house as the chief sponsor who wish to
43 cosponsor the legislation.
44 (2) (a) Any legislator may file a request for legislation beginning 60 days after the
45 Legislature adjourns its annual general session sine die.
46 (b) A legislator-elect may file a request for legislation beginning on the November 15
47 after the annual general election at which the legislator was elected.
48 (c) (i) If an incumbent legislator does not file to run for reelection or is defeated in a
49 political party convention, primary election, or general election, that legislator may not file any
50 requests for legislation as of that date.
51 (ii) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall abandon each
52 request for legislation from the legislator that is pending on that date unless, within 30 days
53 after that date, another member of the Legislature qualified to file a request for legislation
54 assumes sponsorship of the legislation.
55 (d) (i) If, for any reason, a legislator who filed a request for legislation is unavailable to
56 serve in the next annual general session, the former legislator shall seek another legislator to
57 assume sponsorship of each request for legislation filed by the legislator who is unavailable to
58 serve.

59 (ii) If the former legislator is unable to find another legislator to sponsor the legislation
60 within 30 days, the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall abandon each
61 pending request for legislation from the legislator who is unavailable to serve.
62 (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)[(c)](d), a legislator may not file a Request
63 for Legislation with the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel after noon on the
64 [11th day of the annual general session] second Monday in January.
65 (b) Except as provided in Subsection (3)[(c)](d), by noon on the [11th day of the
66 annual general session,] second Monday in January each legislator shall, for each Request for
67 Legislation on file with the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, either approve
68 the request for numbering or abandon the request.
69 [(c) After the date established by this Subsection (3),]
70 (c) A bill or resolution that is numbered by short title only shall be accompanied by a
71 written statement that:
72 (i) is posted on the Legislature's website for public viewing;
73 (ii) describes the objectives of the bill or resolution; and
74 (iii) generally describes the provisions that the bill or resolution will contain.
75 (d) Beginning on the first day of the general session, a legislator may file a Request for
76 Legislation and, subject to Subsection (3)(c), automatically approve the legislation for
77 numbering if[:] a constitutional majority of both the House and the Senate approve a motion to
78 draft and introduce the bill or resolution.
79 [(i) for House legislation, the Representative makes a motion to request a bill or
80 resolution for drafting and introduction and that motion is approved by a constitutional
81 majority of the House; or]
82 [(ii) for Senate legislation, the Senator makes a motion to request a bill or resolution
83 for drafting and introduction and that motion is approved by a constitutional majority vote of
84 the Senate.]
85 (4) A legislator wishing to obtain funding for a project, program, or entity, when that
86 funding request does not require that a statute be enacted, repealed, or amended, may not file a
87 Request for Legislation but instead shall file a request for appropriation by following the
88 procedures and requirements of JR4-3-101.

Legislative Review Note
as of 10-31-12 2:17 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

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