State of Utah House of Representatives
About - Utah House of Representatives
The Utah House of Representatives is comprised of 75 men and women elected to two-year terms. The House Chamber, located on the west end of the third floor, occupies the largest space in the State Capitol.
The Utah Legislature meets yearly in General Session, convening on the 4th Monday of January and adjourning "sine die" 45 calendar days later (not including President's Day in February). Special Sessions are called by the Governor and may last a maximum of 30 days.
Qualifications
Qualifications to become a member of the Utah House are set forth in the Utah Constitution, Article VI, Section 5:
* must be a citizen of the United States,
* must be at least twenty-five years of age,
* must be a qualified voter in the district from which the person is chosen (elected), and
* must be a resident of the state of Utah for three consecutive years prior to filing for office.
Leadership
On the first day of the beginning of each term (two years), the House elects a presiding officer, known as the Speaker of the House. Speaker Greg Hughes (R) of Draper will serve as the Speaker of the House for the 2015-2016 term.
Redistricting
Every ten years, state governments redraw district boundaries using data from the federal census. Article IX, Section 1 of the Utah Constitution states: "No later than the annual general session next following the Legislature's receipt of the results of an enumeration made by the authority of the United States, the Legislature shall divide the state into congressional, legislative, and other districts accordingly."
Redistricting allows legislatures to shift boundaries to accommodate for population shifts and varying growth rates in the state. The ideal population for the 75 House districts based on data from the 2010 Census will be 36,852.
