Agency: Legislature

Function

The Legislature represents the citizens of the State of Utah. It establishes Utah's laws and sets the State's budget. The Legislature consists of 104 elected officials - 75 members of the House of Representatives and 29 Senators.

Background

The Legislature employs about 115 professional, policy, and support staff, including those in the nonpartisan offices of the Legislative Auditor General, the Legislative Fiscal Analyst, Legislative Printing, and Legislative Research and General Counsel. Temporary staff hired during the General Session account for another 14 or so full time equivalent (FTE) employees when their combined time worked is normalized over an entire year.

Legislative staff office budgets are reviewed and approved by the Subcommittee on Oversight each fall. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House then certify to the Governor the budget for the entire Legislative Department. As the Legislature is a separate branch of Government, the Governor must include in his/her budget recommendations the Legislature's certified budget without revision (UCA 63J-1-201).

Annual appropriations for the Legislature are considered in the Executive Appropriations Committee. Like any other department of state government, ultimate spending authority must be provided in an appropriations act passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.

Statutory Authority

The Legislature is established in the Utah Constitution.

• Article VI empowers the Legislature and specifies certain procedures for its operation.
• Article VI, Section 32 authorizes the appointment of legal counsel and other employees.
• Article VI, Section 33 appoints the Legislative Auditor General.

The Legislature is also governed by certain sections of Utah code.

• Title 36 further delineates legislative organization and authority.
• The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel is authorized in UCA 36-12-12.
• The Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst is established in UCA 36-12-13.
• The Office of the Legislative Auditor General is empowered in UCA 36-12-15.

Related Links

LFA Performance Review

Legislature Budget Trends

Legislative Staff Personnel and Vacancy Analysis

Funding Detail

Nearly all of the Legislature's operating budget is from General Fund appropriations. The Legislative Printing Office and Bill Room generate some dedicated credits revenue from sale of goods and services. Per UCA 63J-1-602.1, the Legislature's budget does not lapse at the end of a fiscal year.

Table 1: Operating and Capital Budget Including Expendable Funds and Accounts