H.B. 281

1

TASK FORCE ON LEGISLATIVE REFORMS
2 2005 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Sponsor: Neil A. Hansen
5
6 LONG TITLE
7 General Description:
8 This bill creates the Task Force on Legislative Reform.
9 Highlighted Provisions:
10 This bill:
11 . specifies membership, duties, and powers of the task force;
12 . appropriates $8,000 from the General Fund from fiscal year 2004-05 to fund the
13 task force; and
14 . repeals the task force on November 30, 2005.
15 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
16 This bill appropriates:
17 . $3,000 to the Senate; and
18 . $5,000 to the House of Representatives.
19 Other Special Clauses:
20 This bill is repealed on November 30, 2005.
21 Uncodified Material Affected:
22 ENACTS UNCODIFIED MATERIAL
23
24 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25 Section 1. Task Force on Legislative Reform -- Creation -- Membership --
26 Quorum -- Compensation -- Staff.
27 (1) There is created the Task Force on Legislative Reform consisting of the following

28 12 members:
29 (a) four members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate, no more than
30 two of whom may be from the same political party; and
31 (b) eight members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the
32 House of Representatives, no more than four of whom may be from the same political party.
33 (2) (a) The president of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate appointed
34 under Subsection (1)(a) as a cochair of the task force.
35 (b) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House
36 of Representatives appointed under Subsection (1)(b) as a cochair of the task force.
37 (3) A majority of the members of the task force is a quorum.
38 (4) Salaries and expenses of the members of the task force shall be paid in accordance
39 with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rule 15.03.
40 (5) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support
41 to the task force.
42 Section 2. Duties -- Ability to create subcommittees.
43 (1) The task force shall study:
44 (a) the effectiveness of and potential changes to:
45 (i) the appropriations process, including an evaluation of using a ways and means
46 committee;
47 (ii) the interim process;
48 (iii) campaign finance reform;
49 (iv) gift reform; and
50 (v) the length of the general session;
51 (b) the current status of constituent services and recommendations for improvement;
52 (c) the current status of legislative staff and its role in legislators' efficiency and
53 effectiveness;
54 (d) Legislature funding and legislator compensation; and
55 (e) major areas of negative impact on the perception of legislator integrity.
56 (2) In conducting the study, the task force shall review how other states, particularly
57 other western states, address those issues.
58 (3) The task force may create subcommittees.

59 (4) The task force may request reports and recommendations from the Legislative
60 Compensation Commission.
61 Section 3. Appropriation.
62 There is appropriated from the General Fund for fiscal year 2004-05, a one-time
63 appropriation of:
64 (1) $3,000 to the Senate to pay for the compensation and expenses of senators on the
65 task force; and
66 (2) $5,000 to the House of Representatives to pay for the compensation and expenses
67 of representatives on the task force.
68 Section 4. Repeal date.
69 This bill is repealed on November 30, 2005.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-31-05 4:46 PM

Based on a limited legal review, this legislation has not been determined to have a high
probability of being held unconstitutional.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel