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S.B. 197

This document includes Senate Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Thu, Feb 8, 2007 at 10:12 AM by rday. -->              1     

LOCAL INITIATIVE AND PETITION

             2     
BALLOT TITLES

             3     
2007 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson

             6     
House Sponsor: Ronda Rudd Menlove

             7     

             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill modifies Election Code provisions related to ballot titles for local initiatives
             11      and local referendums.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    provides that a local attorney that drafts a ballot title for a local initiative or
             15      referendum shall:
             16              .    prepare a proposed ballot title;
             17              .    permit the local legislative body and the sponsors of the petition to submit
             18      written comments on the proposed ballot title; and
             19              .    review the written comments when preparing a final ballot title;
             20          .    provides procedures and a time line for preparation of the ballot title;
             21          .    permits the local legislative body to appeal the local attorney's determination of a
             22      ballot title;
             23          .    provides that the Supreme Court may be permitted to certify a local ballot title upon
             24      appeal, rather than requiring the Supreme Court to do so; and
             25          .    makes technical changes.
             26      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             27          None



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             28
     Other Special Clauses:
             29          This bill provides an immediate effective date.
             30      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             31      AMENDS:
             32          20A-7-508, as last amended by Chapter 57, Laws of Utah 2001
             33          20A-7-608, as last amended by Chapter 57, Laws of Utah 2001
             34     

             35      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             36          Section 1. Section 20A-7-508 is amended to read:
             37           20A-7-508. Ballot title -- Duties of local clerk and local attorney.
             38          (1) Whenever an initiative petition is declared sufficient for submission to a vote of the
             39      people, the local clerk shall deliver a copy of the petition and the proposed law to the local
             40      attorney.
             41          (2) [(a)] The local attorney shall:
             42          [(i)] (a) entitle each county initiative that has qualified for the ballot "Citizen's County
             43      Initiative Number __" and give it a number;
             44          [(ii)] (b) entitle each municipal initiative that has qualified for the ballot "Citizen's City
             45      (or Town) Initiative Number __ " and give it a number;
             46          [(iii)] (c) prepare a proposed ballot title for the initiative; [and]
             47          [(iv)] (d) [return the petition and] file the proposed ballot title [to] and the numbered
             48      initiative titles with the local clerk within 15 days after [its receipt] the date the initiative
             49      petition is declared sufficient for submission to a vote of the people; and
             50          (e) promptly provide notice of the filing of the proposed ballot title to:
             51          (i) the sponsors of the petition; and
             52          (ii) the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the initiative petition was
             53      circulated.
             54          [(b)] (3) (a) The ballot title may be distinct from the title of the proposed law attached
             55      to the initiative petition, and shall express, in not exceeding 100 words, the purpose of the
             56      measure.
             57          [(c) The ballot title and the number of the measure as determined by the local attorney
             58      shall be printed on the official ballot.]



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Senate Committee Amendments 2-8-2007 rd/enw
             59
         [(d)] (b) In preparing a ballot [titles] title, the local attorney shall, to the best of his
             60      ability, give a true and impartial statement of the purpose of the measure.
             61          [(e)] (c) The ballot title may not intentionally be an argument, or likely to create
             62      prejudice, for or against the measure.
             63          (4) (a) Within five calendar days after the date the local attorney files a proposed ballot
             64      title under Subsection (2)(d), the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the initiative
             65      petition was circulated and the sponsors of the petition may file written comments in response
             66      to the proposed ballot title with the local clerk.
             67          (b) Within five calendar days after the last date to submit written comments under
             68      Subsection (4)(a), the local attorney shall:
             69          (i) review any written comments filed in accordance with Subsection (4)(a);
             70          (ii) prepare a final ballot title that meets the requirements of Subsection (3); and
             71          (iii) return the petition and file the ballot title with the local clerk.
             72          (c) Subject to Subsection (6), the ballot title, as determined by the local attorney, shall
             73      be printed on the official ballot.
             74          [(3)] (5) Immediately after the local attorney files a copy of the ballot title with the
             75      local clerk, the local clerk shall serve a copy of the ballot title by mail upon [any of] the
             76      sponsors of the petition and the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the initiative
             77      petition was circulated.
             78          [(4)] (6) (a) If the ballot title furnished by the local attorney is unsatisfactory or does
             79      not comply with the requirements of this section, [at least three of the sponsors of the petition
             80      may, by motion, appeal] the decision of the local attorney may be appealed by a S. [ motion ]
             80a      petition .S to the
             81      Supreme Court that is brought by:
             82          (i) at least three sponsors of the S. initiative .S petition; or
             83          (ii) a majority of the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the initiative
             84      petition was circulated.
             85          (b) The Supreme Court shall examine the measures and [hear] consider arguments,
             86      and, in its decision, [shall] may certify to the local clerk a ballot title for the measure that
             87      fulfills the intent of this section.
             88          (c) The local clerk shall print the title [verified to him] certified by the Supreme Court
             89      on the official ballot.



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             90
         Section 2. Section 20A-7-608 is amended to read:
             91           20A-7-608. Ballot title -- Duties of local clerk and local attorney.
             92          (1) Whenever a referendum petition is declared sufficient for submission to a vote of
             93      the people, the local clerk shall deliver a copy of the petition and the proposed law to the local
             94      attorney.
             95          (2) [(a)] The local attorney shall:
             96          [(i)] (a) entitle each county referendum that has qualified for the ballot "Citizen's
             97      County Referendum Number __" and give it a number;
             98          [(ii)] (b) entitle each municipal referendum that has qualified for the ballot "Citizen's
             99      City (or Town) Referendum Number __ " and give it a number;
             100          [(iii)] (c) prepare a proposed ballot title for the referendum; [and]
             101          [(iv)] (d) [return the petition and] file the proposed ballot title [to] and the numbered
             102      referendum titles with the local clerk within 15 days after [its receipt] the date the referendum
             103      petition is declared sufficient for submission to a vote of the people; and
             104          (e) promptly provide notice of the filing of the proposed ballot title to:
             105          (i) the sponsors of the petition; and
             106          (ii) the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the referendum petition was
             107      circulated.
             108          [(b)] (3) (a) The ballot title may be distinct from the title of the law that is the subject
             109      of the petition, and shall express, in not exceeding 100 words, the purpose of the measure.
             110          [(c) The ballot title and the number of the measure as determined by the local attorney
             111      shall be printed on the official ballot.]
             112          [(d)] (b) In preparing a ballot [titles] title, the local attorney shall, to the best of his
             113      ability, give a true and impartial statement of the purpose of the measure.
             114          [(e)] (c) The ballot title may not intentionally be an argument, or likely to create
             115      prejudice, for or against the measure.
             116          (4) (a) Within five calendar days after the date the local attorney files a proposed ballot
             117      title under Subsection (2)(d), the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the
             118      referendum petition was circulated and the sponsors of the petition may file written comments
             119      in response to the proposed ballot title with the local clerk.
             120          (b) Within five calendar days after the last date to submit written comments under



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Senate Committee Amendments 2-8-2007 rd/enw
             121
     Subsection (4)(a), the local attorney shall:
             122          (i) review any written comments filed in accordance with Subsection (4)(a);
             123          (ii) prepare a final ballot title that meets the requirements of Subsection (3); and
             124          (iii) return the petition and file the ballot title with the local clerk.
             125          (c) Subject to Subsection (6), the ballot title, as determined by the local attorney, shall
             126      be printed on the official ballot.
             127          [(3)] (5) Immediately after the local attorney files a copy of the ballot title with the
             128      local clerk, the local clerk shall serve a copy of the ballot title by mail upon [any of] the
             129      sponsors of the petition and the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the referendum
             130      petition was circulated.
             131          [(4)] (6) (a) If the ballot title furnished by the local attorney is unsatisfactory or does
             132      not comply with the requirements of this section, [at least three of the sponsors of the petition
             133      may, by motion, appeal] the decision of the local attorney may be appealed by a S. [ motion ]
             133a      petition .S to the
             134      Supreme Court[.] that is brought by:
             135          (i) at least three sponsors of the S. referendum .S petition; or
             136          (ii) a majority of the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the referendum
             137      petition was circulated.
             138          (b) The Supreme Court shall examine the measures and [hear] consider arguments,
             139      and, in its decision, [shall] may certify to the local clerk a ballot title for the measure that
             140      fulfills the intent of this section.
             141          (c) The local clerk shall print the title [verified to him] certified by the Supreme Court
             142      on the official ballot.
             143          Section 3. Effective date.
             144          If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this bill takes effect
             145      upon approval by the governor, or the day following the constitutional time limit of Utah
             146      Constitution Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's signature, or in the case of a veto,
             147      the date of veto override.



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Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-26-07 2:38 PM


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