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H.B. 48

             1     

BALLOT QUESTION AMENDMENTS

             2     
2009 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Keith Grover

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Margaret Dayton

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      Committee Note:
             9          The Government Operations Interim Committee recommended this bill.
             10      General Description:
             11          This bill modifies the Election Code by amending provisions related to the length of
             12      ballot titles.
             13      Highlighted Provisions:
             14          This bill:
             15          .    amends the number of words allowed for a ballot title from not more than 100
             16      words to not more than 75 words for state initiatives, state referendums, county or
             17      municipal initiatives, and county or municipal referendums.
             18      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             19          None
             20      Other Special Clauses:
             21          None
             22      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             23      AMENDS:
             24          20A-7-209, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapters 225 and 315
             25          20A-7-308, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 315
             26          20A-7-508, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 315
             27          20A-7-608, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 315


             28     
             29      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             30          Section 1. Section 20A-7-209 is amended to read:
             31           20A-7-209. Ballot title -- Duties of lieutenant governor and Office of Legislative
             32      Research and General Counsel.
             33          (1) By July 6 before the regular general election, the lieutenant governor shall deliver a
             34      copy of all of the proposed laws that have qualified for the ballot to the Office of Legislative
             35      Research and General Counsel.
             36          (2) (a) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall:
             37          (i) entitle each state initiative that has qualified for the ballot " Proposition Number __"
             38      and give it a number as assigned under Section 20A-6-107 ;
             39          (ii) prepare an impartial ballot title for each initiative summarizing the contents of the
             40      measure; and
             41          (iii) return each petition and ballot title to the lieutenant governor by July 20.
             42          (b) The ballot title may be distinct from the title of the proposed law attached to the
             43      initiative petition, and shall be not more than [100] 75 words.
             44          (c) For each state initiative, the official ballot shall show:
             45          (i) the number of the initiative as determined by the Office of Legislative Research and
             46      General Counsel;
             47          (ii) the ballot title as determined by the Office of Legislative Research and General
             48      Counsel; and
             49          (iii) the initial fiscal impact estimate prepared under Section 20A-7-202.5 .
             50          (3) By July 21, the lieutenant governor shall mail a copy of the ballot title to any
             51      sponsor of the petition.
             52          (4) (a) (i) At least three of the sponsors of the petition may, by July 30, challenge the
             53      wording of the ballot title prepared by the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel
             54      to the Supreme Court.
             55          (ii) After receipt of the appeal, the Supreme Court shall direct the lieutenant governor
             56      to send notice of the appeal to:
             57          (A) any person or group that has filed an argument for or against the measure that is the
             58      subject of the challenge; or


             59          (B) any political issues committee established under Section 20A-11-801 that has filed
             60      written or electronic notice with the lieutenant governor that identifies the name, mailing or
             61      email address, and telephone number of the person designated to receive notice about any
             62      issues relating to the initiative.
             63          (b) (i) There is a presumption that the ballot title prepared by the Office of Legislative
             64      Research and General Counsel is an impartial summary of the contents of the initiative.
             65          (ii) The Supreme Court may not revise the wording of the ballot title unless the
             66      plaintiffs rebut the presumption by clearly and convincingly establishing that the ballot title is
             67      patently false or biased.
             68          (c) The Supreme Court shall:
             69          (i) examine the ballot title;
             70          (ii) hear arguments; and
             71          (iii) by August 10, certify to the lieutenant governor a ballot title for the measure that
             72      meets the requirements of this section.
             73          (d) The lieutenant governor shall, no later than September 8, certify the title verified by
             74      the Supreme Court to the county clerks to be printed on the official ballot.
             75          Section 2. Section 20A-7-308 is amended to read:
             76           20A-7-308. Ballot title -- Duties of lieutenant governor and Office of Legislative
             77      Research and General Counsel.
             78          (1) Whenever a referendum petition is declared sufficient for submission to a vote of
             79      the people, the lieutenant governor shall deliver a copy of the petition and the proposed law to
             80      the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.
             81          (2) (a) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall:
             82          (i) entitle each state referendum that has qualified for the ballot "Proposition Number
             83      __" and give it a number as assigned under Section 20A-6-107 ;
             84          (ii) prepare an impartial ballot title for the referendum summarizing the contents of the
             85      measure; and
             86          (iii) return the petition and the ballot title to the lieutenant governor within 15 days
             87      after its receipt.
             88          (b) The ballot title may be distinct from the title of the law that is the subject of the
             89      petition, and shall be not more than [100] 75 words.


             90          (c) The ballot title and the number of the measure as determined by the Office of
             91      Legislative Research and General Counsel shall be printed on the official ballot.
             92          (3) Immediately after the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel files a
             93      copy of the ballot title with the lieutenant governor, the lieutenant governor shall mail a copy of
             94      the ballot title to any of the sponsors of the petition.
             95          (4) (a) (i) At least three of the sponsors of the petition may, within 15 days of the date
             96      the lieutenant governor mails the ballot title, challenge the wording of the ballot title prepared
             97      by the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel to the Supreme Court.
             98          (ii) After receipt of the appeal, the Supreme Court shall direct the lieutenant governor
             99      to send notice of the appeal to:
             100          (A) any person or group that has filed an argument for or against the measure that is the
             101      subject of the challenge; or
             102          (B) any political issues committee established under Section 20A-11-801 that has filed
             103      written or electronic notice with the lieutenant governor that identifies the name, mailing or
             104      email address, and telephone number of the person designated to receive notice about any
             105      issues relating to the initiative.
             106          (b) (i) There is a presumption that the ballot title prepared by the Office of Legislative
             107      Research and General Counsel is an impartial summary of the contents of the referendum.
             108          (ii) The Supreme Court may not revise the wording of the ballot title unless the
             109      plaintiffs rebut the presumption by clearly and convincingly establishing that the ballot title is
             110      patently false or biased.
             111          (c) The Supreme Court shall:
             112          (i) examine the ballot title;
             113          (ii) hear arguments; and
             114          (iii) within five days of its decision, certify to the lieutenant governor a ballot title for
             115      the measure that meets the requirements of this section.
             116          (d) The lieutenant governor shall certify the title verified by the Supreme Court to the
             117      county clerks to be printed on the official ballot.
             118          Section 3. Section 20A-7-508 is amended to read:
             119           20A-7-508. Ballot title -- Duties of local clerk and local attorney.
             120          (1) Whenever an initiative petition is declared sufficient for submission to a vote of the


             121      people, the local clerk shall deliver a copy of the petition and the proposed law to the local
             122      attorney.
             123          (2) The local attorney shall:
             124          (a) entitle each county or municipal initiative that has qualified for the ballot
             125      "Proposition Number __" and give it a number as assigned under Section 20A-6-107 ;
             126          (b) prepare a proposed ballot title for the initiative;
             127          (c) file the proposed ballot title and the numbered initiative titles with the local clerk
             128      within 15 days after the date the initiative petition is declared sufficient for submission to a
             129      vote of the people; and
             130          (d) promptly provide notice of the filing of the proposed ballot title to:
             131          (i) the sponsors of the petition; and
             132          (ii) the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the initiative petition was
             133      circulated.
             134          (3) (a) The ballot title may be distinct from the title of the proposed law attached to the
             135      initiative petition, and shall express, in not exceeding [100] 75 words, the purpose of the
             136      measure.
             137          (b) In preparing a ballot title, the local attorney shall, to the best of his ability, give a
             138      true and impartial statement of the purpose of the measure.
             139          (c) The ballot title may not intentionally be an argument, or likely to create prejudice,
             140      for or against the measure.
             141          (4) (a) Within five calendar days after the date the local attorney files a proposed ballot
             142      title under Subsection (2)(c), the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the initiative
             143      petition was circulated and the sponsors of the petition may file written comments in response
             144      to the proposed ballot title with the local clerk.
             145          (b) Within five calendar days after the last date to submit written comments under
             146      Subsection (4)(a), the local attorney shall:
             147          (i) review any written comments filed in accordance with Subsection (4)(a);
             148          (ii) prepare a final ballot title that meets the requirements of Subsection (3); and
             149          (iii) return the petition and file the ballot title with the local clerk.
             150          (c) Subject to Subsection (6), the ballot title, as determined by the local attorney, shall
             151      be printed on the official ballot.


             152          (5) Immediately after the local attorney files a copy of the ballot title with the local
             153      clerk, the local clerk shall serve a copy of the ballot title by mail upon the sponsors of the
             154      petition and the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the initiative petition was
             155      circulated.
             156          (6) (a) If the ballot title furnished by the local attorney is unsatisfactory or does not
             157      comply with the requirements of this section, the decision of the local attorney may be
             158      appealed by a petition to the Supreme Court that is brought by:
             159          (i) at least three sponsors of the initiative petition; or
             160          (ii) a majority of the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the initiative
             161      petition was circulated.
             162          (b) The Supreme Court shall examine the measures and consider arguments, and, in its
             163      decision, may certify to the local clerk a ballot title for the measure that fulfills the intent of this
             164      section.
             165          (c) The local clerk shall print the title certified by the Supreme Court on the official
             166      ballot.
             167          Section 4. Section 20A-7-608 is amended to read:
             168           20A-7-608. Ballot title -- Duties of local clerk and local attorney.
             169          (1) Whenever a referendum petition is declared sufficient for submission to a vote of
             170      the people, the local clerk shall deliver a copy of the petition and the proposed law to the local
             171      attorney.
             172          (2) The local attorney shall:
             173          (a) entitle each county or municipal referendum that has qualified for the ballot
             174      "Proposition Number __" and give it a number as assigned under Section 20A-6-107 ;
             175          (b) prepare a proposed ballot title for the referendum;
             176          (c) file the proposed ballot title and the numbered referendum titles with the local clerk
             177      within 15 days after the date the referendum petition is declared sufficient for submission to a
             178      vote of the people; and
             179          (d) promptly provide notice of the filing of the proposed ballot title to:
             180          (i) the sponsors of the petition; and
             181          (ii) the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the referendum petition was
             182      circulated.


             183          (3) (a) The ballot title may be distinct from the title of the law that is the subject of the
             184      petition, and shall express, in not exceeding [100] 75 words, the purpose of the measure.
             185          (b) In preparing a ballot title, the local attorney shall, to the best of his ability, give a
             186      true and impartial statement of the purpose of the measure.
             187          (c) The ballot title may not intentionally be an argument, or likely to create prejudice,
             188      for or against the measure.
             189          (4) (a) Within five calendar days after the date the local attorney files a proposed ballot
             190      title under Subsection (2)(c), the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the
             191      referendum petition was circulated and the sponsors of the petition may file written comments
             192      in response to the proposed ballot title with the local clerk.
             193          (b) Within five calendar days after the last date to submit written comments under
             194      Subsection (4)(a), the local attorney shall:
             195          (i) review any written comments filed in accordance with Subsection (4)(a);
             196          (ii) prepare a final ballot title that meets the requirements of Subsection (3); and
             197          (iii) return the petition and file the ballot title with the local clerk.
             198          (c) Subject to Subsection (6), the ballot title, as determined by the local attorney, shall
             199      be printed on the official ballot.
             200          (5) Immediately after the local attorney files a copy of the ballot title with the local
             201      clerk, the local clerk shall serve a copy of the ballot title by mail upon the sponsors of the
             202      petition and the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the referendum petition was
             203      circulated.
             204          (6) (a) If the ballot title furnished by the local attorney is unsatisfactory or does not
             205      comply with the requirements of this section, the decision of the local attorney may be
             206      appealed by a petition to the Supreme Court that is brought by:
             207          (i) at least three sponsors of the referendum petition; or
             208          (ii) a majority of the local legislative body for the jurisdiction where the referendum
             209      petition was circulated.
             210          (b) The Supreme Court shall examine the measures and consider arguments, and, in its
             211      decision, may certify to the local clerk a ballot title for the measure that fulfills the intent of this
             212      section.
             213          (c) The local clerk shall print the title certified by the Supreme Court on the official


             214      ballot.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 11-20-08 12:08 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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