H.B. 321 Enrolled

1

BOND ELECTION NOTIFICATION REVISIONS
2 2010 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Gregory H. Hughes
5 Senate Sponsor: Daniel R. Liljenquist
6 Cosponsor:Sheryl L. Allen 7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill modifies notice and ballot requirements for bond elections.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 . requires a voter information pamphlet to be prepared for certain bond elections and
14 mailed to all households containing a registered voter who is eligible to vote on the
15 bonds;
16 . requires additional information to be provided in a voter information pamphlet
17 prepared for a bond election;
18 . changes ballot notification requirements by:
19 . requiring additional information to be provided on the ballot;
20 . deleting a provision requiring the type of bond to be identified on the ballot;
21 and
22 . deleting a provision requiring notification of payment sources if the bond is
23 payable from tax proceeds and operating revenues; and
24 . makes technical changes.
25 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
26 None
27 Other Special Clauses:
28 None
29 Utah Code Sections Affected:

30 AMENDS:
31 11-14-202, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 388
32 11-14-206, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 351
33
34 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
35 Section 1. Section 11-14-202 is amended to read:
36 11-14-202. Notice of election -- Contents -- Publication -- Mailing.
37 (1) The governing body shall ensure that notice of the election is [published] provided:
38 (a) (i) [(A)] once per week during three consecutive weeks by publication in a
39 newspaper [designated] having general circulation in the local political subdivision in
40 accordance with Section 11-14-316 ; and
41 [(B)] (ii) the first publication described in Subsection (1)(a)(i)[(A)] occurs not less
42 than 21 nor more than 35 days before the election; [and]
43 [(C) in a newspaper having general circulation in the local political subdivision; and]
44 (b) on a website, if available, in accordance with Section 45-1-101 for three weeks[.];
45 and
46 (c) in a local political subdivision where there is no newspaper of general circulation,
47 by posting notice of the bond election in at least five public places in the local political
48 subdivision at least 21 days before the election.
49 (2) When the debt service on the bonds to be issued will increase the property tax
50 imposed upon the average value of a residence by an amount that is greater than or equal to
51 $15 per year, the governing body shall[,] prepare and mail a voter information pamphlet:
52 (a) at least seven days but not more than 30 days before the bond election[, if the bond
53 election is not held on the date of a regular primary election, a municipal primary election, a
54 regular general election, or a municipal general election, either mail: (a) written notice of the
55 bond election on a minimum three inch by five inch postcard to every household containing a
56 registered voter who is eligible to vote on the bonds; or (b) a voter information pamphlet
57 prepared by the governing body, if one is prepared,];

58 (b) to each household containing a registered voter who is eligible to vote on the
59 bonds; and
60 (c) that includes the information required by [Subsection] Subsections (3) and (4).
61 [(3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), notice of the bond election need not
62 be posted.]
63 [(b) (i) In a local political subdivision where there is no newspaper of general
64 circulation, the legislative body may require that notice of a bond election be given by posting
65 in lieu of the publication requirements of Subsection (1)(a)(i).]
66 [(ii) When the governing body imposes a posting requirement, the governing body
67 shall ensure that notice of the bond election is posted in at least five public places in the local
68 political subdivision at least 21 days before the election.]
69 [(4) Any notice] (3) The notice and voter information pamphlet required by this
70 section shall include:
71 (a) the date and place of the election;
72 (b) the hours during which the polls will be open; and
73 (c) the title and text of the ballot proposition.
74 (4) The voter information pamphlet required by this section shall include:
75 (a) the information required by Subsection (3); and
76 (b) an explanation of the property tax impact, if any, of the issuance of the bonds,
77 which may be based on information the governing body determines to be useful, including:
78 (i) expected debt service on the bonds to be issued;
79 (ii) a description of the purpose, remaining principal balance, and maturity date of any
80 outstanding general obligation bonds of the issuer;
81 (iii) funds other than property taxes available to pay debt service on general obligation
82 bonds;
83 (iv) timing of expenditures of bond proceeds;
84 (v) property values; and
85 (vi) any additional information that the governing body determines may be useful to

86 explain the property tax impact of issuance of the bonds.
87 (5) The governing body shall pay the costs associated with the notice required by this
88 section.
89 Section 2. Section 11-14-206 is amended to read:
90 11-14-206. Ballots -- Submission of ballot language -- Form and contents.
91 (1) At least 75 days before the election, the governing body shall prepare and submit
92 to the election officer:
93 (a) a ballot title for the bond proposition that includes the name of the local political
94 subdivision issuing the bonds and the word "bond" [or an identification of the type of bonds];
95 and
96 (b) a ballot proposition that meets the requirements of Subsection (2).
97 (2) (a) The ballot proposition shall include:
98 (i) the maximum principal amount of the bonds;
99 (ii) the maximum number of years from the issuance of the bonds to final maturity;
100 (iii) the general purpose for which the bonds are to be issued; and
101 (iv) if issuance of the bonds will require the increase of the property tax imposed upon
102 the average value of a residence by an amount that is greater than or equal to $15 per year, the
103 following information in substantially the following form:
104 ["NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX INCREASE DUE TO BOND ISSUANCE]
105 [Passage of the proposition means that the tax on a (insert the average value of a
106 residence in the taxing entity rounded to the nearest thousand dollars) residence would
107 increase $_______ per year.]
108 [The tax on a (insert the value of a business having the same value as the average value
109 of a residence in the taxing entity) business would increase $______ per year."]
110 " PROPERTY TAX COST OF BONDS:
111 If the bonds are issued as planned, an annual property tax to pay debt service on the
112 bonds will be required over a period of ____ years in the estimated amount of $____ on a
113 (insert the average value of a residence in the taxing entity rounded to the nearest thousand

114 dollars) residence and in the estimated amount of $____ on a business property having the
115 same value.
116 [If applicable] If there are other outstanding bonds, an otherwise scheduled tax
117 decrease may not occur if these bonds are issued.
118 The foregoing information is only an estimate and is not a limit on the amount of taxes
119 that the governing body may be required to levy in order to pay debt service on the bonds.
120 The governing body is obligated to levy taxes to the extent provided by law in order to pay the
121 bonds."
122 (b) The purpose of the bonds may be stated in general terms and need not specify the
123 particular projects for which the bonds are to be issued or the specific amount of bond
124 proceeds to be expended for each project.
125 (c) If the bonds are to be payable in part from tax proceeds and in part from the
126 operating revenues of the local political subdivision, or from any combination of tax proceeds
127 and operating revenues, the bond proposition [shall] may indicate those payment sources, but
128 need not specify how the bonds are to be divided between those sources of payment.
129 (d) (i) The bond proposition shall be followed by the words, "For the issuance of
130 bonds" and "Against the issuance of bonds," with appropriate boxes in which the voter may
131 indicate his choice.
132 (ii) Nothing in Subsection (2)(d)(i) prohibits the addition of descriptive information
133 about the bonds.
134 (3) If a bond proposition is submitted to a vote on the same day as any other election
135 held in the local political subdivision calling the bond election, the bond proposition may be
136 combined with the candidate ballot in a manner consistent with Section 20A-6-301 ,
137 20A-6-303 , or 20A-6-402 .
138 (4) The ballot form shall comply with the requirements of Title 20A, Chapter 6, Ballot
139 Form.