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S.B. 275 Enrolled

             1     

REMOVING SIGNATURE FROM INITIATIVE AND

             2     
REFERENDUM PETITION

             3     
2010 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson

             6     
House Sponsor: Carl Wimmer

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill modifies the Election Code by amending provisions related to removing
             11      signatures from a statewide initiative and referendum petition.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    repeals the requirement that a voter must submit a notarized statement to the county
             15      clerk to have the voter's signature removed from a statewide initiative or
             16      referendum petition;
             17          .    provides that to remove a voter's name from a statewide initiative or referendum
             18      petition, a voter shall sign a statement requesting removal, which includes the
             19      voter's address and identification information;
             20          .    requires a county clerk to deliver to the lieutenant governor a voter statement
             21      requesting removal of a voter's name from a statewide initiative or referendum
             22      petition;
             23          .    provides that the lieutenant governor, instead of the county clerk, remove the name
             24      of a voter who requests removal from a statewide initiative or referendum petition;
             25          .    provides that the lieutenant governor does not count a name removed from the
             26      petition; and
             27          .    makes technical changes.
             28      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             29          None


             30      Other Special Clauses:
             31          This bill provides an immediate effective date.
             32      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             33      AMENDS:
             34          20A-7-205, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2000, Chapter 3
             35          20A-7-206, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 237
             36          20A-7-207, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 237
             37          20A-7-305, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2000, Chapter 3
             38          20A-7-306, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 78
             39          20A-7-307, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1995, Chapters 153 and 165
             40     
             41      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             42          Section 1. Section 20A-7-205 is amended to read:
             43           20A-7-205. Obtaining signatures -- Verification -- Removal of signature.
             44          (1) [Any] A Utah voter may sign an initiative petition if the voter is a legal voter.
             45          (2) The sponsors shall ensure that the person in whose presence each signature sheet
             46      was signed:
             47          (a) is at least 18 years old and meets the residency requirements of Section 20A-2-105 ;
             48      and
             49          (b) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification printed on the last page
             50      of each initiative packet.
             51          (3) (a) [(i) Any] A voter who has signed an initiative petition may have [his] the
             52      voter's signature removed from the petition by submitting [a notarized statement to that effect]
             53      to the county clerk[.] a statement requesting that the voter's signature be removed.
             54          (b) The statement shall include:
             55          (i) the name of the voter;
             56          (ii) the resident address at which the voter is registered to vote;
             57          (iii) the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number;


             58          (iv) the driver license or identification card number; and
             59          (v) the signature of the voter.
             60          (c) A voter may not submit a statement by email or other electronic means.
             61          [(ii)] (d) In order for the signature to be removed, the statement must be received by
             62      the county clerk before [he delivers the petition to the lieutenant governor] May 15.
             63          [(b)] (e) [Upon receipt of the statement, the] The county clerk shall [remove the
             64      signature of the person submitting the statement from] deliver all statements received under
             65      this Subsection (3):
             66          (i) with the initiative petition[.] packets delivered to the lieutenant governor; or
             67          (ii) in a supplemental delivery to the lieutenant governor for a statement submitted
             68      after the county clerk delivered the initiative packets.
             69          [(c)] (f) [No one may remove signatures] A person may only remove a signature from
             70      an initiative petition [after the petition is submitted to the lieutenant governor] in accordance
             71      with this Subsection (3).
             72          Section 2. Section 20A-7-206 is amended to read:
             73           20A-7-206. Submitting the initiative petition -- Certification of signatures by the
             74      county clerks -- Transfer to lieutenant governor.
             75          (1) In order to qualify an initiative petition for placement on the regular general
             76      election ballot, the sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified initiative packet to the
             77      county clerk of the county in which the packet was circulated no later than April 15 before the
             78      regular general election.
             79          (2) No later than May 1 before the regular general election, the county clerk shall:
             80          (a) check the names of all persons completing the verification for the initiative packet
             81      to determine whether or not those persons are residents of Utah and are at least 18 years old;
             82      and
             83          (b) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is not
             84      at least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             85          (3) No later than May 15 before the regular general election, the county clerk shall:


             86          (a) determine whether or not each signer is a registered voter according to the
             87      requirements of Section 20A-7-206.3 ;
             88          (b) certify on the petition whether or not each name is that of a registered voter; and
             89          (c) deliver all of the packets to the lieutenant governor.
             90          (4) Upon receipt of an initiative packet under Subsection (3) and any statement
             91      submitted under Subsection 20A-7-205 (3), the lieutenant governor shall remove from the
             92      initiative petition a voter's signature if the voter has requested the removal in accordance with
             93      Subsection 20A-7-205 (3).
             94          [(4)] (5) In order to qualify an initiative petition for submission to the Legislature, the
             95      sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified initiative packet to the county clerk of the
             96      county in which the packet was circulated by the November 15 before the annual general
             97      session of the Legislature.
             98          [(5)] (6) No later than December 1 before the annual general session of the
             99      Legislature, the county clerk shall:
             100          (a) check the names of all persons completing the verification for the initiative packet
             101      to determine whether or not those persons are Utah residents and are at least 18 years old; and
             102          (b) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is not
             103      at least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             104          [(6)] (7) No later than December 15 before the annual general session of the
             105      Legislature, the county clerk shall:
             106          (a) determine whether or not each signer is a registered voter according to the
             107      requirements of Section 20A-7-206.3 ;
             108          (b) certify on the petition whether or not each name is that of a registered voter; and
             109          (c) deliver all of the packets to the lieutenant governor.
             110          [(7)] (8) Initiative packets are public once they are delivered to the county clerks.
             111          [(8)] (9) The sponsor or their representatives may not retrieve initiative packets from
             112      the county clerks once they have submitted them.
             113          Section 3. Section 20A-7-207 is amended to read:


             114           20A-7-207. Evaluation by the lieutenant governor.
             115          (1) When each initiative packet is received from a county clerk, the lieutenant
             116      governor shall check off from [his] the record the number of each initiative packet filed.
             117          (2) (a) After all of the initiative packets have been received by the lieutenant governor
             118      and the lieutenant governor has removed the signatures as required by Section 20A-7-206 , the
             119      lieutenant governor shall:
             120          (i) count the number of the names certified by the county clerks that [appear] remain
             121      on each verified signature sheet; and
             122          (ii) declare the petition to be sufficient or insufficient by June 1 before the regular
             123      general election.
             124          (b) If the total number of [certified names from each verified signature sheet] names
             125      counted under Subsection (2)(a)(i) equals or exceeds the number of names required by Section
             126      20A-7-201 , the lieutenant governor shall mark upon the front of the petition the word
             127      "sufficient."
             128          (c) If the total number of [certified names from each verified signature sheet] names
             129      counted under Subsection (2)(a)(i) does not equal or exceed the number of names required by
             130      Section 20A-7-201 , the lieutenant governor shall mark upon the front of the petition the word
             131      "insufficient."
             132          (d) The lieutenant governor shall immediately notify any one of the sponsors of his
             133      finding.
             134          (3) Once a petition is declared insufficient, the sponsors may not submit additional
             135      signatures to qualify the petition for the pending regular general election.
             136          (4) (a) If the lieutenant governor refuses to accept and file any initiative petition that a
             137      sponsor believes is legally sufficient, any voter may, by June 15, apply to the supreme court
             138      for an extraordinary writ to compel the lieutenant governor to do so.
             139          (b) The supreme court shall:
             140          (i) determine whether or not the initiative petition is legally sufficient; and
             141          (ii) certify its findings to the lieutenant governor by July 30.


             142          (c) If the supreme court certifies that the initiative petition is legally sufficient, the
             143      lieutenant governor shall file it, with a verified copy of the judgment attached to it, as of the
             144      date on which it was originally offered for filing in his office.
             145          (d) If the supreme court determines that any petition filed is not legally sufficient, the
             146      supreme court may enjoin the lieutenant governor and all other officers from certifying or
             147      printing the ballot title and numbers of that measure on the official ballot for the next election.
             148          Section 4. Section 20A-7-305 is amended to read:
             149           20A-7-305. Obtaining signatures -- Verification -- Removal of signature.
             150          (1) [Any] A Utah voter may sign a referendum petition if the voter is a legal voter.
             151          (2) The sponsors shall ensure that the person in whose presence each signature sheet
             152      was signed:
             153          (a) is at least 18 years old and meets the residency requirements of Section 20A-2-105 ;
             154      and
             155          (b) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification printed on the last page
             156      of each signature sheet.
             157          (3) (a) (i) [Any] A voter who has signed a referendum petition may have [his] the
             158      voter's signature removed from the petition by submitting [a notarized statement to that effect]
             159      to the county clerk[.] a statement requesting that the voter's signature be removed.
             160          (b) The statement shall include:
             161          (i) the name of the voter;
             162          (ii) the resident address at which the voter is registered to vote;
             163          (iii) the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number;
             164          (iv) the driver license or identification card number; and
             165          (v) the signature of the voter.
             166          (c) A voter may not submit a statement by email or other electronic means.
             167          [(ii)] (d) In order for the signature to be removed, the statement must be received by
             168      the county clerk before [he delivers the petition to the lieutenant governor] the day which is 55
             169      days after the end of the legislative session at which the law passed.


             170          [(b) Upon receipt of the statement, the]
             171          (e) The county clerk shall [remove the signature of the person submitting the statement
             172      from] deliver all statements received under this Subsection (3):
             173          (i) with the referendum petition[.] packets to the lieutenant governor; or
             174          (ii) in a supplemental delivery to the lieutenant governor for a statement submitted
             175      after the county clerk delivered the referendum petition packets.
             176          [(c) No one may remove signatures]
             177          (f) A person may only remove a signature from a referendum petition [after the
             178      petition is submitted to the lieutenant governor] in accordance with this Subsection (3).
             179          Section 5. Section 20A-7-306 is amended to read:
             180           20A-7-306. Submitting the referendum petition -- Certification of signatures by
             181      the county clerks -- Transfer to lieutenant governor.
             182          (1) No later than 40 days after the end of the legislative session at which the law
             183      passed, the sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified referendum packet to the county
             184      clerk of the county in which the packet was circulated.
             185          (2) No later than 55 days after the end of the legislative session at which the law
             186      passed, the county clerk shall:
             187          (a) check the names of all persons completing the verification on the back of each
             188      signature sheet to determine whether or not those persons are Utah residents and are at least 18
             189      years old; and
             190          (b) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is not
             191      at least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             192          (3) No later than 55 days after the end of the legislative session at which the law
             193      passed, the county clerk shall:
             194          (a) determine whether or not each signer is a registered voter according to the
             195      requirements of Section 20A-7-306.3 ;
             196          (b) certify on the referendum petition whether or not each name is that of a registered
             197      voter; and


             198          (c) deliver all of the referendum packets to the lieutenant governor.
             199          (4) Upon receipt of a referendum packet under Subsection (3) and any statement
             200      submitted under Subsection 20A-7-305 (3), the lieutenant governor shall remove from the
             201      referendum petition a voter's signature if the voter has requested the removal in accordance
             202      with Subsection 20A-7-305 (3).
             203          Section 6. Section 20A-7-307 is amended to read:
             204           20A-7-307. Evaluation by the lieutenant governor.
             205          (1) When each referendum packet is received from a county clerk, the lieutenant
             206      governor shall check off from [his] the record the number of each referendum packet filed.
             207          (2) (a) After all of the referendum packets have been received by the lieutenant
             208      governor and the lieutenant governor has removed the signatures as required by Section
             209      20A-7-306 , the lieutenant governor shall:
             210          (i) count the number of the names certified by the county clerks that [appear] remain
             211      on each verified signature sheet; and
             212          (ii) declare the petition to be sufficient or insufficient no later than 60 days after the
             213      end of the legislative session at which the law passed.
             214          (b) If the total number of [certified names from each verified signature sheet] names
             215      counted under Subsection (2)(a)(i) equals or exceeds the number of names required by Section
             216      20A-7-301 , the lieutenant governor shall mark upon the front of the petition the word
             217      "sufficient."
             218          (c) If the total number of [certified names from each verified signature sheet] names
             219      counted under Subsection (2)(a)(i) does not equal or exceed the number of names required by
             220      Section 20A-7-301 , the lieutenant governor shall mark upon the front of the petition the word
             221      "insufficient."
             222          (d) The lieutenant governor shall immediately notify any one of the sponsors of his
             223      finding.
             224          (3) (a) If the lieutenant governor refuses to accept and file any referendum petition,
             225      any voter may apply to the supreme court for an extraordinary writ to compel him to do so


             226      within 10 days after the refusal.
             227          (b) If the supreme court determines that the referendum petition is legally sufficient,
             228      the lieutenant governor shall file it, with a verified copy of the judgment attached to it, as of
             229      the date on which it was originally offered for filing in his office.
             230          (c) If the supreme court determines that any petition filed is not legally sufficient, the
             231      supreme court may enjoin the lieutenant governor and all other officers from certifying or
             232      printing the ballot title and numbers of that measure on the official ballot for the next election.
             233          Section 7. Effective date.
             234          If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this bill takes effect
             235      upon approval by the governor, or the day following the constitutional time limit of Utah
             236      Constitution Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's signature, or in the case of a veto,
             237      the date of veto override.


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