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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This joint resolution of the Legislature urges the United States Congress to adopt the
11 Regulation Freedom amendment to the United States Constitution.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 ▸ urges Congress to adopt, as an amendment to the United States Constitution, the
15 Regulation Freedom Amendment; and
16 ▸ proposes the amendment as requiring a majority vote of the United States House of
17 Representatives and the United States Senate to approve any proposed federal
18 regulation, following a written declaration of opposition to such proposed federal
19 regulation by one quarter of the members by either of the aforementioned House of
20 Representatives or Senate.
21 Special Clauses:
22 None
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24 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25 WHEREAS, the growth and abuse of federal regulatory authority threatens our
26 Constitutional liberties, including those guaranteed by the Bill of Rights in the First, Second,
27 Fourth, and Fifth Amendments of our Constitution;
28 WHEREAS, federal regulators must be more accountable to elected representatives of
29 the people and not immune from such accountability;
30 WHEREAS, the United States House of Representatives has passed the Regulations
31 from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act with bipartisan support;
32 WHEREAS, the REINS Act requires that Congress approve major new federal
33 regulations before they can take effect;
34 WHEREAS, though the REINS Act is a tremendous beginning in providing a check on
35 federal regulatory authority, enactment of the REINS Act may be repealed or waived by a
36 future Congress and President;
37 WHEREAS, an amendment to the United States Constitution does not require the
38 President's approval and cannot be waived by a future Congress and President, but only
39 repealed through the same constitutional amendment process:
40 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
41 urges the United States Congress to vote to propose the Regulation Freedom amendment to the
42 United States Constitution as follows:
43 "Whenever one quarter of the members of the United States House of Representatives
44 or the United States Senate transmits to the President their written declaration of opposition to
45 a proposed federal regulation, it shall require a majority vote of the House of Representatives
46 and the Senate to adopt that regulation."
47 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the
48 members of Utah's congressional delegation, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
49 and the President of the Senate of every state legislature in the United States.