This document includes House Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Tue, Feb 19, 2019 at 4:20 PM by pflowers.
This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Mon, Feb 25, 2019 at 3:16 PM by pflowers.
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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This resolution relates to women's equal political rights.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This resolution:
13 ▸ reaffirms women's equal political, civil, and religious rights contained in the Utah
14 Constitution; and
15 ▸ recommends the inclusion of similar language in the United States Constitution.
16 Special Clauses:
17 None
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19 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
20 WHEREAS, Article IV, Section 1 of the Utah Constitution, adopted in 1895, states:
21 "The rights of citizens of the State of Utah to vote and hold office shall not be denied or
22 abridged on account of sex. Both male and female citizens of this State shall enjoy equally all
23 civil, political and religious rights and privileges.";
24 WHEREAS, when Utah joined the nation in 1896 as the third state to include women's
25 voting rights in its constitution, Anna Howard Shaw, one of the nation's greatest suffrage
26 leaders, expressed no surprise that the men of Utah had chosen to lead in this way. She said,
27 "Utah is . . . dear to the heart of every woman who loves liberty in these United States.";
28 WHEREAS, suffragist Alice Paul, in drafting the language of the Equal Rights
29 Amendment, was advised by Utah Senator George Sutherland, who drew upon Article IV,
30 Section 1 of the Utah Constitution;
31 WHEREAS, Utah should tout our history of being a leader in equal political rights;
32 WHEREAS, on February 14, 1870, Seraph Young, the grandniece of Brigham Young,
33 was the first woman to legally cast a vote in any election in the United States;
34 WHEREAS, in Utah in 1896, Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon became the first woman in
35 the United States ever to be elected as a state senator, and a statute of her will join that of
36 Brigham Young in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C., recognizing Martha
37 Hughes Cannon as a pioneer for women's equality in government;
38 WHEREAS, Utah should tout other important firsts, including:
39 • Christine M. Burckle, who in 2016 began serving as Utah's first female Brigadier
40 General of the Utah National Guard; and
41 • Rosie Rivera, who in 2017 became the first female sheriff in Utah and the second
42 Latina sheriff in the United States;
43 WHEREAS, Utah must reaffirm this historical example of women leadership and
44 highlight the advances of Utah women today, including:
45 • women presidents of five of the nine institutions of higher education in the state;
46 • a woman currently serving as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the latest
47 of many women who have served in that role;
48 • 24% of current Utah legislators who are women, seven of whom (three House
48a Ĥ→ [
49 Senate Ĥ→ , four of whom are women of color ←Ĥ ) hold legislative leadership positions;
50 • a current majority of women judges on the Utah Court of Appeals; and
51 • many women mayors, city and county council and commission members, and school
52 board members throughout the state;
53 WHEREAS, Utah has had women lead in all three branches of government, including:
54 • Rebecca D. Lockhart, who served as speaker of the House of Representatives from
55 2010 to 2014;
56 • Christine M. Durham, who was appointed to the Utah Supreme Court in 1982 and
57 served with distinction for 35 years, including ten years as chief justice; and
58 • Olene S. Walker, who served as lieutenant governor in Utah (1993-2003) and then as
59 governor (2003-05);
60 WHEREAS, Ĥ→ [
60a ongoing ←Ĥ accomplishments of women and their
61 role in numerous positions of importance in the state Ĥ→ [
62 more work to do to promote
62a pursue ←Ĥ opportunities Ĥ→ [
63 hired leaders in the state, and to Ĥ→ [
63a political rights;
64 and
65 WHEREAS, Utah's state constitution is a shining example to the nation that women
66 everywhere shall have equal political rights and enjoy equally all civil, political, and religious
67 rights and privileges:
68 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
69 reaffirms the equal political, civil, and religious rights and privileges granted by the Utah
70 Constitution for both men and women.
71 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature reaffirms Utah as a state that has a
72 long and rich history and tradition of protecting and advancing women's rights and interests.
73 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature recommends that the language and
74 intent of the Utah Constitution provision guaranteeing equal political rights be Ĥ→ [
74a considered for inclusion ←Ĥ in the
75 United States Constitution Ĥ→ and in the formation of policy and regulations ←Ĥ .
76 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to each member of
77 the Utah Congressional delegation, the president pro tempore of the United States Senate, and
78 the speaker of the United States House of Representatives.