2
3
4
5
6
7 Cosponsors:
8 Joel K. Briscoe
9 Kim F. Coleman
10 Jennifer Dailey-Provost
11 Timothy D. Hawkes
Eric K. Hutchings
Marsha Judkins
Brian S. King
Val K. Potter
Andrew Stoddard
Mark A. Wheatley
Brad R. Wilson
Mike Winder
12
13 LONG TITLE
14 General Description:
15 This resolution relates to women's equal political rights.
16 Highlighted Provisions:
17 This resolution:
18 ▸ reaffirms women's equal political, civil, and religious rights contained in the Utah
19 Constitution; and
20 ▸ recommends the inclusion of similar language in the United States Constitution.
21 Special Clauses:
22 None
23
24 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25 WHEREAS, Article IV, Section 1 of the Utah Constitution, adopted in 1895, states:
26 "The rights of citizens of the State of Utah to vote and hold office shall not be denied or
27 abridged on account of sex. Both male and female citizens of this State shall enjoy equally all
28 civil, political and religious rights and privileges.";
29 WHEREAS, when Utah joined the nation in 1896 as the third state to include women's
30 voting rights in its constitution, Anna Howard Shaw, one of the nation's greatest suffrage
31 leaders, expressed no surprise that the men of Utah had chosen to lead in this way. She said,
32 "Utah is . . . dear to the heart of every woman who loves liberty in these United States.";
33 WHEREAS, suffragist Alice Paul, in drafting the language of the Equal Rights
34 Amendment, was advised by Utah Senator George Sutherland, who drew upon Article IV,
35 Section 1 of the Utah Constitution;
36 WHEREAS, Utah should tout our history of being a leader in equal political rights;
37 WHEREAS, on February 14, 1870, Seraph Young, the grandniece of Brigham Young,
38 was the first woman to legally cast a vote in any election in the United States;
39 WHEREAS, in Utah in 1896, Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon became the first woman in
40 the United States ever to be elected as a state senator, and a statute of her will join that of
41 Brigham Young in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C., recognizing Martha
42 Hughes Cannon as a pioneer for women's equality in government;
43 WHEREAS, Utah should tout other important firsts, including:
44 • Christine M. Burckle, who in 2016 began serving as Utah's first female Brigadier
45 General of the Utah National Guard; and
46 • Rosie Rivera, who in 2017 became the first female sheriff in Utah and the second
47 Latina sheriff in the United States;
48 WHEREAS, Utah must reaffirm this historical example of women leadership and
49 highlight the advances of Utah women today, including:
50 • women presidents of five of the nine institutions of higher education in the state;
51 • a woman currently serving as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the latest
52 of many women who have served in that role;
53 • 24% of current Utah legislators who are women, seven of whom (three House and
54 four Senate, four of whom are women of color) hold legislative leadership positions;
55 • a current majority of women judges on the Utah Court of Appeals; and
56 • many women mayors, city and county council and commission members, and school
57 board members throughout the state;
58 WHEREAS, Utah has had women lead in all three branches of government, including:
59 • Rebecca D. Lockhart, who served as speaker of the House of Representatives from
60 2010 to 2014;
61 • Christine M. Durham, who was appointed to the Utah Supreme Court in 1982 and
62 served with distinction for 35 years, including ten years as chief justice; and
63 • Olene S. Walker, who served as lieutenant governor in Utah (1993-2003) and then as
64 governor (2003-05);
65 WHEREAS, there is reason to celebrate the historic and ongoing accomplishments of
66 women and their role in numerous positions of importance in the state and to affirm the
67 autonomy and independence of women to pursue opportunities to serve as elected, appointed,
68 and hired leaders in the state, and to recognize our historical roots of women's equal political
69 rights; and
70 WHEREAS, Utah's state constitution is a shining example to the nation that women
71 everywhere shall have equal political rights and enjoy equally all civil, political, and religious
72 rights and privileges:
73 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
74 reaffirms the equal political, civil, and religious rights and privileges granted by the Utah
75 Constitution for both men and women.
76 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature reaffirms Utah as a state that has a
77 long and rich history and tradition of protecting and advancing women's rights and interests.
78 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature recommends that the language and
79 intent of the Utah Constitution provision guaranteeing equal political rights be considered for
80 inclusion in the United States Constitution and in the formation of policy and regulations.
81 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to each member of
82 the Utah Congressional delegation, the president pro tempore of the United States Senate, and
83 the speaker of the United States House of Representatives.