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JOINT RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING THE VALUE OF

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WOMEN

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2019 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Karen Kwan

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Senate Sponsor: Karen Mayne

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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, four
49     Senate) 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, while there is reason to celebrate the accomplishments of women and their
61     role in numerous positions of importance in the state throughout the state's history, there is
62     more work to do to promote opportunities for Utah women to serve as elected, appointed, and
63     hired leaders in the state, and to affirm our historical roots of women's equal 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 included in the
75     United States Constitution.
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.