This document includes Senate 2nd Reading Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Fri, Feb 4, 2022 at 2:55 PM by lpoole.
This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Wed, Feb 23, 2022 at 10:48 AM by lfindlay.
1     
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON FISCAL

2     
SUSTAINABILITY

3     
2022 GENERAL SESSION

4     
STATE OF UTAH

5     
Chief Sponsor: Ronald M. Winterton

6     
House Sponsor: Kay J. Christofferson

7     

8     LONG TITLE
9     Committee Note:
10          The Federalism Commission recommended this bill.
11               Legislative Vote:     7 voting for     1 voting against     1 absent
12     General Description:
13          This resolution recognizes Utah as a leader in budgetary and fiscal sustainability, and
14     calls on the federal government to establish a Fiscal Sustainability Commission and
15     amend the United States Constitution.
16     Highlighted Provisions:
17          This resolution:
18          ▸     recognizes the state of Utah as a leader in fiscal responsibility, sustainability, and
19     management;
20          ▸     recognizes some of the efforts and methods used by the state of Utah to enable
21     fiscal sustainability; and
22          ▸     calls on the federal government to adopt similar fiscal sustainability strategies and
23     establish a Fiscal Sustainability Commission and propose a Constitutional Fiscal
24     Sustainability Amendment.
25     Special Clauses:
26          None
27     


28     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
29          WHEREAS, the state of Utah has been and remains a leader in the nation in fiscal
30     responsibility and sustainability;
31          WHEREAS, the state of Utah has been prudent in the management of its financial
32     resources;
33          WHEREAS, the state of Utah balances its budget every year;
34          WHEREAS, the state of Utah has created statutory stabilization funds to provide
35     stability and sustainability, such as the General Fund Budget Reserve Account, the Education
36     Fund Budget Reserve Account, and the Medicaid Budget Stabilization Restricted Account;
37          WHEREAS, the state of Utah monitors in great detail other funding sources, including
38     federal revenues;
39          WHEREAS, the state of Utah employs a robust approval and monitoring process for
40     new and existing federal funds;
41          WHEREAS, the Legislature receives reports and analysis of federal funds annually, and
42     accounts for those funds in budgetary decision making;
43          WHEREAS, these and other measures are included in the efforts of the state of Utah to
44     ensure fiscal sustainability and responsibility for the state of Utah and its citizens;
45          WHEREAS, federal public debt/gross domestic product exceeds 100%, is at an all-time
46     high, and is increasing;
47          Ŝ→ [
WHEREAS, total federal liabilities and unfunded promises exceed $96 trillion, or
48     about 450% of gross domestic product;
] ←Ŝ

49          WHEREAS, over 70% of federal spending is deemed to be mandatory and is
50     increasing;
51          WHEREAS, the Treasury Department, the Government Accountability Office, and a
52     variety of parties have publicly acknowledged that the federal government is on an imprudent
53     and unsustainable fiscal path;
54          WHEREAS, acting sooner rather than later to address this structural fiscal imbalance
55     would require fewer changes, provide additional transition time, and reduce the likelihood of a
56     future financial crisis;
57          WHEREAS, significant adverse consequences will likely be imposed on the states and
58     the American people if the federal government fails to address its large and growing fiscal

59     imbalances:
60          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
61     Governor concurring therein, that the time has come to create a statutory federal Fiscal
62     Sustainability Commission to actively engage the American people and make a range of
63     budget, spending, tax, and other recommendations that would be designed to reduce the public
64     debt to gross domestic product ratio to a reasonable and sustainable level within a specified
65     time period.
66          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor find that the
67     Congress of the United States should propose a Constitutional Fiscal Sustainability
68     Amendment that would be designed to stabilize the public debt to gross domestic product ratio
69     over time and include other appropriate provisions designed to promote financial accountability
70     and fiscal sustainability.
71          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor find that if the
72     Congress fails to propose such a constitutional amendment by December 31, Ĥ→ [
2023] 2022 ←Ĥ ,
72a     the states
73     should complete the steps necessary Ĥ→ [
under Article V of the Constitution to create a single issue
74     Constitutional Convention designed
] within the constitutional powers of the state ←Ĥ
to achieve
74a     the above objectives.