Utah State Senate

Utah State Senate
General Information
Party control:	Republican
Session start:	January 16, 2024
Session end:	March 1, 2024
Term length:	4 years
Term limits:	None
Redistricting:	Legislature-dominant
Salary:	$293.55/legislative day + per diem
Members
Total:	29
Democrats:	6
Republicans:	23
Other:	0
Vacancies:	0
Leadership
President:	Stuart Adams (R)
Maj. Leader:	Evan Vickers (R)
Min. Leader:	Luz Escamilla (D)
Elections
Last election:	November 8, 2022
Next election:	November 5, 2024

The Utah State Senate is the upper chamber of the Utah State Legislature. Alongside the Utah House of Representatives, it forms the legislative branch of the Utah state government and works alongside the governor of Utah to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Utah State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.

The Utah State Senate meets in the state capitol building in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Fifteen seats out of the state Senate's 29 seats were up for election in 2022. The chamber's Republican supermajority remained 23-6.

Fifteen seats out of the chamber's 29 seats were up for election in 2020. The chamber's Republican supermajority remained 23-6.

Utah has a Republican trifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.

This page contains the following information on the Utah State Senate.

• Which party controls the chamber
• The chamber's current membership
• Partisan control of the chamber over time
• Elections in the chamber and how vacancies are filled
• A district map
• How redistricting works in the state
• Legislation under consideration
• Legislative session dates
• Legislative procedures, such as veto overrides and the state budget process
• A list of committees

Party control[edit]

Current partisan control[edit]

The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the Utah State Senate as of February 2024:

Party		As of February 2024
	Democratic Party	6
	Republican Party	23
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		29

Members[edit]

Leadership[edit]

The presiding officer of the Senate is the president of the Senate and is selected by the majority party caucus. The majority and minority leaders are selected by their respective party caucuses.^[1][2]

Leadership and members[edit]

• Senate president: Stuart Adams (R)
• Majority leader: Evan Vickers (R)
• Minority leader: Luz Escamilla (D)

Salaries[edit]

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

State legislative salaries, 2023
Salary	Per diem
$293.55/legislative day	Per diem is reimbursed to state legislators when they submit receipts or turn in expense reports.

Swearing in dates[edit]

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Utah legislators assume office the first day in January.^[3][4]

Membership qualifications[edit]

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

To be eligible to serve in the Utah State Senate, a candidate must be:^[5]

• A U.S. citizen,
• At least 25 years old,
• A three-year resident of Utah,
• A resident for 6 months of the relevant senate district, and
• A qualified voter.

In addition, eligible candidates cannot:^[5]

• Have been convicted of certain crimes, or
• Hold a public office of profit or trust.

Historical party control[edit]

Republicans won control of the Utah State Senate in 1978. In 2022, they won a 21-8 majority.

The table below shows the partisan history of the Utah Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2022. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

Utah State Senate election results: 1992-2022

Year	'92	'94	'96	'98	'00	'02	'04	'06	'08	'10	'12	'14	'16	'18	'20	'22
Democrats	11	10	9	11	9	7	8	8	8	7	5	4	5	6	6	8
Republicans	18	19	20	18	20	22	21	21	21	22	24	23	24	23	23	21

Trifecta history[edit]

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2023, Utah was under the following types of trifecta control:

• Democratic trifecta: None
• Republican trifecta: 1992-2023
• Divided government: None

Utah Party Control: 1992-2024
No Democratic trifectas  •  Thirty-three years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
Governor	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Elections[edit]

Elections by year[edit]

Utah state senators serve staggered, four-year terms and half of the Senate is up for election every two years. Utah holds elections for its legislature in even years.

Convention system[edit]

Utah has a unique election system that combines local conventions and party primaries. A precinct caucus is held to vote for delegates to county conventions. Precinct delegates vote at the county conventions to nominate candidates for state office. In order to forgo a primary election, a candidate must receive more than 60 percent of the votes at the county convention. If multiple candidates run and none receive 60 percent of the vote, the candidate with the lowest total is eliminated and another vote is taken. Once only two candidates remain, if neither receives more than 60 percent of the vote, both will advance to the party's primary. Each party holds its own caucuses and conventions.^[6][7][8]

2024[edit]

See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2024

Elections for the Utah State Senate will take place in 2024. The general election is on November 5, 2024. A primary is June 25, 2024. The filing deadline was January 8, 2024.

2022[edit]

See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2022

Elections for the Utah State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 28, 2022. The filing deadline was March 4, 2022.

2020[edit]

See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2020

Elections for the office of Utah State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 30, 2020. The filing deadline was March 19, 2020.

In the 2020 elections, the Republican majority saw no change in the Utah State Senate, remaining 23-6.

Utah State Senate
Party		As of November 3, 2020	After November 4, 2020
	Democratic Party	6	6
	Republican Party	23	23
Total		29	29

2018[edit]

See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2018

Elections for the Utah State Senate took place in 2018. The primary election took place on June 26, 2018.^[9] Democrats held a hybrid primary election and Republicans held a closed primary election. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 15, 2018.^[10]

In the 2018 elections, the Republicans majority in the Utah State Senate was reduced from 24-5 to 23-6.

Utah State Senate
Party		As of November 6, 2018	After November 7, 2018
	Democratic Party	5	6
	Republican Party	24	23
Total		29	29

2016[edit]

See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the Utah State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 28, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 17, 2016. A total of 15 seats out of the 29 seats in the Utah State Senate were up for election in 2016.

Heading into the election, Republicans held a 23-5 majority with one Libertarian member. Republicans gained one seat in the election, giving them a 24-5 majority.

Utah State Senate
Party		As of November 7, 2016	After November 8, 2016
	Democratic Party	5	5
	Republican Party	23	24
	Libertarian Party	1	0
Total		29	29

Click [show] to see election information dating back to 2000

2014[edit] See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2014 Elections for the Utah State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 24, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 20, 2014. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 23-5 majority with one vacancy. After the election, Republicans held a 23-4 majority with two vacancies. Utah State Senate Party As of November 3, 2014 After November 4, 2014      Democratic Party 5 4      Republican Party 23 23      Vacancy 1 2 Total 29 29 2012[edit] See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2012 Elections for the office of Utah State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on June 26, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was March 16, 2012. A total of 14 seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 22-7 majority. Republicans gained two seats in the election, giving them a 24-5 majority. Utah State Senate Party As of November 5, 2012 After the 2012 Election      Democratic Party 7 5      Republican Party 22 24 Total 29 29 The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election. 2012 Margin of Victory, Utah State Senate District Winner Margin of Victory Total Votes Top Opponent District 1 Luz Escamilla 10.6% 18,969 Chelsea Woodruff District 8 Brian Shiozawa 13.6% 39,020 Josie Valdez District 6 Wayne Harper 20.9% 33,010 John Rendell District 19 Allen Christensen 26.9% 32,835 Peter Conover Clemens District 23 Todd Weiler 28.9% 39,460 Breck England District 27 David Hinkins 44.4% 34,784 Michael Binyon District 29 Stephen Urquhart 54.1% 36,572 Terence Moore District 16 Curtis Bramble 57.7% 24,534 Gregory Duerden District 28 Evan Vickers 65.3% 33,967 Geoffrey Chesnut District 24 Ralph Okerlund 72.9% 34,235 Trestin Meacham 2010[edit] See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2010 Elections for the office of Utah State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on June 22, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was March 19, 2010. Fifteen seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 21-8 majority. Republicans gained one seat in the election, giving them a 22-7 majority. Utah State Senate Party As of November 1, 2010 After the 2010 Election      Democratic Party 8 7      Republican Party 21 22 Total 29 29 In 2010, the candidates for state Senate raised a total of $1,612,394 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:[11] 2010 Donors, Utah State Senate Donor Amount Utah Association of Realtors $84,000 Senate Republican Campaign Cmte of Utah $83,315 2006 Mayne Candidate Account $60,248 Utah State Senate Democrats $46,000 Sorensen, Beverly T $39,500 Utah Republican Party $37,453 Comcast $32,050 Reagan Outdoor Advertising $31,487 Workers Compensation Fund of Utah $30,950 Consumer Lending Alliance $25,500 2008[edit] See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2008 Elections for the office of Utah State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 24, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008. During the 2008 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $2,432,680. The top 10 contributors were:[12] 2008 Donors, Utah State Senate Donor Amount Hinkins, David $90,000 Mayne, Ed $61,126 Utah Republican Senate Campaign Cmte $59,549 Utah County Legislative PAC $49,296 Reagan Outdoor Advertising $41,418 Killpack, Sheldon L $41,000 Senate Democrats Of Utah $41,000 Gold Cross Services $31,000 Christensen, Clayton M $31,000 Utah Home Builders Association $30,050 2006[edit] See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2006 Elections for the office of Utah State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 27, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $2,241,882. The top 10 contributors were:[13] 2006 Donors, Utah State Senate Donor Amount Niederhauser, Wayne L $139,000 Garbett, Bryson David $86,969 Utah Republican Party $69,122 Republican Senate Campaign Cmte Of Utah $65,235 Utah Association Of Realtors $52,500 Utah Education Association $32,594 Parents For Choice In Education $31,090 Greiner, Jon J $30,376 Senate Democrats Of Utah $29,588 Utah County Legislative PAC $27,000 2004[edit] See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2004 Elections for the office of Utah State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 22, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $1,336,110. The top 10 contributors were:[14] 2004 Donors, Utah State Senate Donor Amount Republican Senate Campaign Cmte Of Utah $73,000 Utah Association Of Realtors $64,600 Utah Democratic party $57,734 Utah County Republican Party $30,677 Utah Education Association $28,635 Zions Bancorporation $26,500 Utah Bankers Association $22,100 Peay, Phillip O $21,000 Utah League Of Credit Unions $18,911 Consumer Lending Alliance $18,550 2002[edit] See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2002 Elections for the office of Utah State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 25, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002. During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $930,831. The top 10 contributors were:[15] 2002 Donors, Utah State Senate Donor Amount Republican Senate Campaign Cmte Of Utah $43,238 Utah Association Of Realtors $33,600 Senate Democrats Of Utah $28,450 Utah Education Association $23,107 Utah Democratic Party $17,292 Probst, Bradley B $16,909 Utah Republican Party $14,462 Utah Medical Association $13,600 Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Utah $13,450 Utah League Of Credit Unions $12,937 2000[edit] See also: Utah State Senate elections, 2000 Elections for the office of Utah State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 27, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $785,535. The top 10 contributors were:[16] 2000 Donors, Utah State Senate Donor Amount Republican Senate Campaign Cmte Of Utah $36,200 Senate Democrats Y2K $31,750 Utah Education Association $22,130 Utah Association Of Realtors $21,850 Eli Jimenz & Associates $20,000 Utah Medical Association $15,000 Utah League Of Credit Unions $11,961 Utah Democratic Party $10,991 Eastman, Dan $10,000 Thompson, Bryan $9,675

Vacancies[edit]

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

If there is a vacancy in the Utah State Legislature, the governor is responsible for selecting a replacement. A liaison for the political party that last held the seat must recommend a successor to the governor. A person who is selected to fill a vacant state House seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term. Interim appointees to state Senate seats serve until the next regular general election.^[17]

If the vacancy happens after the nominating deadline in an election year, but before August 31, a new candidate must file a declaration of candidacy and certificate of nomination in order to be on the ballot. Nominating papers must be filed within 21 days after the vacancy occurs.^[18]

See sources: Utah Const. Art. 6, Sec. 13 and Utah Code §20A-1-503

District map[edit]

See also: Utah state legislative districts

The state of Utah has 29 state Senate districts. Each district elects one senator.

Use the interactive map below to find your district.

Redistricting[edit]

See also: Redistricting in Utah

In Utah, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are ultimately enacted by the state legislature. An advisory commission submits proposed maps to the legislature for its approval. This commission comprises the following seven members:^[19]

• One appointed by the governor, to serve as the chair of the commission;
• One appointed by the president of the Utah Senate;
• One appointed by the speaker of the Utah House of Representatives;
• One appointed by the leader of the largest minority political party in the Utah Senate;
• One appointed by the leader of the largest minority political party in the Utah House of Representatives;
• One appointed jointly by the leadership of the majority political party in the Utah Senate, president of the Utah Senate, and the leadership of the same political party in the Utah House of Representatives; and
• One appointed jointly by the leadership of the largest minority political party in the Utah Senate, and the leadership of the same political party in the Utah House of Representatives, including the speaker of the House, if the speaker is a member of the same political party.

The commission is required to select between one and three plans, with the affirmative votes of at least five members, to submit to the chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court. The chief justice is responsible for determining if the commission's plans meet redistricting standards. The commission then forwards the plans to the state legislature, which may decide whether to accept, amend, or reject the plans.

2020[edit]

See also: Redistricting in Utah after the 2020 census

Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed new state legislative districts for both chambers into law on November 16, 2021. After Cox called a special session to begin on November 9, 2021, the Utah legislature voted to approve the House and Senate district maps on November 10, 2021. The House districts proposal passed the House in a 60-12 vote and cleared the Senate in a 25-3 vote. The House voted 58-13 to approve the Senate map and the Senate approved the proposal in a 26-2 vote. ^[20][21] These maps took effect for Utah's 2022 legislative elections.

Both proposals differed from those presented to the legislative committee by Utah's Independent Redistricting Commission on November 1, 2021.^[22] The commission presented 12 maps (three each for House, Senate, congressional, and school board districts) to the Legislative Redistricting Committee, one of which was submitted by a citizen.^[23]

District map before and after 2020 redistricting[edit]

Below is the state Senate map in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle.

2010[edit]

See also: Redistricting in Utah after the 2010 census

Utah received its local census data on February 24, 2011. The state showed a 23.8 percent growth rate, with no county losing population. The largest cities showed mixed growth: Salt Lake City grew by 2.6 percent, West Valley City grew by 18.9 percent, Provo grew by 7.0 percent, West Jordan grew by 51.8 percent, and Orem grew by 4.7 percent. County growth was as follows: Salt Lake grew by 14.6 percent, Utah grew 40.2 percent, Davis grew by 28.2 percent, Weber grew by 17.7 percent, and Washington grew by 52.9 percent.^[24]

The Republican-controlled Legislature passed new maps on October 4, 2011, and Gov. Gary Herbert (R) signed the maps on October 19, 2011.^[25] Later, errors in the maps were discovered and revisions were passed by the legislature on January 26, 2012, and signed by the governor.^[26]

Sessions[edit]

Legislation[edit]

The legislation tracker below displays all legislation that the Utah State Senate has approved in its most recent legislative session—this includes legislation that has been sent from the Senate to the House and legislation that has already been approved by both chambers and signed by the governor. The table below includes the bill number, its name, progress, most recent action date, and sponsor. Scroll up and down and side to side to see more. Click the bill number to read the bill text and see its voting history. Click the headings to sort the content. Rearrange the order of the headings by clicking and dragging them. Click the magnifying glass in the bottom left corner to search for specific terms. The legislation tracker is maintained and updated by BillTrack50.

Dates of legislative sessions in Utah by year[edit]

2024[edit]

See also: 2024 Utah legislative session and Dates of 2024 state legislative sessions

In 2024, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 16, 2024, and adjourn on March 1, 2024.

2023[edit]

See also: 2023 Utah legislative session and Dates of 2023 state legislative sessions

In 2023, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 17, 2023, and adjourn on March 3, 2023.

Click [show] for past years' session dates.

2022[edit] See also: 2022 Utah legislative session and Dates of 2022 state legislative sessions In 2022, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 18, 2022, and adjourn on March 4, 2022. 2021[edit] See also: 2021 Utah legislative session and Dates of 2021 state legislative sessions In 2021, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 19, 2021, and adjourn on March 5, 2021. 2020[edit] See also: 2020 Utah legislative session and Dates of 2020 state legislative sessions In 2020, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 27, 2020, and adjourn on March 12, 2020. Effect of coronavirus pandemic[edit] See also: Changes to state legislative session dates in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020 Coronavirus pandemic Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more. Political responses overviewState reopening plansDocumenting America's Path to RecoveryElection changesChanges to vote-by-mail and absentee voting proceduresFederal responsesState responsesState executive ordersStay-at-home ordersMultistate agreementsNon-governmental reopening plansEvictions and foreclosures policiesTravel restrictionsEnacted state legislationState legislative session changesSchool closuresState court closuresInmate releasesLocal government responsesDiagnosed or quarantined politiciansBallot measure changesArguments about government responsesThe 1918 influenza pandemicPandemic Response Accountability CommitteeUnemployment filingsLawsuitsBallotpedia's polling on the coronavirus pandemicSubmit Several state legislatures had their sessions impacted as a result of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The Utah State Legislature adjourned on March 12, 2020. Special sessions were convened on April 16, 2020, April 23, 2020, and June 18, 2020. The legislature adjourned on June 20, 2020. A special session convened on August 20, 2020, and adjourned later that same day.[27][28] 2019[edit] See also: 2019 Utah legislative session and Dates of 2019 state legislative sessions In 2019, the legislature was in session from January 28, 2019, through March 14, 2019. 2018[edit] See also: 2018 Utah legislative session and Dates of 2018 state legislative sessions In 2018, the legislature was in session from January 22, 2018, through March 8, 2018. To read about notable events and legislation from this session, click here. 2017[edit] See also: Dates of 2017 state legislative sessions In 2017, the legislature was in session from January 23, 2017, through March 9, 2017. The legislature held a special session on September 20. 2016[edit] See also: Dates of 2016 state legislative sessions In 2016, the legislature was in session from January 25 through March 10. The legislature held a special session on May 18, 2016, over education funding and anti-monument legislation. 2015[edit] See also: Dates of 2015 state legislative sessions In 2015, the legislature was in session from January 26 through March 12. The legislature held a special session on August 19, 2015, on prison relocation. Major issues in 2015[edit] The major issue facing the Utah State Legislature was the quality of Utah's air. State Representative Patrice Arent (D) told reporters that clean-air bills were expected to receive support from both sides of the aisle because of an understanding that poor air quality can negatively impact the state's economy. According to Arent, bills the legislature considered in 2015 included funding for mass-transit, money for clean-air programs, and potential tax credits for energy-efficient vehicles.[29] 2014[edit] See also: Dates of 2014 state legislative sessions In 2014, the legislature was in session from January 27 through March 14. Major issues in 2014[edit] Major issues during the 2014 legislative session included LGBT antidiscrimination, giving protection to clergy who refuse to perform same-sex marriages, the state budget, education funding, and changing the position of Attorney General of Utah from an elected position to an appointed one. 2013[edit] See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions In 2013, the legislature was in session from January 28 to March 14. Major issues in 2013[edit] Major issues in the 2013 legislative session included ethics legislation, adoption rights, alcohol laws, and education funding.[30][31] 2012[edit] See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions In 2012, the legislature was in session from January 23 through March 8. Major issues in 2012[edit] Major topics included a projected $13 billion budget, technology for students, unauthorized immigration, and infrastructure.[32] 2011[edit] See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions In 2011, the legislature was in session from January 24 through March 10.[33] A single day special session was called by Governor Gary Herbert (R) for July 27, to consider several issues, including adjustments to health insurance rates, liquor commission guidelines, judicial evaluations, and adopting another resolution supporting a federal balanced budget amendment.[34] Gov. Herbert called for a second special session for October 3, 2011, over redistricting issues. 2010[edit] See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions In 2010, the legislature was in session from January 25 to March 11.[35]

About legislative sessions in Utah[edit]

The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.^[36] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.

Section 2 of Article VI of the Utah Constitution establishes that the Utah State Legislature, which the Senate is a part of, is to convene a new session every two years on the second Monday in January. This means that the 2010 session was actually a continuation of a regular session that convened in 2009. Section 16 of Article VI limits these regular sessions to sixty legislative days, except in cases of impeachment.^[37]

Legislative roles and procedures[edit]

Every state legislature throughout the country features its own internal procedures that it uses to govern itself and how it interacts with other parts of state government. Ballotpedia's coverage of internal state legislative procedures includes veto overrides, the role of the legislature in the state budget, and procedures for filling membership vacancies.

Veto overrides[edit]

See also: Veto overrides in state legislatures

State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in Utah are listed below.

How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Two-thirds of members in both chambers.

Two-thirds of members in both chambers must vote to override a veto, which is 50 of the 75 members in the Utah House of Representatives and 20 of the 29 members in the Utah State Senate. Utah is one of 36 states that requires a two-thirds vote from both of its legislative chambers to override a veto.

How can vetoes be overridden after the legislature has adjourned?

According to Article VII, Section 8 of the Utah Constitution, the legislature can call a special veto session to consider overrides of any bills the governor vetoed after adjournment. Two-thirds of members in both chambers must agree to do so. The session lasts for five days.

Authority: Article VII, Section 8 of the Utah Constitution.

"(1) Each bill passed by the Legislature, before it becomes a law, shall be presented to the governor. If the bill is approved, the governor shall sign it, and thereupon it shall become a law. If the bill is disapproved, it shall be returned with the governor's objections to the house in which it originated. That house shall then enter the objections upon its journal and proceed to reconsider the bill. If upon reconsideration the bill again passes both houses by a yea and nay vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house, it shall become a law."

Role in state budget[edit]

See also: Utah state budget and finances

Utah on

Check out Ballotpedia articles about policy in your state on:

Budgets • Civil liberties • Education • Elections • Energy • Environment • Healthcare • Pensions

The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:^[38]

1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies in August of the year preceding the start of the new fiscal year.
2. Agencies submit their budget requests to the governor in October.
3. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature in December.
4. The legislature typically passes a budget in March. A simple majority is required to pass a budget. The fiscal year begins July 1.

Utah is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.^[38][39]

The governor is statutorily required to submit a balanced budget to the legislature. The legislature is constitutionally required to adopt a balanced budget.^[38]

Committees[edit]

See also: List of committees in Utah state government

Every state legislature and state legislative chamber in the country contains several legislative committees. These committees are responsible for studying, amending, and voting on legislation before it reaches the floor of a chamber for a full vote. The different types of committees include standing committees, select or special, and joint.

• Standing committees are generally permanent committees, the names of which sometimes change from session to session.
• Select or special committees are temporary committees formed to deal with specific issues such as recent legislation, major public policy or proposals, or investigations.
• Joint committees are committees that feature members of both chambers of a legislature.

Ballotpedia covers standing and joint committees. The Utah State Senate has 12 standing committees:

Constitutional amendments[edit]

In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.

The methods in which the Utah Constitution can be amended:

See also: Article XXIII of the Utah Constitution and Laws governing ballot measures in Utah

[The Utah Constitution provides two mechanisms for amending the state's constitution— a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. Utah requires a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) for voters to approve constitutional amendments.

Legislature[edit]

See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

According to Article XXIII, the state Legislature can refer constitutional amendments to the ballot for voters to decide. A two-thirds majority vote in both the legislative chambers vote is required during one legislative session for the Utah State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 50 votes in the Utah House of Representatives and 20 votes in the Utah State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

Convention[edit]

See also: Convention-referred constitutional amendment

According to Section 2 of Article XXIII, a ballot question about whether to hold a convention can go on the ballot if two-thirds of the members of the Utah State Legislature vote to put it on the ballot.

2025 measures:

See also: 2025 ballot measures

Certified:

The following measures have been certified for the ballot.

No measures to list

Potential:

The following measures have made it through one chamber—or one session for two session states—and may appear on the ballot in 2025.

No measures to list

2024 measures:

Below is a list of measures that were referred to the 2024 ballot by the legislature or that have made it approximately halfway through the process in the legislature for referral to the ballot in 2024.

See also: Utah 2024 ballot measures

Certified:

The following measures have been certified for the ballot.

Utah Elections of County Sheriffs Amendment				Democrats	Republicans
Senate:	Required: 20	Yes votes: 26 (89.66%)	No votes: 0 (0.00%)	Yes: 6; No: 0	Yes: 20; No: 0
House:	Required: 50	Yes votes: 72 (96.00%)	No votes: 0 (0.00%)	Yes: 13; No: 0	Yes: 59; No: 0
Utah State School Fund Distribution Cap Increase Amendment				Democrats	Republicans
Senate:	Required: 20	Yes votes: 27 (93.10%)	No votes: 0 (0.00%)	Yes: 6; No: 0	Yes: 21; No: 0
House:	Required: 50	Yes votes: 66 (88.00%)	No votes: 0 (0.00%)	Yes: 14; No: 0	Yes: 52; No: 0
Utah Constitutional Requirements for Education Funding Amendment				Democrats	Republicans
Senate:	Required: 20	Yes votes: 22 (89.66%)	No votes: 6 (0.00%)	Yes: 0; No: 6	Yes: 22; No: 0
House:	Required: 50	Yes votes: 57 (76.00%)	No votes: 17 (22.66%)	Yes: 0; No: 14	Yes: 57; No: 3

Potential:

The following measures have made it through one chamber—or one session for two session states—and may appear on the ballot in 2024.

Utah Effective Dates of Legislation Amendment				Democrats	Republicans
Senate:	Required: 20	Yes votes: 29 (100.00%)	No votes: 0 (0.00%)	Yes: 6; No: 0	Yes: 23; No: 0
House:	Required:	Yes votes: (%)	No votes: (%)	Yes: ; No:	Yes: ; No:
Utah Supermajority Vote Requirement to Pass Initiatives Increasing or Creating Taxes Amendment				Democrats	Republicans
Senate:	Required:	Yes votes: (%)	No votes: (%)	Yes: ; No:	Yes: ; No:
House:	Required:	Yes votes: (%)	No votes: (%)	Yes: ; No:	Yes: ; No:

See also[edit]

Elections	Utah State Government	State Legislatures	State Politics
Utah State Senate elections, 2024 Utah State Senate elections, 2022 Utah State Senate elections, 2020	Utah State Legislature Utah House of Representatives Governor of Utah Utah Supreme Court	State legislative elections, 2024 State legislative elections, 2023 State legislative elections, 2022 State legislative elections, 2021 State legislative elections, 2020	State government trifectas State government triplexes State executives State courts Ballot measures

External links[edit]

• Utah State Senate

Footnotes[edit]

v • e State legislatures Legislatures Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S) 2024 State legislative elections (2024) • State legislative special elections (2024) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2024 Session Dates 2023 State legislative elections (2023) • State legislative special elections (2023) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2023 Session Dates Historical elections 2022 •  2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 Features of state legislatures How vacancies are filled in state legislatures • States with a full-time legislature • State legislatures with term limits • Comparison of state legislative salaries • When state legislators assume office after a general election • Population represented by state legislators • State constitutional articles governing state legislatures • State legislative sessions • Resign-to-run law • State legislature candidate requirements by state • Official names of state legislatures • State legislative chambers that use multi-member districts • Factors Affecting Competitiveness in State Legislative Elections State senates Length of terms of state senators • State senators • Partisan composition of state senates • State senators sorted by year first elected State houses Length of terms of state representatives • State representatives • Partisan composition of state houses • State representatives sorted by year first elected Leadership positions President of the Senate • President Pro Tempore • Senate Majority Leader • Senate Minority Leader • House Majority Leader • House Minority Leader • State Speaker of the House

v • e Ballotpedia About Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities Executive: Leslie Graves, President • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Michelle Robinson, Senior Product Manager, Education & School Boards Communications: Alison Graves • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Sarah Groat • Erica Shumaker • Caitlin Vanden Boom External Relations: Andrew Heath • Moira Delaney • Hannah Nelson Operations: Meghann Olshefski • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch Policy: Caitlin Styrsky • Audrey Bayne • Molly Byrne • Jon Dunn • Jimmy McAllister • Annelise Reinwald Research: Josh Altic Tech: Matt Latourelle • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Trevor Pollo • Joseph Sanchez Contributors: Scott Rasmussen Editorial Geoff Pallay, Editor-in-Chief • Daniel Anderson, Managing Editor • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor • Cory Eucalitto, Managing Editor • Mandy Gillip, Managing Editor • Doug Kronaizl, Local Elections Project Manager • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Juan García de Paredes • Joseph Greaney • Jaime Healy-Plotkin • Tyler King • Roneka Matheny • Andrew McNair • Ellie Mikus • Jackie Mitchell • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Ethan Rice • Victoria Rose • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Maddie Sinclair Johnson • Abbey Smith • Janie Valentine • Joel Williams • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox • Mercedes Yanora

	v • e State of Utah Salt Lake City (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2024 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy