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Utah House adopts temporary 5-minute debate rule to speed floor calendar
Summary
The Utah House on Feb. 24 suspended its rules and adopted a temporary 5-minute limit on debate for House bills on the calendar, allowing majority votes to extend or cut off debate. The change was presented as a way to expedite a heavy legislative calendar and passed on a voice vote.
The Utah House of Representatives voted to suspend the rules for the day and impose a five-minute limit on debate for house bills on the calendar, a procedural change members said was necessary to move the body through a large docket.
Representative Harwood moved the suspension and explained the temporary rule: debate on each house bill would be limited to five minutes, with a simple majority able to vote to extend or cut off debate. "That debate will be limited on all house bills to 5 minutes," he said, adding that extensions "may be extended or thereafter cut off by a majority vote." The motion carried and the House proceeded under the new timing rules.
Supporters said the change would give sponsors a fair chance to be heard while preserving the chamber's ability to finish the day's business. Opponents did not press extended debate on the procedural motion, and members adopted the temporary rule by voice vote.
The House used the rule immediately as it moved through a series of committee reports and contested and uncontested bills. The House recorded later roll-call votes on substantive measures while operating under the new timing structure. The change applies only for the day and may be rescinded or renewed by subsequent motions of the House.
