House amends annexation bill to remove notarization requirement, advances measure

The Utah House on Jan. 28 took up Senate Bill 18, a bill that updates notification and petition procedures for municipal annexations in first-class counties. Representative Lawrence, sponsor on the floor, said the bill requires notice of a petition and proposed annexation to property owners and those within 300 feet, specifies language that must appear on petitions, and allows a 30-day period during which signers may withdraw their names.

During floor consideration, a member proposed deleting the word "notarized" from multiple sections that had required a notarized signature for withdrawal of a petition signature. The proponent of the amendment argued that requiring a notary would make it harder for citizens to withdraw signatures than to add them and that clerks already verify signatures when they are processed. "What this bill does... it makes it more cumbersome for John Q. Citizen to remove his name off a petition," the member said while offering the amendment. Representative Lawrence characterized the change as a friendly amendment agreed by stakeholders.

The House adopted the amendment to delete the notarization language and proceeded to circle and advance the bill. Sponsor Lawrence said the measure is intended to give clearer notice to property owners and to require that petitions include information about how signing affects voting rights and where to seek more information. The sponsor also noted provisions allowing a 30-day withdrawal window and a requirement that withdrawal procedures be available to affected property owners.

Supporters said the amendment will make the process less burdensome for residents while still protecting their right to be informed about annexations. The bill, as amended, was circled for further action and was moved forward on the House calendar.

Next steps depend on the Senate calendar and any additional committee actions required for those measures.