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Utah House rejects bill to create bipartisan task force on legislative reform
Summary
House Bill 281, sponsored by Representative Hanson to form a bipartisan Task Force on Legislative Reforms, failed on the House floor after members voiced concerns it would duplicate an existing legislative process committee; the measure lost 36–37.
Representative Neil Hanson introduced House Bill 281, a proposal to create a bipartisan Task Force on Legislative Reforms to study appropriations, interim processes, campaign finance, gift reform and session length. Hanson told colleagues the task force would meet monthly through the interim and invite public input to identify ways to make legislative operations more efficient.
Opponents said the work is already handled by the existing legislative process committee. Representative Ferry, who served on that committee, argued many items on Hanson’s list have already been addressed and described the task force as duplicative. Representative Bigelow, a past chair of the process committee, said the standing committee meets as needed and questioned why a separate task force was needed.
Representative Keiser offered an amendment to change the number of House appointees so the task force would better reflect the chamber’s partisan balance; Hanson accepted the change. After debate the House voted on the bill. The clerk announced the tally: 36 yes, 37 no; the bill failed and will be filed.
Because the bill was not adopted, there is no assignment of follow-up tasks or an interim schedule from the floor; supporters said they may pursue reform through individual bills in future sessions.
