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Utah House passes bill easing partisan requirements for many state boards and commissions
Summary
The House approved third substitute House Bill 11 on Feb. 1, 2017, 51–21, removing partisan appointment requirements for a subset of state boards to prioritize expertise and ease vacancies; supporters said it affects about 24 of roughly 414 boards, while opponents warned it reduces political balance on important panels.
The Utah House of Representatives on Feb. 1 passed third substitute House Bill 11, changing how the governor appoints members to a set of state boards and commissions and removing partisan-appointment requirements for many of them. The measure passed on a floor vote of 51 yes to 21 no and was transmitted to the Senate.
Representative Thurston, the bill sponsor, told the House the measure is aimed at making it easier to fill volunteer positions and to emphasize professional qualifications over party affiliation. He said the state has roughly 414 boards and commissions and the substitute under consideration removes partisan requirements for about 24 of them, allowing appointments based on geography, profession and other forms of diversity rather than primary…
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