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Senate passes amended initiative-reform bill after floor fight over district threshold
Summary
After a lengthy floor debate and an amendment, the Utah Senate passed First Substitute Senate Bill 28 changing initiative petition thresholds from 29 of 29 senate districts to 26 of 29, with supporters saying it prevents single-district blockage and opponents warning it could disenfranchise smaller counties.
The Utah Senate on Feb. 7 passed First Substitute Senate Bill 28, an amendment to the statewide citizen initiative process, after a prolonged floor debate and an amendment that lowered the required senate-district threshold for initiative petitions.
Senator Bill Hickman, the Senate sponsor, put the bill before the body and answered questions but deferred much of the debate to floor amendments. Senator Mark Valentine moved an amendment to change references on lines 35 and 57 from "29 of 29" senate districts to "26 of 29," arguing the change prevents a single senate district…
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