Utah House convenes special session to seek constitutional amendment on citizen initiatives; completes organization and short procedural business

The Utah House of Representatives convened in a fourth special session Aug. 21, 2024 at the Utah State Capitol to consider a joint proclamation calling for a proposed constitutional amendment affecting citizen initiatives and referendums, changes to the timing for referendum signature gathering, limited election-administration adjustments to place the proposal on the ballot, and a correction to justice court jurisdiction stemming from 2024’s SB 180.

Chief Clerk Megan Allen read the joint proclamation on behalf of Senate President J. Stewart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz, stating the special session would begin at 4:45 p.m. and outlining four items for consideration. The proclamation said the session was prompted in part by “this Utah Supreme Court's recent decision upending over 100 years of representative democracy in Utah” and raised concerns about protecting the initiative and referendum process from foreign funding, among other items.

The House first completed organizational business. Representative Brammer moved that bills and resolutions be read by short title only unless two-thirds of the chamber orders otherwise; the motion was adopted. Representative Jefferson Moss moved that the Speaker be authorized to appoint a committee to notify the Senate the House was organized; the motion passed and the Speaker appointed Representatives Musselman, Hall and Briscoe to the committee. Representative Jennifer Dailey-Provost moved to authorize a committee to meet with a like Senate committee to notify the Governor; the motion passed and the Speaker appointed Representatives Barlow, Clancy and Carol Spackman Moss to that committee.

Under personal privilege, Representative Tuscher introduced a citation honoring five recent Bingham High School graduates who came to the aid of an injured camper. The names were read into the House record and the chamber authorized the Speaker to sign the citation on the body’s behalf. Representative Tuscher described the students’ actions and noted family members were present in the gallery.

Representative Jefferson Moss twice sought a brief recess (recorded in the transcript as a motion to “saunter”); the first attempt was withdrawn, and a subsequent motion to recess for five minutes until 5:10 p.m. passed and the House entered a short recess.

No substantive debate on the proclamation items or bills was recorded in the provided portion of the transcript; the session, as captured here, focused on organization, committee notifications, and ceremonial business. Further consideration of the proclamation’s substantive items—proposed constitutional amendment language, any implementing bills, and any votes on those measures—were not part of the segments provided.