PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 5, 2018
CONTACT: Katie Matheson | Alliance for a Better Utah
(WE SPOKE TOO SOON)
REPRESENTATIVES PASS BILL GIVING THEMSELVES TIME TO CHANGE INITIATIVES
Salt Lake City, UT – After initially being defeated on the floor of the House, representatives reconsidered H.B. 471, “Initiative Amendments” and passed it by a 46-25 vote. This bill from Rep. Brad Daw (R – Orem) would delay implementation of ballot initiatives once approved until sixty days following the next legislative session.
Chase Thomas, policy and advocacy counsel with Alliance for a Better Utah, issued the following statement:
“Even if it was only for a little over an hour, it was nice believing that representatives truly cared about what their constituents want. However, lawmakers who voted for this bill have now shown they’d prefer to delay ballot initiatives because they think they better understand what’s best for Utah voters. The Legislature could just as easily wait for a few weeks to address any inconsistencies between initiatives and existing law, but instead have chosen to delay the will of the people in favor of implementing their own policy preferences. We are sure voters will share in our disappointment when they realize how little trust their representatives place in their ability to exercise the constitutional ballot initiative power.”
Those who voted against H.B. 471 on the first vote, but switched to “yea” after reconsideration were Reps. Ivory, Miles, Watkins, Quinn, Pulsipher, Edwards, Handy, Moss, Eliason, Lisonbee, Snow, and Coleman.
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Alliance for a Better Utah is a good government advocacy and watchdog organization based in Salt Lake City. The organization works to improve the lives of all Utahns by ensuring balance, transparency, and accountability in Utah politics, policy, and government. More information at www.betterutah.org.