HB 160

01-06 15:08  H.B. 160
1Statewide Initiative Modifications
  2026 GENERAL SESSION
  STATE OF UTAH
  Chief Sponsor: Andrew Stoddard
  Senate Sponsor:
2
3   LONG TITLE
4   General Description:
5This bill modifies provisions governing statewide initiatives.
6   Highlighted Provisions:
7This bill:
8▸ increases the percentage of legal signatures a person must obtain to have an initiative
9   submitted to the Legislature from 4% to 8%;
10▸ equalizes the percentage described above with the percentage of legal signatures a person
11   must obtain to have an initiative submitted to a vote of the people;
12▸ requires an initiative not enacted by the Legislature to automatically be submitted to a
13   vote of the people at the next regular general election; and
14▸ makes conforming changes.
15   Money Appropriated in this Bill:
16None
17   Other Special Clauses:
18None
19   Utah Code Sections Affected:
20   AMENDS:
2120A-7-201, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 448
2220A-7-208, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapters 107, 116
23
  H.B. 160
24   Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25Section 1. Section 20A-7-201 is amended to read:
2620A-7-201 . Statewide initiatives -- Signature requirements -- Submission to the
27   Legislature or to a vote of the people.
28   (1)(a) A person seeking to have an initiative submitted to the Legislature for approval or
29rejection shall, after filing an initiative application, obtain:
30(i) legal signatures equal to [4%] 8% of the number of active voters in the state on
 H.B. 160  01-06 15:08
31January 1 immediately following the last regular general election; and
32(ii) from at least 26 Utah State Senate districts, legal signatures equal to [4%] 8% of
33the number of active voters in that district on January 1 immediately following the
34last regular general election.
35      (b) If, at any time not less than 10 calendar days before the beginning of the next annual
36general session of the Legislature, the lieutenant governor declares that an initiative
37petition designated under Subsection 20A-7-202(2)(c)(i) for submission to the
38Legislature is signed by a sufficient number of voters to meet the requirements of
39Subsection (1)(a), the lieutenant governor shall deliver a copy of the initiative
40petition, the text of the proposed law, and the cover sheet described in Subsection
41(1)(c) to the president of the Senate, the speaker of the House, and the director of the
42Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.
43      (c) The lieutenant governor shall prepare a cover sheet for a petition declared sufficient
44under Subsection (1)(b) that contains:
45(i) the number of active voters in the state on January 1 immediately following the
46last regular general election;
47(ii) the number of active voters in each Utah State Senate district on January 1
48immediately following the last regular general election;
49(iii) the total number of certified signatures obtained for the initiative petition; and
50(iv) the total number of certified signatures obtained from each Utah State Senate
51district for the initiative petition.
52  (2)(a) A person seeking to have an initiative submitted to a vote of the people for
53      approval or rejection shall, after filing an initiative application, obtain:
54(i) legal signatures equal to 8% of the number of active voters in the state on January
551 immediately following the last regular general election; and
56(ii) from at least 26 Utah State Senate districts, legal signatures equal to 8% of the
57number of active voters in that district on January 1 immediately following the
58last regular general election.
59      (b) If an initiative petition meets the requirements of this part and the lieutenant
60governor declares that the initiative petition is signed by a sufficient number of voters
61to meet the requirements of Subsection (2)(a), the lieutenant governor shall submit
62the proposed law to a vote of the people at the next regular general election:
63(i) immediately after the application is filed under Section 20A-7-202; and
64(ii) specified on the petition under Section 20A-7-203.
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65   (3) The lieutenant governor shall provide the following information to any interested person:
66(a) the number of active voters in the state on January 1 immediately following the last
67regular general election; and
68(b) for each Utah State Senate district, the number of active voters in that district on
69January 1 immediately following the last regular general election.
70Section 2. Section 20A-7-208 is amended to read:
7120A-7-208 . Disposition of initiative petitions by the Legislature.
72   (1)(a) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b), when the lieutenant governor delivers an
73initiative petition to the Legislature, the law proposed by that initiative petition shall
74be either enacted or rejected without change or amendment by the Legislature.
75(b) The speaker of the House and the president of the Senate may direct legislative staff
76to make technical corrections authorized by Section 36-12-12.
77(c) If any law proposed by an initiative petition is enacted by the Legislature, the law is
78subject to referendum the same as other laws.
79   (2) If any law proposed by an intiative petition is not enacted by the Legislature, that
80proposed law shall be submitted to a vote of the people at the next regular general
81election[ if:] .
82[(a) sufficient additional signatures to the petition are first obtained to bring the total
83number of signatures up to the number required by Subsection 20A-7-201(2); and]
84[(b) those additional signatures are verified, certified by the county clerks, and declared
85sufficient by the lieutenant governor as provided in Section 20A-7-105 and this part.]
86Section 3. Effective Date.
87   This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.
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