Joint Rules Resolution - Resolution Amendments

6
JR4-1-204
JR4-2-101
JR4-5-104
1
Joint Rules Resolution - Resolution Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Calvin Roberts
Senate Sponsor: Lincoln Fillmore
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This joint rules resolution modifies provisions related to resolutions.
Highlighted Provisions:
This resolution:
defines terms;
requires a legislator to obtain a citation, rather than a resolution, for certain purposes;
prohibits a rules committee from referring a resolution that violates certain rules; and
makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Legislative Rules Affected:
AMENDS:
JR4-2-101
JR4-5-104
ENACTS:
JR4-1-204
Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1.
JR4-1-204
is enacted to read:
JR4-1-204
. Purpose of resolutions.
(1)
As used in this rule:
(a)
"Binding resolution" means a resolution that:
(i)
enacts or amends Joint Rules, Senate Rules, or House Rules;
(ii)
proposes a constitutional amendment; or
(iii)
approves or authorizes an action, requires a substantive action to be taken, or
results in a change in law or funding.
(b)
(i)
"Nonbinding resolution" means a resolution that:
(A)
requests, rather than compels, action or awareness; and
(B)
communicates a policy position of the Senate, House of Representatives, or
Legislature.
(ii)
"Nonbinding resolution" does not include a binding resolution.
(c)
"Resolution" means a binding resolution or a nonbinding resolution.
(2)
(a)
A resolution may not recognize, honor, memorialize, or express support or
appreciation for an individual, group, or event.
(b)
A legislator wishing to recognize, honor, memorialize, or express support or
appreciation for an individual, group, or event may obtain a citation in accordance
with Senate Rules, Title 1, Chapter 7, Citations, or House Rules, Title 1, Chapter 7,
Citations.
(3)
If a resolution violates Subsection
(2)(a)
, the Senate Rules Committee and House Rules
Committee under
SR3-1-102
and
HR3-1-102
, respectively, may not:
(a)
refer the resolution to a standing committee; or
(b)
recommend that the resolution be placed on a reading calendar.
Section 2.
JR4-2-101
is amended to read:
JR4-2-101
. Requests for legislation -- Timing.
(1)
As used in this rule, "appointed legislator" means:
(a)
an incumbent legislator appointed to replace another legislator who resigns or is
unable to serve; or
(b)
an individual appointed to replace a legislator who resigns or is unable to serve.
(2)
(a)
A legislator wishing to introduce a bill or resolution shall file a request for
legislation with the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel within the
time limits established by this rule.
(b)
The request for legislation shall:
(i)
designate the chief sponsor, who is knowledgeable about and responsible for
providing pertinent information as the legislation is drafted; and
(ii)
include drafting instructions for the legislation.
(c)
The chief sponsor of a resolution shall ensure that the drafting instructions provided
under Subsection
(2)(b)(ii)
comply with
JR4-1-204
.
(c)
(d)
(i)
(A)
The chief sponsor may modify the drafting instructions provided
in
accordance with
under
Subsection
(2)(b)(ii)
only if the modified drafting
instructions do not deviate from the core subject matter of the original drafting
instructions.
(B)
The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall apply the
standard described in Subsection
(2)(c)(i)(A)
(2)(d)(i)(A)
in a manner that
favors the chief sponsor.
(ii)
If the chief sponsor wishes to modify the drafting instructions in a manner
prohibited under Subsection
(2)(c)(i)
(2)(d)(i)
, the chief sponsor shall file a new,
separate request for legislation in accordance with this rule.
(3)
(a)
Any legislator may file a request for legislation beginning 60 days after the
Legislature adjourns its annual general session sine die.
(b)
A legislator-elect may file a request for legislation beginning on:
(i)
the day after:
(A)
for a single county race, the date on which the county election canvass is
completed; or
(B)
for a multi-county race, the date on which the statewide election canvass is
completed; or
(ii)
if the legislator-elect's election results have not been finalized as of the canvass
date, the day after the date the election results for the legislator-elect's race are
finalized.
(c)
(i)
An incumbent legislator may not file any requests for legislation as of the date
that the legislator:
(A)
fails to file to run for election to a seat in the Legislature;
(B)
is ineligible to be included on the ballot for the election in which the legislator
would have sought an additional term; or
(C)
fails to win reelection and the legislator's opponent is eligible to file a request
for legislation under Subsection
(3)(b)
.
(ii)
Subsection
(3)(c)(i)
does not apply to a request for legislation for:
(A)
a general session that occurs while the legislator is in office; or
(B)
a special session that occurs while the legislator is in office.
(d)
(i)
Except as provided in Subsection
(3)(e)
, if a legislator who filed a request for
legislation is unable to serve in the next annual general session for any reason, the
former legislator may seek another legislator to assume sponsorship of the former
legislator's legislation.
(ii)
If a former legislator is unable to find another legislator to assume sponsorship
under Subsection
(3)(d)(i)
, the Office of Legislative Research and General
Counsel shall abandon each request the earlier of:
(A)
30 days after the day on which the former legislator is unable to serve; or
(B)
noon on the 11th day of the annual general session.
(iii)
The 30-day time period described in Subsection
(3)(d)(ii)(A)
begins the day on
which a former legislator no longer holds the former legislator's seat.
(e)
(i)
If a legislator dies while in office and is the chief sponsor of one or more
requests for legislation or pieces of legislation, the individual appointed to the
legislator's seat may assume sponsorship of each request for legislation or piece of
legislation.
(ii)
If the individual appointed to the legislator's seat chooses not to assume
sponsorship of one or more of the legislator's requests for legislation or pieces of
legislation, the following individual shall seek another legislator to assume
sponsorship of each request for legislation or piece of legislation:
(A)
if the legislator was a member of the House majority caucus, the House
majority leader;
(B)
if the legislator was a member of the House minority caucus, the House
minority leader;
(C)
if the legislator was a member of the Senate majority caucus, the Senate
majority leader; or
(D)
if the legislator was a member of the Senate minority caucus, the Senate
minority leader.
(iii)
If the individual described in Subsection
(3)(e)(ii)
does not find a new sponsor:
(A)
for a request for legislation, the Office of Legislative Research and General
Counsel shall abandon the request for legislation; and
(B)
for legislation, the legislation shall be returned to the originating chamber and
filed.
(f)
(i)
A legislator-elect who is an incumbent legislator may retain any requests for
legislation the legislator-elect filed before the date described in Subsection
(3)(b)
.
(ii)
An appointed legislator who is an incumbent legislator may retain any requests
for legislation the appointed legislator filed before assuming the seat to which the
legislator is appointed.
(4)
(a)
Except as provided in Subsection
(4)(c)
, a legislator may not file a request for
legislation with the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel after noon
on the 11th day of the annual general session.
(b)
On the 11th day of the annual general session, the Office of Legislative Research and
General Counsel shall make public on the Legislature's website the short title and
sponsor of each request for legislation, unless the sponsor abandons the request for
legislation before noon on the 11th day of the annual general session.
(c)
(i)
After the 11th day of the annual general session, a legislator may file a request
for legislation only if:
(A)
for House legislation, the representative makes a motion to request legislation
for drafting and introduction and that motion is approved by a constitutional
majority of the House; or
(B)
for Senate legislation, the senator makes a motion to request legislation for
drafting and introduction and that motion is approved by a constitutional
majority vote of the Senate.
(ii)
The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall make public on the
Legislature's website the short title and sponsor of each request for legislation
described in this Subsection
(4)(c)
.
(5)
After a request for legislation is abandoned, a legislator may not revive the request for
legislation.
(6)
A legislator wishing to obtain funding for a project, program, or entity, when that
funding request does not require that a statute be enacted, repealed, or amended, may not
file a request for legislation but instead shall file a request for appropriation by following
the procedures and requirements of
JR3-2-701
.
Section 3.
JR4-5-104
is amended to read:
JR4-5-104
. Converting certain joint and concurrent resolutions.
(1)
As used in this rule:
(a)
"Nonbinding concurrent resolution" means a nonbinding resolution that is a
concurrent resolution.
(b)
"Nonbinding House joint resolution" means a nonbinding resolution that is a House
joint resolution.
(c)
(i)
"Nonbinding resolution" means
a resolution that:
the same as that term is
defined in
JR4-1-204
.
(A)
is primarily for the purpose of recognizing, honoring, or memorializing an
individual, group, or event;
(B)
requests, rather than compels, action or awareness by an individual or group;
or
(C)
is informational or promotional in nature.
(ii)
"Nonbinding resolution" does not include:
(A)
a rules resolution;
(B)
a resolution for a constitutional amendment; or
(C)
any resolution that approves or authorizes any action, requires any
substantive action be taken, or results in a change in law, policy, or funding
.
(d)
"Nonbinding Senate joint resolution" means a nonbinding resolution that is a Senate
joint resolution.
(2)
(a)
A nonbinding concurrent resolution converts to a joint resolution if the governor
does not approve the nonbinding concurrent resolution before the expiration of the
time limit described in
Utah Constitution, Article VII, Section 8
,
that would apply if
the nonbinding concurrent resolution were a bill.
(b)
A nonbinding Senate joint resolution converts to a Senate resolution if:
(i)
the Senate passes the nonbinding Senate joint resolution; and
(ii)
the House does not pass the same version of the nonbinding Senate joint
resolution as the Senate.
(c)
A nonbinding House joint resolution converts to a House resolution if:
(i)
the House passes the nonbinding House joint resolution; and
(ii)
the Senate does not pass the same version of the nonbinding House joint
resolution as the House.
(3)
The version of a nonbinding Senate joint resolution or a nonbinding House joint
resolution that passes the originating chamber is the version that converts to a Senate
resolution or a House resolution.
(4)
(a)
The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall convert a resolution
in accordance with this rule when the office enrolls the resolution.
(b)
The legislative general counsel may make technical revisions to convert a resolution
in accordance with this rule, including the revisions necessary to comply with
JR4-1-301
.
(5)
When the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel converts a resolution in
accordance with this rule, the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall
note the conversion in the Laws of Utah and on the enrolled resolution.
Section 4.
Effective Date.
This resolution takes effect upon a successful vote for final passage.
1-19-26 4:02 PM