House Rules Modifications

23
HR1-10-102
HR3-2-305
HR3-2-313
HR3-2-314
HR3-2-405
HR3-2-406
HR4-3-301
HR4-4-301
HR4-6-105.5
0
House Rules Modifications
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: James A. Dunnigan
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This rules resolution modifies House Rules.
Highlighted Provisions:
This resolution:
defines "sponsor's supporting information";
allows a chief sponsor of legislation to provide the sponsor's supporting information,
subject to certain requirements;
requires a legislative sponsor to sit at the presenter's table while a standing committee
considers the legislative sponsor's legislation, with exceptions;
modifies the process by which a standing committee chair allows a response to motions;
amends the definition of "nonbinding resolution";
clarifies that reinstating a word or words does not count toward the word limit under a
verbal amendment;
allows legislation assigned to the consent calendar to be reassigned to the third reading
calendar, under certain circumstances;
modifies the prohibited references on the floor; and
makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This resolution provides a special effective date.
Legislative Rules Affected:
AMENDS:
HR3-2-305
Effective
upon final passage

HR3-2-313
Effective
upon final passage

HR3-2-314
Effective
upon final passage

HR3-2-405
Effective
upon final passage

HR3-2-406
Effective
upon final passage

HR4-3-301
Effective
upon final passage

HR4-4-301
Effective
upon final passage

HR4-6-105.5
Effective
upon final passage

ENACTS:
HR1-10-102
Effective
03/07/26

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the state of Utah:
Section 1.
HR1-10-102
is enacted to read:
HR1-10-102
Effective
03/07/26
. Sponsor's supporting information.
(1)
As used in this rule, "sponsor's supporting information" means a document that contains
information in support of legislation, including:
(a)
the chief sponsor's policy objective;
(b)
the chief sponsor's description of the legislation's anticipated impact; or
(c)
any other information related to the legislation that the chief sponsor wishes to
convey.
(2)
A sponsor's supporting information is not part of the legislation.
(3)
Subject to Subsections
(4)
and
(5)
, a chief sponsor may provide sponsor's supporting
information:
(a)
to the chief clerk of the House; and
(b)
anytime after the chief sponsor's legislation is numbered and before the Legislature
adjourns sine die the legislative session during which the legislation is introduced.
(4)
A chief sponsor shall ensure that the sponsor's supporting information:
(a)
is a portable document format file;
(b)
does not exceed the equivalent of two standard letter-size pages;
(c)
includes:
(i)
the chief sponsor's name;
(ii)
the legislation's number and, if the supporting information relates to substitute
legislation, the substitute number; and
(iii)
the following statement at the bottom of the first page: "DISCLAIMER: The
supporting information contained in this document is provided by the legislation's
chief sponsor and has not been reviewed for accuracy. This supporting
information is not an official part of the legislation and may not be used as
evidence of the Legislature's intent."
(5)
A chief sponsor may replace the sponsor's supporting information provided under this
rule only if the replacement:
(a)
updates the sponsor's supporting information because the legislation is amended or
substituted; or
(b)
corrects a factual error.
(6)
The chief clerk of the House or the chief clerk's designee shall ensure that a sponsor's
supporting information, if provided, is publicly accessible on the chief sponsor's
webpage through the House's website.
Section 2.
HR3-2-305
is amended to read:
HR3-2-305
Effective
upon final passage
. Four phases when considering
legislation.
(1)
Legislation under consideration by a standing committee is subject to four distinct
phases during a committee meeting:
(a)
the sponsor's presentation as provided in
HR3-2-306
;
(b)
clarifying questions as provided in
HR3-2-307
;
(c)
public comment as provided in
HR3-2-308
; and
(d)
committee action as provided in
HR3-2-309
.
(2)
A standing committee may not consider legislation unless the legislative sponsor is
present.
(3)
(a)
Except as provided in Subsection
(3)(c)
, a legislative sponsor shall sit at the
presenter's table while a standing committee considers the legislative sponsor's
legislation.
(b)
Subsection
(3)(a)
applies regardless of whether the legislative sponsor is a member
of the standing committee.
(c)
A legislative sponsor may sit with the audience during the public comment phase, at
the chair's discretion.
Section 3.
HR3-2-313
is amended to read:
HR3-2-313
Effective
upon final passage
. Chair to allow response to motions
before placing motions for a vote.
(1)
After
the
a
chair accepts an original motion, and before the chair places the original
motion for a vote, the chair shall permit, in the following order:
(a)
the committee member who placed the original motion to speak to the original
motion;
(b)
except as provided in Subsection
(3)
,
the
chief
legislative
sponsor of the legislation
that is affected by the original motion to respond to the original motion;
(b)
(c)
committee members to debate the original motion;
(d)
the legislative sponsor of the legislation that is affected by the original motion to
respond to the debate;
and
(c)
(e)
the committee member who placed the original motion to have the final word on
the motion.
(2)
After a chair accepts a substitute motion, and before the chair places the substitute
motion for a vote, the chair shall permit, in the following order:
(a)
the committee member who placed the substitute motion to speak to the substitute
motion;
(b)
the committee member who placed the original motion to respond to the substitute
motion;
(b)
(c)
except as provided in Subsection
(3)
,
the
chief
legislative
sponsor of the
legislation that is affected by the substitute motion to respond to the substitute
motion;
(c)
(d)
committee members to debate the substitute motion;
(e)
the legislative sponsor of the legislation that is affected by the substitute motion to
respond to the debate;
and
(d)
(f)
the committee member who placed the substitute motion to have the final word
on the motion.
(3)
For a motion or substitute motion to favorably recommend, permitting the legislative
sponsor to respond under Subsection
(1)(b)
or
(2)(c)
is at the chair's discretion.
Section 4.
HR3-2-314
is amended to read:
HR3-2-314
Effective
upon final passage
. Chair to place motion for vote.
After the chair has permitted a committee member to sum on a motion as required under
HR3-2-313(4)
HR3-2-313
, the chair shall place the motion for a vote unless the motion is
withdrawn subject to the requirements of
HR3-2-511
.
Section 5.
HR3-2-405
is amended to read:
HR3-2-405
Effective
upon final passage
. Consent calendar -- Nonbinding
resolutions -- Committee recommendations.
(1)
As used in this rule, "nonbinding resolution":
(a)
means a resolution that:
(i)
is primarily for the purpose of recognizing, honoring, or memorializing an
individual, group, or event;
(ii)
requests, rather than compels, action or awareness by an individual or group; or
(iii)
is informational or promotional in nature; and
(b)
does not mean:
(i)
a rules resolution;
(ii)
a resolution for a constitutional amendment; or
(iii)
any resolution that approves or authorizes any action, requires any substantive
action to be taken, or results in a change in law, policy, or funding.
(1)
As used in this rule, "nonbinding resolution" means the same as that term is defined in
JR4-1-204
.
(2)
(a)
A nonbinding resolution shall be placed on the consent calendar.
(b)
A nonbinding resolution may be moved to the time certain calendar or other calendar
by a majority vote of those present.
(3)
On or before the 41st day of an annual general session, a standing committee may
recommend that legislation in the standing committee's possession be placed on the
consent calendar if:
(a)
the committee approves a motion, by a unanimous vote of those present, to give the
legislation a favorable recommendation;
(b)
immediately
subsequent to
after
that action, the committee approves a separate
motion, by a unanimous vote of those present, to recommend that the legislation be
placed on the consent calendar; and
(c)
for Senate legislation, the Senate legislation is not a fiscal note bill, as that term is
defined in
JR4-4-101
.
Section 6.
HR3-2-406
is amended to read:
HR3-2-406
Effective
upon final passage
. Amending legislation -- Verbal
amendments -- Amendments must be germane.
(1)
(a)
Subject to the provisions of this rule and
HR3-2-306
, and if recognized by the
chair during the presentation phase or the committee action phase, a committee
member may make a motion to amend the legislation that is under consideration.
(b)
(i)
A committee member may propose a verbal amendment to the legislation under
consideration if the amendment contains 15 or fewer words.
(ii)
Unless the amendment contains 15 or fewer words, before proposing a motion to
amend, a committee member shall ensure that a copy of the proposed amendment
is available online.
(iii)
Each word inserted shall count as one of the 15 words permitted under a verbal
amendment, except that:
(A)
numbering shall not be counted as a word;
(B)
instructions to delete
deleting or reinstating
a word or words shall not count
as a word; and
(C)
a word or an exact phrase that is inserted in multiple locations shall only be
counted for the first insertion.
(2)
(a)
A committee member may only make a motion to amend that is germane to the
subject of the legislation under consideration.
(b)
A committee member who believes that an amendment is not germane to the subject
of the legislation may make a point of order or appeal as described in
HR3-2-506
HR3-2-507
.
(3)
(a)
A committee member may not propose an amendment to legislation that:
(i)
adds or removes an entire section from the legislation; or
(ii)
modifies the legislation's effective date.
(b)
To change legislation as described in Subsection
(3)(a)
, a committee member may,
subject to
HR3-2-407
, make a motion to substitute the legislation.
Section 7.
HR4-3-301
is amended to read:
HR4-3-301
Effective
upon final passage
. Amendments in order on third
reading -- 15 word rule -- Passage of amendments by a majority vote.
(1)
Subject to Subsections
(2)
and (3), a motion to amend a piece of legislation is in order
on third reading.
(2)
(a)
A representative may verbally propose an amendment to legislation if the
amendment contains 15 or fewer words.
(b)
Unless the amendment contains 15 or fewer words, before a representative makes a
motion to amend, the representative shall ensure that a copy of the proposed
amendment is available online.
(c)
Each word inserted shall count as one of the 15 words permitted under a verbal
amendment, except that:
(i)
numbering shall not be counted as a word;
(ii)
instructions to delete
deleting or reinstating
a word or words shall not count as a
word; and
(iii)
a word or an exact phrase that is inserted in multiple locations shall only be
counted for the first insertion.
(3)
(a)
A representative may not propose an amendment to legislation that:
(i)
adds or removes an entire section from the legislation; or
(ii)
modifies the legislation's effective date.
(b)
To change legislation as described in Subsection
(3)(a)
, a representative may, subject
to Part 2, Substitute Legislation, make a motion to substitute the legislation.
(4)
A constitutional amendment, resolution, or bill requiring a constitutional two-thirds vote
for final passage, may be amended by a majority vote.
(5)
When legislation is amended by the House, the chief clerk shall:
(a)
for each page of the legislation modified by a House amendment, cause a new page
to be printed that clearly identifies each House amendment to that page; and
(b)
print that new page on lilac-colored paper.
Section 8.
HR4-4-301
is amended to read:
HR4-4-301
Effective
upon final passage
. Consent calendar.
(1)
The presiding officer shall place legislation on the consent calendar if:
(a)
a standing committee report recommends that the legislation be placed on the
consent calendar and the standing committee report is adopted by the House; or
(b)
the legislation is a nonbinding resolution as provided in
HR3-2-405
.
(2)
If the chief clerk receives written objections to
a piece of
legislation from six or more
representatives, the chief clerk shall:
(a)
remove the legislation from the consent calendar;
(b)
inform the sponsor that the legislation has been removed from the consent calendar;
and
(c)
place the legislation at the bottom of the third reading calendar.
(3)
Legislation that has been assigned to the consent calendar may be reassigned to the third
reading calendar by the House by majority vote upon motion from the floor.
(3)
(4)
When legislation is removed from the consent calendar
under this rule
, the
presiding officer shall inform the House of its removal.
(4)
(5)
(a)
If, after two calendar days, no more than five members have registered
written objections to the legislation with the chief clerk:
(i)
the legislation shall be read the third time;
(ii)
the presiding officer shall grant the sponsor of the legislation two minutes to
introduce and explain the legislation; and
(iii)
the presiding officer shall pose the question and take the final vote on the
legislation.
(b)
The presiding officer may not allow debate on legislation on the consent calendar.
(5)
(6)
(a)
If the representative sponsoring the legislation on the consent calendar is
absent from the floor when the legislation is ready to be read for the third time and
considered for passage, a representative may make a motion to circle the legislation.
(b)
If the motion to circle is successful and the representative sponsoring the legislation
has not moved to uncircle the legislation before floor time is recessed or adjourned,
the bill shall be placed on the bottom of the third reading calendar.
Section 9.
HR4-6-105.5
is amended to read:
HR4-6-105.5
Effective
upon final passage
. Prohibited references on the floor.
(1)
During debate on the House floor, a representative may not:
(a)
allude to or discuss what was done or said in committee in relation to the legislation
under debate, except that a representative may allude to or discuss information
contained on a House or Senate committee report;
(b)
use a display, exhibit, demonstration, or prop, including an individual who is present
on the House floor, to illustrate the representative's remarks or to emphasize the
representative's position; or
(c)
read from a written, prepared speech
unless the representative, during the debate,
receives permission from the presiding officer
.
(2)
During debate on the House floor, a representative may use notes when delivering a
speech.
(3)
(a)
Except as provided in Subsection
(3)(b)
, when raising a matter of personal
privilege on the House floor, a representative may not:
(i)
use a display, exhibit, demonstration, or prop to illustrate the representative's
remarks or to emphasize the representative's position; or
(ii)
read from a written, prepared speech.
(b)
A representative may engage in an act prohibited under Subsection
(3)(a)
if the
representative receives permission from the presiding officer immediately after
raising the matter of personal privilege.
(3)
(4)
Nothing in this rule affects a representative's ability to seek approval in accordance
with
HR1-4-302(14)
HR1-4-302(13)
to have material placed on the representatives'
desks.
Section 10.
Effective Date.
(1)
Except as provided in Subsection (2), this resolution takes effect upon a successful vote
for final passage.
(2)
The actions affecting HR1-10-102 take effect on March 7, 2026.
3-3-26 7:24 AM