LobbyComply Blog

On May 18, the 2016 second special session of the 61st Utah Legislature adjourned sine die.

The one-day special session restored funding to various educational programs throughout the state. The funding had been vetoed by Gov. Gary Herbert earlier this year.

On April 18, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, and Speaker of the House Greg Hughes announced an agreement to convene a special legislative session in May. The purpose of the session is to address education funding for the state.

The special session will be called to match the legislature’s regularly scheduled interim meetings. The veto override poll in the House of Representatives and Senate will be temporarily suspended, pending the issuance of a call to special session, according to the governor’s press release.

The Utah Legislature adjourned its 2016 session sine die on March 10. Gov. Gary Herbert has until March 30 to veto or sign legislation. The governor does not possess a pocket veto. The normal effective date for bills passed this year, unless otherwise specified, is May 9.

Photo of the Utah State Capitol by Robert Cutts on Wikimedia Commons.

On December 8, 2015, the City Council of Salt Lake City unanimously passed an ordinance reducing campaign contribution limits for city candidates. A proposal to ban corporate contributions failed after Councilmember Erin Mendenhall convinced the council the money would instead enter the campaigns through corporate political action committees (PACs) and super PACs, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

The new law lowers the amount an individual or entity can give to a mayoral candidate from $7,500 to $3,500 and to council candidates from $1,500 to $750. The council also banned contributions from contractors doing business with the city.

Photo of downtown Salt Lake City by NorthernMagnolia on Wikimedia Commons.

The Utah Legislature adjourned its one-day special session on August 19, 2015. A resolution to build a state prison in Salt Lake City was approved, as expected. Gov. Gary Herbert, who called the special session, will address whether he will sign or reject the resolution at his regularly scheduled news conference today.

Today at 3 p.m. the first special session of the Utah 61st Legislature will be held. The session, expected to last one day, was called by Gov. Gary Herbert on August 14 to vote on a resolution concerning the building of a new state prison in Salt Lake City. While the resolution is expected to pass, the new prison still faces opposition from city leaders, who may file “an environmental lawsuit to slow or block the project,” according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

Photo of the Utah State Capitol by Robert Cutts on Wikimedia Commons.

Some modifications to Utah’s lobbying laws came into effect on May 12, including linking the reporting threshold for food and beverages provided to covered officials to the state employee food reimbursement rate. The current food reimbursement rate is a total of $39 a day, divided as $10 for breakfast, $13 for lunch, and $16 for dinner.

Additionally, a quarterly report will no longer be required for a lobbyist who has not made an expenditure during a quarterly reporting period. A lobbyist who is not required to file any quarterly reports for a calendar year must still file an annual financial report.

Definitions have also been added or amended. For example, publications having a cash value not exceeding $30 have been excluded from the definition of expenditure.

The Utah Legislature adjourned its 2015 session sine die on March 12, 2015. Governor Gary Herbert has until April 1 to veto or sign legislation. The Governor does not possess a pocket veto. The normal effective date for bills passed this year is May 12.

Photo of the Utah State Capitol by Robert Cutts on Wikimedia Commons.

A new Utah state law requiring independent expenditure reporting for political spending became effective today. House Bill 39 requires all persons and entities, except political parties, to file independent expenditure reports with Utah’s chief election officer within 30 days after the day on which a person or entity has made a total of at least $1,000 in independent expenditures during an election cycle.

Another provision of the new law is the requirement to retain records related to the filings for two years, including all independent expenditures, receipts, and donations described in the reports. New definitions concerning independent expenditures are now codified, including telephone bank, which is defined as “500 or more identical or substantially similar telephone calls within any 30-day period.” Fines from $100 to $1000 can be imposed for violations.

The Utah Legislature adjourned its 2014 session sine die on March 13, 2014.

Governor Gary Herbert has until April 2 to veto or sign legislation. The Governor does not possess a pocket veto. May 12 is the last day a veto-override session may begin.

The normal effective date for bills passed this year is May 13.

Photo of the Utah State Capitol by Scott Catron on Wikimedia Commons.

On October 16, the Utah Legislature adjourned its one-day special session sine die. The Legislature passed bills authorizing state funds to open and operate national parks, monuments, and recreation areas, to cover the benefits of certain unpaid furloughed employees, and to offset obligations caused by delays in federal funding to the Child Nutrition Program. Gov. Gary Herbert signed the bills Wednesday night.

On Friday, October 11, Utah Gov. Gary R. Herbert issued a proclamation convening a special session for the Legislature on October 16.

During this session the Legislature is expected authorize the appropriation of the use of state funds to open and operate national parks, national monuments, and national recreation areas; to offset obligations caused by delays in federal funding to the Child Nutrition Program; and to cover the benefits of certain unpaid furloughed federal employees. The Senate will also consider appointments made by the governor.

Herbert stated in his press release, “Issues related to the federal shutdown necessitate immediate action by our State Legislature. We can no longer wait.”

The Utah Legislature adjourned its 2013 session sine die on March 14, 2013.

Governor Gary Herbert has until April 3 to veto or sign legislation. The Governor does not possess a pocket veto.

The normal effective date for bills passed this year is May 14.

Photo of Utah’s Capitol by Scott Catron on Wikipedia.

Federal: “Trade group CEOs enjoy hefty pay raises in a sluggish economy” by William McQuillen and Danielle Ivory in The Washington Post.

Federal: “GAO: Lobbyist disclosure compliance ‘similar’ compared to prior years” by Rachel Leven in The Hill.

Federal: “Calif. biotech firms spend $40 million on lobbying in 3 years” by Bernice Yeung on CaliforniaWatch.org.

Federal: “Tech companies new lobbying force in DC” by Garrett Sloane in the New York Post.

New Jersey: “Some of Christie’s biggest bills match model legislation from D.C. group called ALEC” by Salvador Rizzo in the Star-Ledger.

Utah: “Rolly: Lobbyist and legislator in one? Could happen” by Paul Rolly in the Salt Lake Tribune.