In the wake of a unanimous Utah Supreme Court decision this summer, which checked legislative overreach on citizen ballot initiatives, Utah's Republican leaders are pondering a special session. The proposed session is aimed at forwarding a constitutional amendment to override the Court's ruling, as reported by FOX 13. This move has garnered support from various conservative groups and figures, including the Utah Republican Party and Pro-Life Utah, alongside GOP attorney general candidate Derek Brown, and legislative candidate Nicholeen Peck.
The collective frustration among these groups crystallized into a formal request on Aug. 16, as detailed by ABC4, for state leaders to convene and contemplate the constitutional amendment that could potentially, impact the process for citizen-led initiatives. Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Brad Wilson criticized the court's decision stating, "Rather than reaching the self-evident answer, today the Court punted and made a new law about the initiative power, creating chaos and striking at the very heart of our republic," indicative of the tension between branches of the government within Utah.
The possibility of a special session stems from a 2018 constitutional amendment that permits the legislature to meet under special circumstances like fiscal crises or significant emergencies without the governor's approval, provided there is a two-thirds majority in both legislative bodies, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. Notably, constitutional amendments in Utah can bypass the governor entirely they need only pass with a two-thirds majority in the House and Senate to make it onto the November ballot for voter ratification.
The legislature's potential course of action has yet to be decided, leaving the state's political future in the eye of this unfolding storm.
