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Utah State Legislature
| Utah State Legislature | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Type: | State legislature |
| Term limits: | None |
| 2013 session start: | January 28, 2013 |
| Website: | Official Legislature Page |
| Leadership | |
| Senate President: | Michael Waddoups (R) |
| House Speaker: | Rebecca Lockhart (R) |
| Majority Leader: | Scott Jenkins (R) (Senate), Brad Dee (R) (House) |
| Minority leader: | Ross Romero (D) (Senate), David Litvack (D) (House) |
| Structure | |
| Members: | 29 (Senate), 75 (House) |
| Length of term: | 4 years (Senate), 2 years (House) |
| Authority: | Art VI, Utah Constitution |
| Salary: | $117/day + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last Election: | November 6, 2012 14 seats (Senate) 75 seats (House) |
| Next election: | November 4, 2014 |
| Redistricting: | Redistricting Committee of the Utah Legislature handles redrawing boundaries |
Contents |
The Legislature convenes at the Utah State Capitol in of Salt Lake City on the third Monday of January for an annual 45 day session.
As of May 2013, Utah is one of 24 Republican state government trifectas.
Qualifications to hold office
To be eligible for the office of a state Senator or Representative, a person must be a citizen of the United States, be at least 25 years of age, be a qualified voter in the district from which elected, and must be a resident of the State of Utah for three years and a resident of the district from which elected for six months.
Sessions
Section 2 of Article VI of the Utah Constitution establishes that the Legislature is to convene a new session every two years on the second Monday in January. This means that the "2010 session" was actually a continuation of a regular session that convened in 2009. Section 16 of Article VI limits these regular sessions to sixty legislative days, except in cases of impeachment.
2013
- See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions
In 2013, the Legislature will be in session from January 28 through March 14.
Major issues
Ethics reform is expected to be a major issue in 2013 due to accusations and controversy surrounding newly elected Attorney General John Swallow (R). Adoption rights, alcohol laws and education funding are also expected to be addressed.[1][2]
2012
- See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions
In 2012, the Legislature was in session from January 23 through March 8.
Major issues
Major topics included a projected $13 billion budget, improving technology for students, illegal immigration, and infrastructure improvements.[3]
2011
- See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions
In 2011, the Legislature was in session from January 24 through March 10. [4] A single day special session was called by Governor Gary Herbert for July 27, to consider several issues, including adjustments to health insurance rates, liquor commission guidelines, judicial evaluations, and adopting another resolution supporting a federal balanced budget amendment.[5] Gov. Herbert has called for a second special session this year, set for the week of October 3. During that week, the legislature will cover redistricting issues.[6]
The 45 calendar days that the Utah Legislature is in regular session during 2011 is tied with Wyoming, New Mexico, and Arkansas for the shortest legislative session in the country.[7]
2010
- See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions
In 2010, the Legislature was in session from January 25 to March 11.[8]
Senate
The Utah State Senate is the upper house of the Utah State Legislature. It consists of 29 State Senators. Each member represents an average of 95,306 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[9] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 77,006.[10] Senators are elected to a four-year term, with half of all districts up for election every two years.
| Party | As of May 2013 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 5 | |
| Republican Party | 24 | |
| Total | 29 | |
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Utah State Senate from 1992-2013.
House of Representatives
- See also: Utah House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is the lower house of the Utah State Legislature. It consists of 75 Representatives. Each member represents an average of 36,852 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[11] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 29,776.[12] Representatives are elected to two-year terms, with all districts up for every two years.
| Party | As of May 2013 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 14 | |
| Republican Party | 61 | |
| Total | 75 | |
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Utah State House from 1992-2013.
Redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Utah
The Legislature handles legislative redistricting, with the Governor holding veto power.
2010 census
Utah received its local census data on February 24, 2011. The state showed a 23.8 percent growth rate, with no county losing population. The largest cities showed mixed growth: Salt Lake City grew by 2.6 percent, West Valley City grew by 18.9 percent, Provo grew by 7.0 percent, West Jordan grew by 51.8 percent, and Orem grew by 4.7 percent. The counties were more impressive: Salt Lake grew by 14.6 percent, Utah grew 40.2 percent, Davis grew by 28.2 percent, Weber grew by 17.7 percent, and Washington grew by 52.9 percent.[13]
Utah's 2011 redistricting process went relatively smoothly, with the Republican controlled Legislature overwhelmingly passing new maps on October 4. Governor Gary Herbert (R) signed the maps on October 19. However, the Legislature approved, and the Governor signed into law, revisions to the maps in late January 2012 after errors were discovered.
Legislators
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
As of 2013, members of the Utah Legislature are paid $117/day. Legislators receive $96/day for lodging each calendar day, tied to the federal rate. They also receive $61/day for meals.[14]
When sworn in
Utah legislators assume office the first or second day of session (January).
Joint legislative committees
The Utah Legislature has six joint interim committees:
- Administrative Rules Review Committee, Utah State Legislature
- Legislative Information Technology Steering Committee, Utah State Legislature
- Legislative Management Committee, Utah State Legislature
- Native American Legislative Liaison Committee, Utah State Legislature
- Redistricting Committee, Utah State Legislature
- Rural Development Legislative Liaison Committee, Utah State Legislature
History
Partisan balance 1992-2013
Utah Senate: Throughout every year from 1992-2013, the Republican Party was the majority in the Utah State Senate. The Utah State Senate is one of 13 state senates that was Republican for more than 80 percent of the years between 1992-2013. Utah was under Republican trifectas for all 22 years.
Across the country, there were 541 Democratic and 517 Republican state senates from 1992 to 2013.
Utah House: Throughout every year from 1992-2013, the Republican Party was the majority in the Utah State House of Representatives. The Utah House of Representatives is one of nine state Houses that was Republican for more than 80 percent of the years between 1992-2013. Utah was under Republican trifectas for all 22 years.
Across the country, there were 577 Democratic and 483 Republican State Houses of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.
Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states have divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Office of the Governor of Utah, the Utah State Senate and the Utah House of Representatives from 1992-2013.
.PNG)
External links
References
- ↑ FOX 13, "Adoption and alcohol likely topics for Utah legislative session," January 21, 2013
- ↑ Salt Lake Tribune, "Call them the Swallow Reforms," January 24, 2013
- ↑ Salt Lake Tribune, "Top issues to watch in the upcoming Utah Legislature," January 21, 2012
- ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
- ↑ StateScape, Session Updates, July 22, 2011
- ↑ ABC4.com, Governor calls Redistricting Special Session, Aug. 31, 2011
- ↑ South Carolina Policy Council "50 State Legislative Session Interactive Map," February 2011
- ↑ 2010 session dates for Utah Legislature
- ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
- ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
- ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
- ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "U.S. Census Bureau Delivers Utah's 2010 Census Population Totals, Including First Look at Race and Hispanic Origin Data for Legislative Redistricting," February 24, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
- ↑ NCSL.org, "2012 State Legislator Compensation and Per Diem Table," accessed March 18, 2013
