Utah State Legislature
| Utah State Legislature | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Type: | State legislature |
| Term limits: | None |
| 2013 session start: | January 23, 2012 |
| 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 2, 2010 15 seats (Senate) 75 seats (House) |
| Next election: | November 4, 2012 14 seats (Senate) 75 seats (House) |
| 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.
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.
2012
- See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions
In 2012, the Legislature will be in session from January 23 through March 8.
Major issues
Major topics include a projected $13 billion budget, improving technology for students, illegal immigration, and infrastructure improvements.[1]
2011
- See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions
In 2011, the Legislature was in session from January 24 through March 10. [2] 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.[3] 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.[4]
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.[5]
2010
- See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions
In 2010, the Legislature was in session from January 25 to March 11.[6]
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.[7] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 77,006.[8] 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 | |
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.[9] After the 2000 Census, each member represented 29,776.[10] 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 | |
Legislators
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
As of 2011, 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.[11]
The $117/day that Utah legislators are paid as of 2011 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2010 and a decrease from $130/day in 2007. Per diem has increased from $90/day lodging and $54/day for meals in 2007 to $106/day lodging and $61/day meals in 2010 and decreased to $96/day lodging in 2011.[12][13]
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
External links
References
- ↑ 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
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislator Compensation Data"
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
- ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
