20A-7-204.1 - Public hearings to be held before initiative petitions are circulated.
20A-7-204.1. Public hearings to be held before initiative petitions are circulated.
(1) (a) After issuance of the initial fiscal impact estimate by the Governor's Office ofPlanning and Budget and before circulating initiative petitions for signature statewide, sponsorsof the initiative petition shall hold at least seven public hearings throughout Utah as follows:
(i) one in the Bear River region -- Box Elder, Cache, or Rich County;
(ii) one in the Southwest region -- Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, or Washington County;
(iii) one in the Mountain region -- Summit, Utah, or Wasatch County;
(iv) one in the Central region -- Juab, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, or Wayne County;
(v) one in the Southeast region -- Carbon, Emery, Grand, or San Juan County;
(vi) one in the Uintah Basin region -- Daggett, Duchesne, or Uintah County; and
(vii) one in the Wasatch Front region -- Davis, Morgan, Salt Lake, Tooele, or WeberCounty.
(b) Of the seven meetings, at least two of the meetings must be held in a first or secondclass county, but not in the same county.
(2) At least three calendar days before the date of the public hearing, the sponsors shall:
(a) provide written notice of the public hearing to:
(i) the lieutenant governor for posting on the state's website; and
(ii) each state senator, state representative, and county commission or county councilmember who is elected in whole or in part from the region where the public hearing will be held;and
(b) publish written notice of the public hearing detailing its time, date, and location:
(i) in at least one newspaper of general circulation in each county in the region where thepublic hearing will be held; and
(ii) on the Utah Public Notice Website created in Section 63F-1-701.
(3) (a) During the public hearing, the sponsors shall either:
(i) video tape or audio tape the public hearing and, when the hearing is complete, depositthe complete audio or video tape of the meeting with the lieutenant governor; or
(ii) take comprehensive minutes of the public hearing, detailing the names and titles ofeach speaker and summarizing each speaker's comments.
(b) The lieutenant governor shall make copies of the tapes or minutes available to thepublic.
Amended by Chapter 90, 2010 General Session