Utah Legislature's Amendment D Faces Backlash Over Voters' Right to Repeal Initiatives

Sep 11, 2024, 09:06 PM

The Utah Legislature has proposed a constitutional amendment, known as Amendment D, that would grant it the power to repeal or amend any ballot initiative. This amendment has sparked significant controversy, with opponents arguing that the ballot language is deceptive and that the Legislature failed to publish the text in newspapers as required by Article 23. The Utah League of Women Voters claims that the amendment, which is said to 'strengthen' initiatives, would actually 'weaken' them for voters. The proposal, passed in a special session last month, is part of a long-standing battle over who should draw political boundaries in the state. A hearing has begun, with lawyers, including Mark Gaber, debating whether the amendment misleads voters by suggesting it does the opposite of its actual effect. The Legislature's lawyer argued that the amendment had widespread dissemination in news stories with hyperlinks.