SB275 is a Trojan horse designed to derail to important citizens initiatives trying to get ont Novembers ballot.

Our worried and arrogant State Legislators are trying to shut YOU out of your government process, once and for all.

Right now, this instant you need to email  awelling@utah.gov at the governors office and let her know that you are "had as hell and not going to take it anymore."  Read below for the details of this sneaky piece of last minute legislaltion, passed on a Thursday because State offices are close on Friday.

Voters, WE, you and me elected these men and women, they clearly do not do our bidding so keep that in mind come November.

In the previous email, I listed the media contact for the Governor as Angie Welling at ewelling@utah.gov – correction, it is awelling@utah.gov should you need it.

My apologies,

Dave

Utahns for Ethical Government Supporters

Yesterday the legislature passed a bill that is extremely adverse to our initiative petition and for ALL citizens’ initiatives of the future – our constitutional right. We are asking all of you to immediately call or email the Governor and express your concerns built around the following points.  This is a knife in the back of democracy.

He needs to VETO this bill!!

From Executive Director Kim Burningham: “SB275 reveals considerable arrogance by some legislators.  The issue is not about whether a removal of the signature should be notarized or not.  That is small potatoes.  The real issue is that by going to the LG they have extendied the timeline for removal well beyond the time when collection must cease.  They can remove; we can't collect!  Further, they have changed the rules in midstream.”  

Thank you for your timely and urgent consideration

UEG Executive Committee

To call: 801-538-1000 or toll-free 1-800-705-2464

To fax: 801-538-1528

To email: constituentservices@utah.gov

Media contact: Angie Welling See corrected email above.

Points to express (select a couple that are personal to you):

1.   SB 275 could signal the death knell for citizen initiative and referenda  "enshrined" in the constitution. 

a.   The Legislature objects to any and all citizen initiatives and referenda, although both are an important right in the Utah Constitution. 

b.   Legislators think only they should be able to legislate. They keep making it more and more difficult for initiatives to get on the ballot.

c.   Getting initiatives on the ballot is way harder than California; there's no way we'll be like California. 

2.   SB275 is an attempt to make it easier for the opposition to obstruct all initiatives and referenda, the current ones and others in the future. It gives the opposition unfair advantage.

3.   It's OK not to require a notary. That's not the issue.

4.   The bill extends the timeline for removal, which no longer will end when the county clerk submits names to the Lieutenant Governor,

5.   The timeline to submit requests for removal of one's signature extends until May 15th, a whole month after the time when no more signatures can be gathered.

a.   Both sides should have equal opportunity to solicit signatures and invite signers to remove signatures--with the same deadline for the clerks to certify which signatures should go forward to the LG.

6.   The rules have changed in the middle of the game. What procedural unfairness!