Latest news with #JudicialAmendments
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah legislature, Governor in talks to amend at least two 2025 vetoes, House Speaker says
SALT LAKE CITY () — The Utah legislature and Governor Spencer Cox are in talks to change at least two of the bills that Cox vetoed in the 2025 legislative session — one giving him the power to appoint the Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, and the other dealing with . 'We are still having discussions and want to resolve both issues,' said House Speaker Mike Schultz in a text message to Court transcript reveals methods behind recent visa revocations for international students 'I believe we have some consensus in some areas and there is more dialogue that still needs to happen in other areas,' Shultz said. Schultz did not elaborate on any details of what needed to be sorted out with the two bills, but said that the legislature was still passionate about those two bills in particular, and likely had the votes to pass them 'with a few minor changes.' He said that the body wanted to work 'collaboratively', as opposed to . 'We're always in conversation with the legislature to try to find compromises on a broad array of issues that matter to Utahns,' said Rob Carroll, Governor Spencer Cox's Director of Communications, when asked for comment about the discussions. Neither Carroll nor Shultz would elaborate on the timing of special sessions, so it's unclear whether these issues would be added to the special session Cox has said will happen in May, or in a separate special session after the legislature has met for some Interim meetings. In vetoing S.B. 296 — Judicial Amendments, Cox said that appointing the Chief Justice (with Senate confirmation) was a 'tempting' power and difficult to reject, but that his main issue was the frequency of the reappointment. 'Supporters of the bill correctly point out that the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. If that were all the bill did, it is something I could support,' Cox said. 'However, this bill takes a very meaningful and problematic additional step: requiring the appointment process to occur every four years. This means that, unlike the selection of the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court would be required to go through a political appointment, a Senate confirmation committee, and full Senate confirmation processes every four years.' The veto came after a tense legislative session between the judicial and legislative branches, where lawmakers took aim at the judiciary after a summer of controversial rulings on Amendment's A and D, but ultimately brokered a deal to halt a few bills and let others progress in exchange for the State Bar and high court's non-opposition. After the veto, top legislative leaders accused Cox of undermining the 'good faith' compromise. , or 'Minimum Basic Tax Rates Amendments,' would have changed how property taxes are collected and redistributed for education. Supporters argued it allowed for budget flexibility and equalization among schools, critics called it akin to 'money laundering.' The current process that supplements funding for public schools includes local school districts collecting a minimum basic rate of local property taxes. Instead of locals collecting and distributing that money, the bill would have allowed the state to collect those taxes in the state's general fund to then be 'equally' redistributed back out — and replacing the state's general fund using Income Tax dollars, which are Constitutionally earmarked for education. The sponsor, Senator Lincoln Fillmore (R-South Jordan), argued that it creates more budget flexibility with general fund dollars, and the state could 'equalize' funding for schools that don't collect as much money because of lower property values and higher enrollment. Areas like Park City have high property taxes but fewer kids. Cox vetoed the bill, citing accounting and legal concerns, as well as the perception that it 'sends the wrong message' to the public and educators. 'Moving restricted property tax funding into the general fund creates significant technical and legal questions,' Cox's veto letter reads. 'For one, it's not entirely clear whether these property tax dollars, once they land in the general fund, still carry the restrictions that have always protected them for education use.' Utah State Auditor Tina Cannon, the Utah State Board of Education, and other education stakeholders also objected. 'When it comes to trust, nothing is more critical or sacred than the way we handle taxpayer dollars,' Cox wrote. Senate President Stuart Adams disagreed with the veto. He argued that it 'stabilizes the funding system, ultimately providing better support for all of Utah's students.' Critics also saw the bill as a 'workaround' to Amendment A — which was vetoed by the State Supreme Court over publication issues in the summer of 2024. Amendment A would have asked voters to remove the Constitutional earmark on Income Tax dollars — allowing them to be used for all state needs, but prioritizing education funding based on enrollment and inflation. In exchange, the state statute would have eliminated the state sales tax on food. From hero misfits in 'Thunderbolts' to surf rage: Your 'See It or Skip It' weekend watch guide Why strokes matter – and why you should recognize its signs as soon as possible Man charged with kidnapping 13-year-old in white van in St. George Murray Museum reopens in the historic John P. Cahoon Mansion Double the fun: Celebrate Free Comic Book Day and Star Wars Day at The Gateway this weekend Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Utah Legislature decides not to override governor's vetoes
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Gov. Spencer Cox vetoed six bills from the 2025 Utah Legislative Session, and legislative leaders have decided to move forward without convening a veto override session. This past session, Cox signed more than 550 bills, but six . Cox vetoed S.B. 197 'Property Tax Amendments,' H.B. 306 'Precious Metals Amendments,' H.B. 315 'Elected Official Vacancy Modification,' S.B. 106 'Utah-Ireland Trade Commission,' 'Minimum Basic Tax Rates Amendments,' and S.B. 296 'Judicial Amendments.' The Utah Legislature has until May 6 to convene a veto override session if they wish to overturn any of the governor's vetoes. However, legislative leaders have decided not to make the attempt. 'Even when our perspectives differ, we appreciate the governor's willingness to find common ground as we build an even brighter future for our great state,' a statement by President J. Stuart Adams and Speaker Mike Schultz reads. The leaders said they carefully considered the option of holding a veto override session but ultimately decided against it. 'We will focus on constructive dialogue and thoughtful policymaking during the interim to find the best path forward that benefits all Utahns,' the statement says. Schultz previously told ABC4 that they will continue to discuss the vetoed Judicial Amendments bill that would allow the governor and Utah Senate to pick the chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court. 'We respect the governor's vetoes. Some of them I agree with, some of them I don't agree with,' Schultz previously said. Lawmakers will convene soon in a special session that Governor Cox . The governor sets the agenda for that session and often gets pitched by lawmakers and others to include their issues in his call. If lawmakers wanted to address anything the Governor is unwilling to put on that list they would need to justify an 'emergency in the affairs of the state' to call themselves. At the very least, the governor and the legislature have agreed in that special session to address two bills dealing with and that Cox believes have 'unintended consequences,' and reappropriate $3.5 million that was supposed to go to Sundance before they decided to leave Utah. A date for the special session is unknown, but lawmakers will gather at the Capitol for the first 2026 Interim meeting day on May 21. Forest thinning might lead to more wildfire danger, researchers say LIST: Star Wars Day, Ren Fest, and more activities this weekend U.S. and Ukraine reach minerals deal House removes federal protection for an endangered species National Security Advisor may move to U.N. ambassador role Matthew Drachman contributed to this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
