Hello John,

We are only one day into the 2025 Legislative Session, and attacks on ballot initiatives are already underway. SB 73, being heard in committee this afternoon, would add burdensome fiscal reporting requirements to ballot initiative applications. Filers would have to choose which programs would be cut to fund their law (if passed by voters) and petition signers would have to read the likely impact of the reduction in funding. This would create a huge workload for filers, have a chilling effect on applications, and pull the focus away from the true merits of the initiative. The ballot initiative is a democratic process and a constitutional right given to the voters of Utah.

Once again, the legislature is taking action to undermine our right to reform our government and to take power away from citizens. We’ve defended the ballot initiative process during the last two legislative sessions, and we can do it again, with your help.

Today, the Senate Business and Labor Committee will hear comments on SB 73 and vote on whether or not to pass it out of Committee. We need you to make your voice heard by contacting the committee members and letting them know that you oppose any effort to make ballot initiatives more difficult to pass. 

Our government functions best under a system of checks and balances. As voters, we are an important part of that system, and we cannot stand by while anti-democratic, power-hungry legislators try to remove us from the process. 

Please contact members of the committee either by email or phone and let them know you oppose any effort to make ballot initiatives more difficult to pass. You can also attend or listen to the Committee meeting (details here) and potentially provide testimony then. 

Thank you for standing up against legislative power grabs and joining us in protecting our right to reform our government.

Onwards,

Nat Williams,

Democracy Policy Associate

[email protected]

www.stewardshiputah.org