Have a question for Ballotpedia staff?
Click here to live chat with one of our writers between 9am-5pm CST.




Utah House of Representatives

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Utah House of Representatives

Seal of Utah.svg.png
General Information
Type:   Lower house
Term limits:   None
2012 session start:   January 23, 2012
Website:   Official House Page
Leadership
House Speaker:  Rebecca Lockhart, (R)
Majority Leader:   Brad Dee, (R)
Minority leader:   David Litvack, (D)
Structure
Members:  75
   Democratic Party (17)
Republican Party (58)
Length of term:   2 years
Authority:   Art VI, Utah Constitution
Salary:   $117/day + per diem
Elections
Last Election:  November 2, 2010 (75 seats)
Next election:  November 6, 2012 (75 seats)
Redistricting:  Separate Redistricting Committee of the Utah Legislature handles redrawing boundaries
Meeting place:
Utah state capitol.JPG

Contents

The Utah House of Representatives is the lower house of the Utah State Legislature. 75 members make up the lower chamber of the Utah Legislature and meet at the State Capitol in Salt Lake City. Each member represents an average of 36,852 residents, as of the 2010 Census.[1] After the 2000 Census, each member represented approximately 29,776 residents.[2] House districts are redistricted every 10 years, after the Census is taken, to ensure that each legislator represents as nearly as possible the same number of constituents. The ideal population for each of the 75 House districts after redistricting in 2001 was 29,776. [3]

Sessions

Section 2 of Article VI of the Utah Constitution establishes that the Utah State Legislature, which the House is a part of, is to convene a new session every two years on the second Monday in January. This means that the "2010 session" was actually a continuation of a regular session that convened in 2009. Section 16 of Article VI limits these regular sessions to sixty legislative days, except in cases of impeachment.

2012

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the House will be in session from January 23 through March 8.

Major issues

Major topics include a projected $13 billion budget, improving technology for students, illegal immigration, and infrastructure improvements.[4]

2011

See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions

In 2011, the House was in regular session from January 24 through March 10. [5] A single day special session was called by Governor Gary Herbert for July 27, to consider several issues, including adjustments to health insurance rates, liquor commission guidelines, judicial evaluations, and adopting another resolution supporting a federal balanced budget amendment.[6] Gov. Herbert has called for a second special session this year, set for the week of October 3. During that week, the legislature will cover redistricting issues.[7]

The 45 calendar days that the Utah Legislature is in regular session during 2011 is tied with Wyoming, New Mexico, and Arkansas for the shortest legislative session in the country.[8]

2010

See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions

In 2010, the House was in session from January 25 to March 11.[9]

Elections

2012

See also: Utah House of Representatives elections, 2012

Elections for the office of Utah House of Representatives will be held in Utah on November 6, 2012. All 75 seats will be up for election.

The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was March 16, 2012.

2010

See also: Utah House of Representatives elections, 2010

Utah House of Representatives elections were held in all 75 house districts on November 2, 2010.

The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was March 19, 2010 and the primary election day was June 22, 2010.

In 2010, the candidates for state house raised a total of $3,736,373 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were: [10]

Donor Amount
Utah Association of Realtors $108,500
Reagan Outdoor Advertising $71,888
Utah League of Credit Unions $57,985
Utah House Republican Elections Cmte $57,205
Utah Cmte for a Democratic Majority $48,250
Sorensen, Beverly T $38,200
Merit Medical Systems $35,850
Utah Education Association $35,829
Edwards, Becky $35,500
Utah Hospitals & Health Systems Association $34,600

Qualifications

To be eligible to serve in the Utah House of Representatives, a candidate must be:[11]

  • A U.S. citizen at the time of filing
  • 25 years old at the filing deadline time
  • A three-year resident of Utah at the filing deadline time
  • A resident for 6 months of the senate district from which elected at the filing deadline time
  • No person holding any public office of profit or trust under authority of the United States, or of this State, can be a member of the state senate, provided, that appointments in the State Militia, and the offices of notary public, justice of the peace, United States commissioner, and postmaster of the fourth class, shall not, within the meaning of this section, be considered offices of profit or trust.
  • A qualified voter. A qualified voter is someone who is:
* A U.S. citizen
* A resident of Utah for at least 30 days prior to the next election
* At least 18 years old by the next election
* His or her principal place of residence is in a specific voting precinct in Utah.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures
How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures
NevadaMassachusettsColoradoNew MexicoWyomingArizonaMontanaCaliforniaOregonWashingtonIdahoTexasOklahomaKansasNebraskaSouth DakotaNorth DakotaMinnesotaIowaMissouriArkansasLouisianaMississippiAlabamaGeorgiaFloridaSouth CarolinaIllinoisWisconsinTennesseeNorth CarolinaIndianaOhioKentuckyPennsylvaniaNew JerseyNew YorkVermontVermontNew HampshireMaineWest VirginiaVirginiaMarylandMarylandConnecticutConnecticutDelawareDelawareRhode IslandRhode IslandMassachusettsNew HampshireMichiganMichiganAlaskaVacancy fulfillment map.png

If there is a vacancy in the House, the Governor is responsible for selecting a replacement. A liaison for the political party that last held the seat must recommend a successor to the Governor. The vacancy must be filled immediately. The person who is selected to the vacant seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term[12].

If the vacancy happens after the nominating deadline in an election year, a new candidate must file papers in order to be on the ballot. This is only if the vacancy happens after September 1st and the unfilled term is set to expire at the end of the election. Nominating papers must be filed within 21 days after the vacancy happened[13].

Representatives

Partisan composition

See also: Partisan composition of state houses
Party As of May 2012
     Democratic Party 17
     Republican Party 58
Total 75


Salaries

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

As of 2011, members of the Utah Legislature are paid $117/day. Legislators receive $96/day for lodging each calendar day, tied to the federal rate. They also receive $61/day for meals.[14]

The $117/day that Utah legislators are paid as of 2011 is the same as they were paid during legislative sessions in 2010 and a decrease from $130/day in 2007. Per diem has increased from $90/day lodging and $54/day for meals in 2007 to $106/day lodging and $61/day meals in 2010 and decreased to $96/day lodging in 2011.[15][16]

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Utah legislators assume office the first or second day of session (January).

Leadership

The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the body. Duties of the Speaker include preserving order and decorum and appointing all committee members.[17][18]

Current leadership

Position Representative Party
Speaker of the House Rebecca Lockhart Ends.png Republican
State House Majority Leader Brad Dee Ends.png Republican
State House Majority Whip Gregory Hughes Ends.png Republican
State House Assistant Majority Whip Ronda Menlove Ends.png Republican
State House Minority Leader David Litvack Electiondot.png Democratic
State House Minority Whip Jennifer Seelig Electiondot.png Democratic
State House Assistant Minority Whip Brian King Electiondot.png Democratic
State House Minority Caucus Leader Christine Watkins Electiondot.png Democratic

2010 Leadership

Position Representative Party
State Speaker of the House David Clark Ends.png Republican
State House Majority Leader Doug Aagard Ends.png Republican
State House Majority Whip Brad Dee Ends.png Republican
State House Assistant Majority Whip Rebecca Lockhart Ends.png Republican
State House Minority Leader David Litvack Electiondot.png Democratic
State House Minority Whip James Gowans Electiondot.png Democratic
State House Assistant Minority Whip Carol Moss Electiondot.png Democratic
State House Minority Caucus Leader Jennifer Seelig Electiondot.png Democratic

Current members

District Representative Party Residence
1 Ronda Menlove Ends.png Republican Garland
2 Lee B Perry Ends.png Republican Corinne
3 Jack Draxler Ends.png Republican North Logan
4 David G Butterfield Ends.png Republican Logan
5 Curt Webb Ends.png Republican Logan
6 Brad J Galvez Ends.png Republican Ogden
7 Ryan Wilcox Ends.png Republican North Ogden
8 Gage Froerer Ends.png Republican Huntsville
9 Jeremy Peterson Ends.png Republican Ogden
10 Dixon M Pitcher Ends.png Republican Ogden
11 Brad Dee Ends.png Republican Ogden
12 Richard Greenwood Ends.png Republican Roy
13 Paul Ray Ends.png Republican Clearfield
14 Curtis Oda Ends.png Republican Clearfield
15 Brad R Wilson Ends.png Republican Kaysville
16 Stephen Handy Ends.png Republican Layton
17 Stewart Barlow Ends.png Republican
18 Roger Barrus Ends.png Republican Centerville
19 Jim Nielson Ends.png Republican Bountiful
20 Becky Edwards Ends.png Republican Bountiful
21 Douglas Sagers Ends.png Republican Tooele
22 Sue Duckworth Electiondot.png Democratic Magna
23 Jennifer Seelig Electiondot.png Democratic Salt Lake City
24 Rebecca Chavez-Houck Electiondot.png Democratic Salt Lake City
25 Joel Briscoe Electiondot.png Democratic Salt Lake City
26 David Litvack Electiondot.png Democratic Salt Lake City
27 John Dougall Ends.png Republican American Fork
28 Brian King Electiondot.png Democratic Salt Lake City
29 Janice Fisher Electiondot.png Democratic West Valley City
30 Brian Doughty Electiondot.png Democratic Salt Lake City
31 Larry Wiley Electiondot.png Democratic West Valley City
32 Fred Cox Ends.png Republican West Valley City
33 Neal Hendrickson Electiondot.png Democratic West Valley City
34 Johnny Anderson Ends.png Republican Taylorsville
35 Mark Wheatley Electiondot.png Democratic Murray
36 Patrice Arent Electiondot.png Democratic Salt Lake City
37 Carol Moss Electiondot.png Democratic Salt Lake City
38 Eric Hutchings Ends.png Republican Kearns
39 Jim Dunnigan Ends.png Republican Taylorsville
40 Lynn Hemingway Electiondot.png Democratic Salt Lake City
41 Todd Kiser Ends.png Republican Sandy
42 Jim Bird Ends.png Republican West Jordan
43 Wayne Harper Ends.png Republican West Jordan
44 Tim Cosgrove Electiondot.png Democratic Murray
45 Steven Eliason Ends.png Republican Sandy
46 Marie Poulson Electiondot.png Democratic Salt Lake City
47 Ken Ivory Ends.png Republican West Jordan
48 LaVar Christensen Ends.png Republican Sandy
49 Derek Brown Ends.png Republican Salt Lake City
50 Merlynn Newbold Ends.png Republican South Jordan
51 Gregory Hughes Ends.png Republican Draper
52 Dan McCay Ends.png Republican
53 Melvin Brown Ends.png Republican Coalville
54 Kraig Powell Ends.png Republican Roosevelt
55 John Mathis Ends.png Republican Vernal
56 Kenneth Sumsion Ends.png Republican American Fork
57 Craig Frank Ends.png Republican
58 Keven Stratton Ends.png Republican
59 Val Peterson Ends.png Republican Orem
60 Bradley Daw Ends.png Republican Orem
61 Keith Grover Ends.png Republican Provo
62 Christopher Herrod Ends.png Republican Provo
63 Dean Sanpei Ends.png Republican Provo
64 Rebecca Lockhart Ends.png Republican Provo
65 Francis Gibson Ends.png Republican Springville
66 Michael Morley Ends.png Republican Spanish Fork
67 Patrick Painter Ends.png Republican Nephi
68 Bill Wright Ends.png Republican Ephraim
69 Christine Watkins Electiondot.png Democratic Price
70 Kay McIff Ends.png Republican Richfield
71 Brad Last Ends.png Republican St. George
72 Evan Vickers Ends.png Republican Cedar City
73 Michael Noel Ends.png Republican Kanab
74 Lowry Snow Ends.png Republican
75 Don Ipson Ends.png Republican St. George

Standing committees

The Utah House of Representatives has 15 standing committees:

External links

References

  1. ↑ Population in 2010 of the American states
  2. ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
  3. ↑ "Utah House of Representatives" About the House, March 13, 2009
  4. ↑ Salt Lake Tribune, "Top issues to watch in the upcoming Utah Legislature," January 21, 2012
  5. ↑ 2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar, NCSL
  6. ↑ StateScape, Session Updates, July 22, 2011
  7. ↑ ABC4.com, Governor calls Redistricting Special Session, Aug. 31, 2011
  8. ↑ South Carolina Policy Council "50 State Legislative Session Interactive Map," February 2011
  9. ↑ 2010 session dates for Utah Legislature
  10. ↑ Follow the Money: "Utah House 2010 Campaign Contributions"
  11. ↑ Qualifications for running for Utah Senate
  12. ↑ Utah Legislature "Utah Code"(Referenced Statutes 20A-1-503 (3) (a)-(b))
  13. ↑ Utah Legislature "Utah Code"(Referenced Statutes 20A-1-503 (4)(a))
  14. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislator Compensation Data"
  15. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislator Compensation Data"
  16. ↑ Empire Center, "Legislative Salaries Per State as of 2007"
  17. ↑ Organization of the Utah Legislature
  18. ↑ Utah House Leadership
Wikipedia-logo-en.png


v • d • e
Republican majority Current members of the Utah House of Representatives
House Speaker: Rebecca Lockhart (R) • House Majority Leader: Brad Dee (R) • House Minority Leader: David Litvack (D)
   
Republican (58) • Democratic (17) • Utah House of Representatives • Utah State Senate
v • d • e
State legislatures
Legislatures
Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S)
SLP badge.jpg
2012
2011
2010
2009
Features of
state legislatures
State senates
State houses
Leadership positions
Retrieved from "http://www.ballotpedia.us/wiki/index.php?title=Utah_House_of_Representatives&oldid=1272158"
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Encyclopedia:
Calendars
Get Involved:
Toolbox