Utah’s State Legislative Committees

Navigating Utah's State Legislative Committees

Legislative committees serve as a vital step in the policy-making process. Utah relies on the expertise of its state legislative committees (and its citizens) to shape the laws of the Beehive State.

Why it matters: The committee process is very open to the public. It is a chance for changes to be made to a bill by the experts (committee members and citizens) before being passed to the legislature.

👀 Here’s a full look at Utah’s legislative session process.

Dive Deeper

The Role of Utah’s State Legislative Committees

Committees are groups of legislators that focus on a specific topic. Committees offer an avenue for the public to express their views about proposed legislation, budgets, and other public policy issues.

Here's an overview of their role:

Bill review and analysis: Committees are responsible for reviewing, analyzing, and amending proposed bills. Bills may cover a wide range of topics, from healthcare and education to transportation, the environment, and more. Each committee specializes in specific policy areas, allowing them to provide in-depth insight.

Provide expertise: Committees offer a platform for legislators with expertise or a particular interest in a policy area to contribute their knowledge. This specialization ensures that bills are thoroughly examined by those who understand the nuances of the topic.

Public input: Committees often hold hearings where the public, experts, and stakeholders can provide input on proposed bills. This public engagement allows for a broader perspective on the potential impact of legislation. It also creates transparency and ensures that citizens can stay informed about the legislative process and voice their opinions.

Amend and improve bills: Committee members can propose amendments to bills, enhancing their effectiveness and addressing potential flaws. These amendments are voted on within the committee, and successful ones become part of the bill's final version.

Recommendations to the legislature: After reviewing and possibly amending a bill, the committee makes a recommendation to the House of Representatives or Senate. The bill may be recommended for passage, held for further study, or rejected.

Types of Utah’s State Legislative Committees

Standing Committees: Standing committee meetings are held by the House and Senate during the legislative session. This is when citizens have the opportunity to listen to and voice their opinions on legislative issues. Citizens can also contact the chair of a standing committee to schedule a testimony during a committee meeting for a bill.

The Standing Committees for the 2023 session included:

• House Business and Labor Committee
• House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee
• House Education Committee
• House Ethics Committee
• House Government Operations Committee
• House Health and Human Services Committee
• House Judiciary Committee
• House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee
• House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee
• House Political Subdivisions Committee
• House Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee
• House Revenue and Taxation Committee
• House Rules Committee
• House Transportation Committee
• Senate Business and Labor Committee
• Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee
• Senate Education Committee
• Senate Ethics Committee
• Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee
• Senate Health and Human Services Committee
• Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee
• Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee
• Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee
• Senate Rules Committee
• Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee

The 2024 session of Standing Committees should be released shortly, so keep your eye on this page for the updated list.

Interim Committees: Interim Committees meet outside of the regular session. These committees meet on the third Wednesday of every month from April through November. The public can also speak and give their input to the legislature concerning matters being considered at these sessions.

👀 You can see the list of Interim Committees here.

Appropriations Committees: The Appropriation Committees are responsible for reviewing and approving the governor's budget. These committees are in charge of approving funding for all of the state government. The responsibility is split between eight subcommittees that are in charge of a specific section of the budget. The committees can make recommendations to the executive appropriations committee which consists of all the legislative leaders of both parties in the Senate and the House.

👀 You can see the list of Appropriation Committees here.

How to Testify for a Committee Meeting 

Prep: 

• You can contact the chair of a standing committee to schedule a testimony during a committee meeting for a bill.
• Keep an eye on the meeting time, location, and agenda. Agenda items may not be heard in the order in which they are listed or your issue may have been removed from the agenda. 
• Agendas are posted 24 hours before the meeting on the third floor of the State Capitol building, or they can be located on the legislative website home page.

During: 

• Give copies of your testimony to the committee staff before you begin your presentation.
• Be prepared to summarize your testimony in a very short amount of time (even one minute) because that may be all the time you are allowed.

Stay Up to Date on All of Utah’s State Legislation

At Seer, we understand the significance of staying up-to-date with state legislation throughout the entire process. Our platform provides businesses, lobbyists, nonprofits, and citizens with the tools and insights needed to navigate the evolving legislative landscape effectively. Be prepared, stay informed, and actively participate in shaping legislation with Seer. Sign up for your free account today!