Panel OKs measure to verify petition names

Signatures obtained on initiative petitions would be verified by "substantially similar name" and birth dates under a bill approved Tuesday by the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee.

SB11, sponsored by Sen. Beverly Evans, R-Altamont, would allow names to be verified using official registers held by the county clerk. Names and addresses could contain only minor spelling differences from what is on file, or match exactly.

Names that match "substantially" but lack address verification would be cross-checked using the birth date of the signed person.

Evans said the bill would allow counties "to clean up the process and eliminate questions" when determining validity of signatures.

The bill was spawned by a Utah Supreme Court ruling last year that found state law was unclear on the process of verifying petition signers.