Utah Legislature: GOP closer on petition name removal

SALT LAKE CITY — The Republican Party machine may not be able to corral votes on tax hikes, but it was effective Wednesday in getting a two-thirds vote on a bill that will allow the state GOP to try to get names removed from citizen initiative petitions.

As GOP House leaders scrambled to line up votes on the floor, the House voted 50-24 in favor of SB275, which had already passed the Senate by a two-thirds vote. Any bill that gets a two-thirds vote will become law immediately upon the governor's signature.

It is also likely that GOP Gov. Gary Herbert will sign the bill.

That means the state Republican Party will be able to see on April 15 who has signed the initiative petitions of Fair Boundaries and Utahns for Ethical Government.

Both initiatives would enact law the state GOP firmly opposes.

UEG's initiative would set up new ethical guidelines and rules for legislators. Fair Boundaries' initiative would set up an independent commission to recommend legislative, U.S. House and state school board boundary redistricting.

GOP legislative majorities have jealously guarded both responsibilities in the past.

Under SB275, the party has until May 15 to contact good Republicans who have signed the petitions and lobby them to remove their names.

The bill makes it easier for signees to do that. Currently, signees who changed their minds have to get a notarized letter asking their name be removed.

The new bill says signees have to sign a letter with their name, address, the last four digits of their Social Security number and driver's license number and get it to the lieutenant governor's office by May 15. The lieutenant governor will then remove the names.

Fair Boundaries and UEG officials say SB275 is a cynical attempt to harm their initiatives. Even after they have gathered the 95,000 signatures statewide, 10 percent of which must come in at least 26 of the 29 state Senate districts, their petitions could be invalidated if opponents can get enough signees in critical geographic areas to remove their names.

UEG is already suing over Lt. Gov. Greg Bell's decision to invalidate any e-signatures, those signatures gathered online.

And now UEG and Fair Boundaries officials will have to decide whether to sue over SB275, although UEG representatives say they have not considered going to court on that issue.