How a Bill Becomes a Law in Utah: Part 1
During the interim between Legislative General Sessions, Legislators meet with constituents, stakeholders, and lobbyists to receive input on various issues. Legislators also meet formally once a month for Interim committee meetings. Legislative task forces also study specific, often complex issues during the interim period. Many issues are discussed and consider, so policymakers can decide whether to propose a bill for consideration during the next General Session.
Bill File: The legislative process formally starts when a Legislator asks the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (LRGC) to open a bill file. Bill files can be open to the public or kept private. Once a bill file is opened, LRGC analysts and lawyers study the issue and work with the Legislator to determine how best to address the issue. Legislators can open unlimited bill files. To fairly allocate limited LRGC time and resources among 104 Legislators, however, each Legislator may prioritize only three bills. Prioritized bills jump to the top of the stack for drafting priority.
Bill Drafting: For an issue to be considered during a General Session, a Legislator must sponsor and introduce a bill. LRGC drafts all legislation, working with the bill sponsor to get the wording right.
Bill Numbering: Once a Legislator approves a bill draft, the bill is numbered, given a short title, and made public. Senate bills carry an SB before the number, while House Bills carry an HB before the number (e.g., HB 66—Opiate Overdose Response Act Amendments (Moss)). Substitute bills are identified by a number in front of the SB or HB (e.g., 1HB 66—Opiate Overdose Response Act Amendments (Moss)).
Fiscal Note: To be introduced in the House or Senate, each bill must have a fiscal note attached. The Office of Legislative Fiscal Analyst (LFA) studies each bill to determine the financial impact it will have on the State’s budget. When a fiscal note is drafted for a bill, the bill’s sponsor can accept the note or challenge it for reconsideration. Ultimately, the LFA’s determination on the note is final.
Once the bill has been prepared it begins to go through the process.
Note: only a Legislator can open a bill file and introduce legislation. If the Governor, a Judge, a non-profit organization, or anyone else wants to create a new law, each must approach and convince one of the 104 members of the Utah Legislature to open the bill file and introduce the legislation.