Utah Senate waives 30-day notice and consents to multiple gubernatorial appointments

The Utah Senate on an extraordinary September 2021 session waived a 30-day statutory notice requirement and consented to multiple appointments transmitted by Governor Spencer J. Cox, including reappointments to the Utah Communications Authority Board and nominees to the Board of Oil, Gas and Mining.

The Secretary read the governor’s communications listing appointees and the statutory bases for transmission (Utah Code §§67-1-1 and 67-1-2). President Adams noted the Utah Communications Authority Board appointments did not meet a 30-day statutory posting requirement; Senator Vickers moved to waive that requirement and the Senate agreed by voice vote.

Senator Bramble then moved that the Senate consent to the appointments as read by the Secretary. A roll call recorded numerous individual 'aye' votes from senators on the floor and remotely; the transcript records multiple 'aye' entries but does not consolidate them into a single tally in the record. The Secretary’s communications named specific reappointments (for example, Randy Swalberg, Clint Topham and Lance Davenport were listed as reappointments to the Utah Communications Authority Board) and named other board replacements and reappointments in the governor’s packet.

Speakers who introduced or discussed these items on the floor included the Secretary of the Senate (reading the communications), President Adams, Senator Vickers (who moved to waive the 30-day requirement) and Senator Bramble (who moved to consent to the appointments).

The Senate concluded business and adjourned after the roll call. The transcript does not record post-consent implementation steps such as effective dates for each appointment or oath dates for appointees.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article include: President Adams, Senator Vickers, Senator Bramble and the Secretary of the Senate.