Committee backs HJR 10 to let sponsors post two-page bill summaries on bill pages

The Utah Senate Rules Standing Committee on Feb. 23 voted to favorably recommend HJR 10, a rules resolution introduced by Representative Thurston that would allow a sponsor to post a two-page sponsor-supporting PDF on a bill’s web page after the bill is numbered.

Representative Thurston said the documents are intended to help colleagues and the public quickly understand a bill’s purpose. "This would allow sponsors to create up to a the equivalent of a 2 page pdf that would be submitted," he said, adding the files would be available online to provide context before hearings and floor debate.

During committee discussion, Senator Wyler asked whether such sponsor statements could be used in judicial interpretation of legislative intent. Thurston and others said they worked with legislative attorneys to mark the files clearly as sponsor statements and not part of the official legislative record, but they acknowledged the courts "could do something else" in how they treat legislative materials. Senator McKay said floor debate often carries more weight than pre-prepared materials and expressed greater concern about how floor remarks are used in interpretations.

Opponents worried the rule could let sponsors introduce argument or advocacy directly on a bill page and asked whether opponents should be allowed to post rebuttals. Thurston said the sponsor statement is the sponsor’s speech and that alternative viewpoints can be expressed through substitute bills and committee or floor debate.

There was no public comment. Following a roll-call vote, the committee favorably recommended HJR 10 to the next stage. Supporters suggested the rule could be tried for one year and repealed if it produces problems; Thurston urged a trial period so the assembly could "see how it goes and if there are major problems that come up we can roll this back." The resolution now proceeds to further legislative consideration.