20A-7-201. Statewide initiatives -- Signature requirements -- Submission to the Legislature or to a vote of the people.

527 words·~2 min read·/ut/title-20a/chapter-7/20a-7-201

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Effective 5/6/2026

(a)A person seeking to have an initiative submitted to the Legislature for approval or rejection shall, after filing an initiative application, obtain:

(i)legal signatures equal to 4% of the number of active voters in the state on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election; and

(ii)from at least 26 Utah State Senate districts, legal signatures equal to 4% of the number of active voters in that district on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election.

(b)If, at any time not less than 10 calendar days before the beginning of the next annual general session of the Legislature, the lieutenant governor declares that an initiative petition designated under Subsection 20A-7-202(2)(d)(i) for submission to the Legislature is signed by a sufficient number of voters to meet the requirements of Subsection (1)(a) , the lieutenant governor shall deliver a copy of the initiative petition, the text of the proposed law, and the cover sheet described in Subsection (1)(c) to the president of the Senate, the speaker of the House, and the director of the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.

(c)The lieutenant governor shall prepare a cover sheet for a petition declared sufficient under Subsection (1)(b) that contains:

(i)the number of active voters in the state on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election;

(ii)the number of active voters in each Utah State Senate district on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election;

(iii)the total number of certified signatures obtained for the initiative petition; and

(iv)the total number of certified signatures obtained from each Utah State Senate district for the initiative petition.

(a)A person seeking to have an initiative submitted to a vote of the people for approval or rejection shall, after filing an initiative application, obtain:

(i)legal signatures equal to 8% of the number of active voters in the state on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election; and

(ii)from at least 26 Utah State Senate districts, legal signatures equal to 8% of the number of active voters in that district on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election.

(b)If an initiative petition meets the requirements of this part and the lieutenant governor declares that the initiative petition is signed by a sufficient number of voters to meet the requirements of Subsection (2)(a) , the lieutenant governor shall submit the proposed law to a vote of the people at the next regular general election:

(i)immediately after the application is filed under Section 20A-7-202 ; and

(ii)specified on the petition under Section 20A-7-203 .

(3)The lieutenant governor shall provide the following information to any interested person:

(a)the number of active voters in the state on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election; and

(b)for each Utah State Senate district, the number of active voters in that district on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election.

Amended by Chapter 293 , 2026 General Session