Committee Basics
What are the four phases of standing committee consideration of legislation?
Sponsor presentation, clarifying questions, public comment, and committee action. (HR3-2-305; SR3-2-305)
True or false: A motion must be seconded before it can be considered.
False. While a 'second' to a motion is a common parliamentary procedure, Utah rules do not require it. (HR3-2-501; SR3-2-501)
What are the word limits for verbal amendments in the House and Senate, respectively?
15 in the House and 25 in the Senate.
Regarding counting, numbering, deletions, and repeated words do not count towards the cap in the House. Senate rules are silent on counting, but general practice is that numbering and deletions do not count, but repeated words do. (HR3-2-406; SR3-2-406)
What Latin phrase meaning "without a day" is used to describe the final adjournment of the legislative session?
Sine Die.
How many total members serve in the Utah Legislature (House and Senate combined)?
104 (75 Representatives and 29 Senators).
True or false: A chair must recognize a committee member who wishes to speak to a subject that is under consideration.
True. House and Senate rules require that "the chair shall recognize a committee member who desires to speak to a subject that is under consideration by a standing committee." However, in the Senate, the chair has discretion whether to recognize a committee member to speak to the same subject more than twice. (HR3-2-311; SR3-2-311)
If a substitute motion is made but not adopted, what happens to the underlying original motion?
The original motion is revived and pending. (HR3-2-505; SR3-2-505)
What additional action can Senate committees take during the presentation phase that House committees cannot?
Senate committees can substitute legislation during the presentation phase, not just amend it. However, in both chambers, motions to amend/substitute during the presentation phase require committee discussion, public comment, response by bill sponsor, and summation by motion-maker. (HR3-2-306; SR3-2-306)
Can a standing committee take action while the House or Senate is in session?
No, unless the chair received permission from the speaker/president or a majority of the chamber approves the committee to meet while the chamber is in session. (HR3-2-413; SR3-2-413)
When a committee is meeting close to the time that the House/Senate is expected to gavel down, analysts should monitor the live feed in the chamber for activity. Once the speaker/president has gaveled down, the chamber is in session and the committee meeting must cease.
Who is the longest-serving current legislator?
Sen. Harper. He has served in the House since 1997 and in the Senate since 2013.
A quorum is required to make any motion except for which two motions?
To adjourn or recess. (HR3-2-510; SR3-2-509)
When can a committee member repeat a defeated motion?
A defeated motion may not be made again until other committee business has been considered.
Some motions (e.g., certain postponement or return‑to‑Rules motions) cannot be repeated in the same meeting. (HR3‑2‑511; SR3‑2‑510)
Who may present legislation to a standing committee in the absence of the chief sponsor? How do the chambers differ?
In the House, the bill's opposite chamber floor sponsor. (HR3-2-306)
In the Senate, it can be any legislator designated by the chief sponsor. (SR3-2-306)
What vote threshold is required to override a governor's veto?
A constitutional two-thirds vote of each chamber. (JR2-2-101)
In 2024, the Utah Legislature passed a record number of bills. How many bills (within 5)?
591. The second highest was 583 in 2025.
Name at least three leadership exceptions to quorum counts.
Speaker/President, majority and minority leadership (leaders, whips, assistant whips), Rules chair/vice chair, Executive Appropriations chair/vice chair, and the fourth minority leadership member. (HR3-2-203; SR3-2-203)
What is division of a motion?
Division, like a point of order or information, is not itself a motion. A member may request--without being recognized by the chair--division to split a motion into parts for voting provided that it does not create an unintelligible or ambiguous result. (JR7-1-511)
What constitutes a "second reading" of legislation in the House and Senate, respectively?
After receiving a favorable recommendation from a standing committee, the second reading is considered complete after adoption of the committee report by the full body and the legislation is placed on a House reading calendar. (HR4-4-101)
In the Senate, the second reading is considered complete after debate and floor vote by the full body. (SR4-4-201)
What is the difference between a "majority vote" and a "constitutional majority vote"?
A "majority vote" is a simple majority of the members present when a quorum is present.
A "constitutional majority vote" is the majority of the entire membership of the chamber--independent of attendance--and is the threshold for final bill passage. This number is 38 in the House and 15 in the Senate. (HR4-1-101; SR4-1-101)
How many years must a person be a resident of Utah before they are eligible to serve as a legislator?
Three consecutive years. They must also be a citizen, at least 25, a qualified voter in the district, and a resident of the district for at least 6 months prior to filing/appointment. (Utah Constitution, Article VI, Section 5)
Once you have posted an agenda and your meeting is less than 24 hours from starting, what changes to the agenda are you allowed to make?
1. Remove a piece of legislation from the agenda.
2. Change the room as long as it is to another room at the capitol complex.
3. Change the time of the meeting to a later time.
Name two of the four ways a committee may dispose of legislation in its possession.
Returning it to Rules, tabling it, favorably recommending it to a reading calendar, or referring it to another standing committee. (HR3-2-403; SR3-2-403)
List a motion that is explicitly prohibited in the House but not the Senate.
The following motions are explicitly prohibited in the House but not the Senate:
(HR3-2-510; SR3-2-509)
What is the rule for public comment during a conference committee?
While conference committees are open to the public, public comment is prohibited unless a majority of committee members from one house and at least 50% from the other house vote to allow public comment. (JR3-2-902)
Before it was known as Capitol Hill, what was the original name of the hill (used for munitions storage) where the Capitol now sits?
Arsenal Hill.