Ruling blocks big changes to Utah citizen initiatives but lawmakers vow appeal

Utah voters won’t decide this November on a proposal to amend the state constitution that would let state lawmakers rewrite voter-approved ballot measures but the question will remain on ballots with just weeks to go until the election, a judge ruled Thursday.

Legislative leaders vowed to appeal to the Utah Supreme Court.

Salt Lake County District Judge Dianna Gibson sided with the League of Women Voters and others who challenged the measure, agreeing that it carries misleading ballot language and has not been advertised in newspapers statewide as required.

To keep ballot-printing and other election deadlines on track, the amendment will still be on Utah ballots in November but won’t be counted.

The ballot language — which says the change would “strengthen the initiative process” — is not only misleading but says the opposite of what the amendment would actually do, a League of Women Voters attorney argued in a hearing Wednesday.

Gibson agreed in her ruling.

“The short summary the Legislature chose does not disclose the chief feature, which is also the most critical constitutional change — that the Legislature will have unlimited right to change laws passed by citizen initiative,” Gibson wrote.

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