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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah Legislature proposes constitutional amendment to establish an elected Secretary of State
Last action · March 6, 2026: House/ filedSponsors: Lisa Shepherd and 1 other
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What This Bill Proposed
This proposes amending the Utah Constitution to create the constitutional office of the Secretary of State, with the first election scheduled for November 2028 and a of January 1, 2027 if approved by voters.
Establishes a new statewide constitutional officer responsible for overseeing state elections and election functions, altering the executive branch structure and filling vacancies.
- The Utah Legislature is the state's lawmaking body composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Utah voters
Executive Department officers
The composition of the Executive Department expands to include the Secretary of State as a constitutional officer.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this resolution do?
When would the first Secretary of State be elected?
What are the eligibility requirements for the Secretary of State?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the House · in Senate committee.
Procedural history
27 actions- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ filed
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ strike enacting clause
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ comm rpt/ sent to Rules
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Recommends Returned to Rules
Show 21 earlier actions
- Mar 2, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Not Considered
- Feb 27, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Feb 27, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 27, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Feb 26, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Feb 26, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 26, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Feb 24, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Feb 24, 2026HouseHouse/ committee report favorable
- Feb 24, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 19, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Not Considered
- Feb 18, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Feb 12, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Feb 12, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HJR025
- Feb 11, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HJR025
- Feb 10, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 10, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Feb 10, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HJR025
- Feb 10, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HJR025
- Feb 10, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Feb 10, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselBill Numbered but not Distributed
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Creation of New Constitutional Office
The resolution adds a Secretary of State to the existing lineup of elective constitutional executive officers in Utah.
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 80)
- Controversy35Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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