The ‘great men and women’ of Utah Legislature need to take a step back, says legal analyst

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Legislature is again in session and once again, attempting to increase their already overwhelming power. The 2025 Legislative session is another example of their power grab.

 

The Republican Legislature’s supermajority in both houses have, for most of this century, rendered Utah Democrats powerless.  And any attempt by the Governor to veto legislation is usually met with a “Special Session” designed to override that action. In that regard, the Utah Legislature is without any guardrails to their authority and wishes.

 

That leaves the Citizens and the Judiciary as the only “Check and Balance” on Legislative overreach.  However, the Utah Legislature has recently shown that they aren’t happy with any check on their power.  They are once again taking measures to ensure that no one can question their authority.

 

Senate Bill 203, Judicial Standing Amendments, is designed to make it more difficult for anyone to challenge the constitutionality of Legislation by narrowing the definition of “Standing” or, the ability to file a lawsuit. They want to severely limit who can challenge their legislation.

 

Senate bill 204, Suspensive Appeal Amendments, will make it even more difficult for the Judiciary to put a hold, or an Injunction, on potentially unconstitutional legislation while the Utah Supreme Court decides an appeal from a lower court.

 

Senate Bill 73, Statewide Initiatives Amendments, will make it much more difficult for the citizens to ever propose ballot initiatives, even when they are frustrated by the legislature’s unwillingness to follow the will of the people.

 

Republican legislators defend these actions by saying, “If the people don’t want us, they can just vote us out,” which sounds great until you take into account the gerrymandering they created to prevent that very thing.

 

It’s time for our “great men and women” of the Republican legislature to take a step back, recognize that there are still three branches of government, and that no matter how powerful they’ve become, they ultimately serve the people, not themselves.