§ 20A-7-601. Referenda -- General signature requirements -- Signature requirements for land use laws and subjurisdictional laws -- Time requirements. (Effective 5/13/2014)

(1) Except as provided in Subsection (2) or (3), a person seeking to have a law passed by the local legislative body submitted to a vote of the people shall obtain legal signatures equal to:

(a) 10% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes exceeds 25,000;

(b) 12-1/2% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 25,000 but is more than 10,000;

(c) 15% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 10,000 but is more than 2,500;

(d) 20% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 2,500 but is more than 500;

(e) 25% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 500 but is more than 250; and

(f) 30% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 250.

(2)

(a) As used in this Subsection (2), "land use law" includes a land use development code, an annexation ordinance, and comprehensive zoning ordinances.

(b) Except as provided in Subsection (3), a person seeking to have a land use law or local obligation law passed by the local legislative body submitted to a vote of the people shall obtain legal signatures equal to:

(i) in a county or in a city of the first or second class, 20% of all votes cast in the county or city for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected; and

(ii) in a city of the third, fourth, or fifth class or a town, 35% of all the votes cast in the city or town for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected.

(3)

(a) As used in this Subsection (3):

(i) "Subjurisdiction" means an area comprised of all precincts and subprecincts in the jurisdiction of a county, city, or town that are subject to a subjurisdictional law.

(ii) "Subjurisdictional law" means a law or local obligation law passed by a local legislative body that imposes a tax or other payment obligation on property in an area that does not include all precincts and subprecincts under the jurisdiction of the county, city, or town.

(b) A person seeking to have a subjurisdictional law passed by the local legislative body submitted to a vote of the people shall obtain legal signatures of the residents in the subjurisdiction equal to:

(i) 10% of the total votes cast in the subjurisdiction for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes exceeds 25,000;

(ii) 12-1/2% of all the votes cast in the subjurisdiction for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 25,000 but is more than 10,000;

(iii) 15% of all the votes cast in the subjurisdiction for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 10,000 but is more than 2,500;

(iv) 20% of all the votes cast in the subjurisdiction for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 2,500 but is more than 500;

(v) 25% of all the votes cast in the subjurisdiction for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 500 but is more than 250; and

(vi) 30% of all the votes cast in the subjurisdiction for all candidates for president of the United States at the last election at which a president of the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 250.

(4)

(a) Sponsors of any referendum petition challenging, under Subsection (1), (2), or (3) any local law passed by a local legislative body shall file the application within five days after the passage of the local law.

(b) Except as provided in Subsection (4)(c), when a referendum petition has been declared sufficient, the local law that is the subject of the petition does not take effect unless and until the local law is approved by a vote of the people.

(c) When a referendum petition challenging a subjurisdictional law has been declared sufficient, the subjurisdictional law that is the subject of the petition does not take effect unless and until the subjurisdictional law is approved by a vote of the people who reside in the subjurisdiction.

(5) If the referendum passes, the local law that was challenged by the referendum is repealed as of the date of the election.

(6) Nothing in this section authorizes a local legislative body to impose a tax or other payment obligation on a subjurisdiction in order to benefit an area outside of the subjurisdiction.

Amended by Chapter 242, 2014 General Session