2-24-10 | On party-line vote, Senate OKs signature-removal bill | Salt Lake Tribune

A bill that would make it easier to remove a signature from an initiative or referendum petition cleared the Utah Senate on Wednesday in a party-line 21-7 vote.

Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, who sponsored SB275, previously had voiced concerns that many had signed an ethics-reform petition without understanding the details of the 21-page measure.

Utahns for Ethical Government are gathering the 95,000 required signatures statewide to meet the April 15 deadline for a spot on November's ballot.

Democrats opposed Stephenson's measure, fearing it could erode further the constitutional right of citizens to enact legislation through the initiative and referendum process.

SB275 now moves to the House.

Cathy McKitrick