Want to shape Utah law? Get involved early.

By Troy Shelley

Do you want to shape actions of the Utah Legislature?

During two presentations, one earlier this year at a Sanpete Chamber of Commerce gathering and another on recently at a community open house at the Gunnison City Hall, Rep. Troy Shelley of Ephraim, who represents Sanpete County in the Legislature, said suggesting or supporting legislation is a multi-step process.

Shelley explains that contacting your legislator on the day of a floor vote is usually too late. By then, most decisions have already been made.

A more effective approach is to get involved when bills are still being debated in subcommittee. Most legislative subcommittees consist of just 3-10 members. These groups hold public hearings, both in person and via Zoom.

Shelley recommends joining the Zoom meetings early to ensure you have the opportunity to speak. Subcommittee members listen to public comments, often make changes to the bill based on that input, and then vote on whether to recommend the bill to the full committee (typically about 20 members).

The committee chair decides if and when a bill will be heard. If it passes the full committee, it moves to the House or Senate floor for debate and a vote. If the two chambers pass different versions, a conference committee works out the differences before final votes in both bodies.

Here’s are some simple steps Rep. Shelley outlined in his two local presentations.

• Identify issues that matter most to you and your community.

• Visit le.utah.gov to find bills related to those issues.

• Sign up for bill alerts at https://le.utah.gov/tracking/trackingLogin so you receive the latest version that will be discussed and know when and where subcommittee meetings will take place.

• Locate the Zoom link for the meetings.

• Before a subcommittee or subcommittee meets, print a copy of the bill with numbered lines. Highlight sections that concern you and prepare clear reasons why the language could harm Sanpete County’s economy, residents or way of life. Suggest wording changes.

• Text the bill number, the specific line and your suggested changes to Rep. Shelley at 435) 691-6000. He can often reach out to the bill sponsor before the subcommittee or committee even meets.

• If your suggested changes are not accepted before the subcommittee takes up the bill, stay positive. When it’s your turn to speak, briefly state that you support the overall bill, but recommend specific wording changes. For example: “I would support the bill if Line 47 read as follows…” Limit your comments to one or two key changes and keep your remarks to 2 or 3 minutes.

• Avoid attacking the sponsor or committee members, and maintain a calm, respectful tone.

Following these steps not only increases your chances of success but also helps build working relationships with legislators.

Utah’s legislative bodies tend to be protective of rural communities. Residents of Sanpete County often carry extra credibility when they speak as everyday citizens.

Because not everyone who wants to speak can be heard at every hearing, getting on Zoom early and coming prepared gives local voices a strong advantage.

By engaging early in the process, Sanpete County citizens can have far greater influence on the laws that affect our families, businesses and communities.

—Troy Shelley represents Sanpete County in the Utah House of Representatives.