HB 356: County Governance Amendments - Utah

Substitute #3 → Enrolled · 5 edits · Mar 27, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's county governance laws to require council-manager counties (classes 3-6) to switch from at-large elections to district-based elections by May 7, 2025. It establishes a specific process for creating these districts, including a commission with representatives from municipalities and unincorporated areas, and sets rules for how council members must be selected and assigned to districts. The bill also modifies the composition of study committees that evaluate whether counties should change their form of government, increasing the number of members appointed by local councils of governments.

Scope change

The bill's scope expands to include a mandatory transition timeline for specific counties (third through sixth class with council-manager government) that were previously operating under at-large election systems.

REQUIREMENT

Requires council-manager counties of the third through sixth class to ensure each council member represents a single district and is elected by voters residing in that district, rather than being elected at large.

Mandates the creation of a county districting commission consisting of representatives from each municipality, a representative from unincorporated areas, and the county clerk to draw district maps by October 1, 2025.

TIMELINE

Sets a deadline of May 7, 2025, for counties to meet the new districting requirements, with a subsequent deadline of June 1, 2025, to establish a districting commission.

ELIGIBILITY

Modifies the composition of study committees formed to evaluate changes in county government, increasing the number of members appointed by the county's council of governments from two to three for legislative body committees, and from two to four for voter-petition committees.

TECHNICAL

Updates internal section numbering and formatting within the code to align with the new districting provisions and study committee structures.

Introduced → Substitute #1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill modifies Utah's county government structure by eliminating the 'expanded county commission' form and restricting the number of commissioners to three, five, or seven members. It introduces new requirements for council-manager counties to elect at least 65% of council members from single-member districts, with a transition plan for non-compliant counties. Additionally, the bill establishes mandatory timelines for counties currently operating under executive-council forms to switch to commission forms by 2027.

Scope change

The bill narrows the available forms of county government by repealing the expanded county commission option and adds specific districting requirements for smaller council-manager counties.

ELIGIBILITY

Eliminated the 'expanded county commission' form of government as a legal option for counties.

REQUIREMENT

Restricted county commission sizes to exactly three, five, or seven members, removing the ability to have other numbers.

Mandated that council-manager counties in the third through sixth classes must elect at least 65% of council members from single-member districts.

TIMELINE

Created a specific transition schedule requiring counties currently using the executive-council form to initiate a change to the commission form by July 1, 2025, and hold a vote by November 2025.

DEFINITION

Updated study committee composition to include members appointed by the county's council of governments.

Substitute #2 → Substitute #3 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill replaces the previous version that allowed counties to maintain 50% of council members in districts with a new requirement that 100% of council members in third through sixth class counties with council-manager government must be elected from single-member districts. The change removes the grandfather clause that permitted counties to delay full district representation until May 7, 2025, and eliminates the option to keep some council members elected at-large.

Scope change

The scope of district representation requirements was expanded from requiring 65% of council members to be in districts to requiring 100% of council members to be in districts for all third through sixth class counties with council-manager government.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the district representation requirement from 65% of council members to 100% of council members must be elected from single-member districts.

Simplified the language to require each council member to represent a single district rather than being elected at-large.

TIMELINE

Removed the grandfather provision that allowed counties to maintain 50% at-large council members through May 7, 2025.

TECHNICAL

Updated section numbering and formatting throughout the bill to reflect the new structure and removed bracketed text indicating deleted provisions.

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill modifies Utah's county governance laws to require counties with council-manager forms of government to elect at least 65% of council members from single-member districts, establishes a process for creating those districts, and updates study committee composition for evaluating government changes. The changes aim to increase local representation and accountability in county governance.

Scope change

The bill applies specifically to counties of the third through sixth class operating under a council-manager form of government, with new requirements taking effect on May 7, 2025.

REQUIREMENT

Requires counties with council-manager government to elect at least 65% of council members from single-member districts rather than at-large elections

Establishes a process for counties to create voter districts through a county districting commission with representatives from municipalities and unincorporated areas

Changes study committee composition from 5 members to 7 members, including representatives from the county's council of governments

Requires council members to be residents of the districts they represent, in addition to being elected by district voters

TIMELINE

Updates repeal dates for previous county government change processes, with some provisions repealing January 1, 2030

ELIGIBILITY

Modifies which forms of government are available for different county classes, restricting third and fourth class counties from proposing certain government forms

County Governance Amendments

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