Amendment B: Raising the Bar for Tax Initiatives
This proposal asks voters if the bar should be higher for citizen-led efforts to raise taxes. Currently, a ballot initiative passes with a simple majority—more than 50% of the vote. If Amendment B passes,
any future citizen initiative that creates a new tax, expands an existing tax, or increases a tax rate would need to win by a 60% supermajority. Proponents, largely within the state legislature that placed this on the ballot, argue it provides a crucial check, preventing a slim majority from imposing new tax burdens on the entire state. They see it as a safeguard for fiscal stability. Opponents, however, view it as an attempt to weaken direct democracy. They contend that it makes it significantly harder for citizens to pass policies they want, especially when the legislature is unwilling to act, effectively giving a minority of voters veto power over tax-related citizen initiatives.
Amendment A: Changing How Amendments Are Publicized
This amendment addresses a more procedural, but still significant, part of the state's constitution. Currently, the Utah Constitution requires that any proposed amendment be published in at least one newspaper in every county for two months before the election. Amendment A proposes to replace this specific requirement. Instead, it would simply require the legislature to ensure amendments are published for 60 days before an election 'in a manner provided by statute'. This change was prompted after two amendments were invalidated by the Utah Supreme Court in 2024 for failing to meet the newspaper publication rule. Supporters say this modernizes the process, allowing for more effective and less costly methods of public notice, like online postings. Critics raise concerns that it could reduce transparency by giving the legislature more control over how, and how prominently, proposed changes to the state's foundational document are communicated to the public.
What It Means for Utah Voters
Both measures on the 2026 ballot deal with the mechanics of governance and the balance of power between citizens and the state legislature. Amendment B directly impacts the power of the citizen initiative, a tool that has been used in recent years to tackle major issues like Medicaid expansion and redistricting. Making tax-related initiatives harder to pass could have long-term consequences for how the state funds everything from schools to infrastructure. Amendment A, while more technical, touches on the fundamental issue of how voters are informed about changes to the constitution they are being asked to approve. The failure to meet the old publication standard in 2024 showed the rule has real teeth, and this amendment would give lawmakers the flexibility to change how that notice is given in the future.
