Resolution in Support of SJR401
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF SJR401: AMENDMENT TO PRESERVE UTAH’S REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Sponsored by Rob Axson, Kim Coleman, Stafford Palmieri Sievert and McKay Newell
Adopted by the State Central Committee on September 7, 2024
WHEREAS, the United States is a Constitutional Republic, not a direct democracy, a system that respects the fundamental rights of both the governed and those who govern, ensuring that decisions are made through a deliberative process that balances individual rights with the common good; and
WHEREAS, under the Utah State Constitution the rights of the people are bifurcated between those exercised through elected representatives and those exercised through the initiative process, a crucial balance that maintains and protects the integrity of our Constitutional Republic; and
WHEREAS, in light of the recent Utah Supreme Court ruling on the initiative process, that represents a significant departure from well established precedent, and alters the balance between the legislative process and direct democracy in Utah, thus creates an urgent need for a constitutional amendment to restore the bifurcated rights between the legislature and the people as originally intended in our state constitution; and
WHEREAS, the recent proposed constitutional amendment, SJR401, the Utah State Legislature seeks to restore that balance, ensuring that both are respected and upheld; and
WHEREAS, Utah's unique culture and values should be determined by Utahns themselves, free from the influence of outside actors, pressures or monies that may not align with the principles and traditions of our state; and
WHEREAS, this departure in judicial interpretation poses a risk of undermining Utah's republican form of government by allowing the potential for external cultural values, such as those prevalent in California and foreign socialist countries, to influence our state's laws through initiatives driven by the highest bidder, thereby compromising our state’s sovereignty and values;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the State Central Republican Committee fully supports SJR401 as a critical measure to preserve Utah’s republican form of government, ensuring that the legislative process remains grounded in the principles of representative democracy, free from undue external influence, and reflective of the will of Utahns.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this committee encourages all Republicans in Utah to advocate for the passage of SJR401, recognizing that it is a vital amendment that will reinforce the balance between the rights of the people to initiate legislation and the necessary role of elected representatives in governing our state.
CO-SPONSORS
Corinne Johnson, Mac Sims, Aaron Bullen
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