I hope you’ve been having a wonderful holiday season. As we enter into the last week of December, I wanted to connect with a legislative update on this month’s special session.
Earlier this month, Governor Cox called a special session to address items relating to the state’s ongoing redistricting litigation and to repeal HB267, the prohibition on public employee collective bargaining.
Recall that in August, the Third District Court ruled that the legislature unconstitutionally repealed Proposition 4 in 2020. Proposition 4 was a citizen’s initiative that created an independent redistricting commission to draw fair maps for legislative and congressional districts. The court blocked the use of the congressional map the legislature passed that same year and established a process for the parties to submit proposed remedial maps that comply with the standards in Proposition 4.
In an October 2025 special session, the legislature passed ‘Map C,’ the legislature’s attempt to remedy its unconstitutional 2020 congressional map. The legislature then submitted Map C to the court. The plaintiffs in the ongoing redistricting litigation also submitted their own maps. The judge found that the legislature’s Map C failed to conform to the requirements of Proposition 4. The judge struck down this map and selected instead Plaintiff’s Map 1, which the judge found did result in a fair and independent map. The judge ruled that Map 1 is the map the Lieutenant Governor must use to administer congressional elections.
Map 1 creates one safe blue seat, which seems reasonable, since 30%-35% of Utahns vote democrat in any statewide race, and there are a total of four congressional seats. And since Map 1 was established, several Utahns have thrown their hat in the ring to represent the new Congressional District 1.
So where are we now? Fast forward to this month’s special session, where the legislature introduced a number of bills to modify the rules and deadlines on filing for office, so it can keep its litigation efforts alive and so there’s still time for the legislature to modify the congressional boundaries if they get a different result on appeal.
They put forward the following bills:
Special Session Bills
- SB2001: Election Amendments: This bill modifies the filing deadlines for a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, changing it from January 2-8, 2026 to March 9-13, 2026. The bill also allows candidates to gather signatures statewide instead of in the congressional district they seek to represent
I voted no on SB2001. Changing the filing period indicates an unwillingness to accept the court’s ruling and the will of the people. Utahns decided over seven year ago that we want fair congressional maps, and it’s time the legislature delivered.
- SB2002: Appellate Court Jurisdiction Amendments; and SJR 201: Joint Resolution Amending Court Rules of Procedure: This bill, and the accompanying joint resolution, modify Utah’s appellate jurisdiction statutes to establish exclusive and original Supreme Court jurisdiction over election cases, including redistricting. These modifications would help expedite the legislature’s appeal of Judge Gibson’s ruling which struck down ‘Map C.’
I voted no on SB2002 and SJR 201. I don’t support changing the appellate process to benefit the legislature’s interests in one legal case, or to help obtain a particular outcome that undermines the will of the people.
- HJR201: Joint Resolution Regarding Constitutional Authority: HJR 201 condemns the Utah Supreme Court’s “activist rewriting of the Utah Constitution” and the district court’s “disregard…for Proposition 4.” The resolution “rejects the court-ordered special interest groups’ map” and any map that “does not reflect the will of the people through their elected legislators.”
I voted no on HJR 201. My take on this silly resolution: Just because the legislature proclaims it in a resolution does not make it true. There’s a lot of irony in the legislature suggesting the courts disregarded Prop 4 given the legislature’s continued, relentless actions to undermine or circumvent Prop 4. The legislature is unhappy with a judicial outcome, but this does not mean we should turn to a resolution to “condemn the courts.” I support an independent judiciary and believe we must accept and respect judicial outcomes, regardless of personal preference or political benefit.
Overall, I believe these bills undermine the will of the people, create confusion in the election process, and weaken the safeguards established by Proposition 4. I don’t believe the legislature should be altering court procedures during an active case. I support Proposition 4 and the map currently in place, which reflects the voice of Utah voters and upholds the principles of a fair and representative government.
A Bright Spot: The Repeal of the Public Employee Collective Bargaining Prohibition
The final bill discussed during the December special session was HB2001, a bill that repeals a 2025 law (HB267) barring public employees from collective bargaining. This comes after advocates and labor groups overwhelmingly surpassed signature gathering thresholds and met the requirements to place a referendum on the 2026 ballot to repeal HB267.
This 👏 is 👏 a 👏 win. And it is a direct result of a collective, organized effort to mobilize, gather signatures, spread the word, and speak out against a bad law that silenced our public employees. I was proud to vote in favor of the repeal of HB267.
In the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee, we discussed court backlogs and speedy trial issues, model school resource officer agreements, and early childhood resources in correctional facilities. The committee heard a presentation from the Utah Department of Corrections regarding medical cannabis use by individuals while on probation. I support correctional supervision programs that allow for medical cannabis use while on probation as medical cannabis has proven to be an effective tool for pain management, managing neurological disorders, and mental health support. I believe its appropriate use can help an individual in their recovery and rehabilitation.
In The News
Recently, legislative leadership indicated their intent to expand the Utah Supreme Court by adding two additional justices, bringing the total number to seven.
I’m not necessarily opposed to the concept of expanding the Supreme Court if it is a sincere need of the judiciary to address caseload issues and if the appointment process is apolitical. In this case, I am firmly convinced legislative leadership is pursuing an expansion to influence the ideology of the Utah Supreme Court as they look to appeal Judge Gibson’s redistricting ruling. For this reason, I will be opposing an expansion.
Last week, I spoke with Deseret News about this effort and my opposition to the proposed expansion. You can read my full comments here.
What’s Next at the Legislature?
Next month, the 2026 general legislative session begins. We gavel in on January 20, 2026 and will be in session for seven weeks. During the legislative session, legislators will discuss and vote on interim committee bills, individual legislator bills, and will balance and pass the state budget. Some bills have already been numbered — they can be viewed here. You can track bills, listen to committee hearings, or otherwise follow along at www.le.utah.gov.
Stay in Touch!
Thank you, as always, for remaining engaged and sharing your thoughts on the redistricting process, special session bills, interim topics, and the upcoming 2026 legislative session. Your voice and input are so important. Please continue to reach out with any questions or ideas you may have.
Best,
Sen. Stephanie Pitcher