Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson issued a temporary hold on HB267 Tuesday, part of an ongoing effort from labor groups to overturn the bill through a referendum.
In Utah, qualifying for a referendum — which is when voters choose to enact or repeal a law during an election — requires signatures from at least 8% of the state’s voters, which is roughly 141,000 people. That 8% threshold must also be met in 15 of the state’s 19 Senate districts. The signatures must be gathered in just 30 days.
According to Henderson’s office, county clerks around the state have processed and certified 245,513 signatures. And data analyzed by political consulting and public affairs firm Morgan & May shows that the 8% threshold has also been met in 23 Senate districts.
The temporary stay will likely remain in place until the 2026 general election, which is when voters will decide whether HB267 should remain law.
Lawmakers narrowly passed HB267 during the legislative session in February, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed it on Valentine’s Day. It prohibits public sector unions (like a teacher or police union) from negotiating terms of employment with the employer (like a school district or a city).
Unions were staunchly opposed to the bill, protesting every step of the legislative process. In March, labor groups came together to form the Protect Utah Workers coalition to announce they would be gathering signatures in hopes of qualifying for a referendum to overturn the bill. The coalition included groups like the Utah Education Association, the Professional Firefighters of Utah and the Utah Fraternal Order of Police.
For 30 days, thousands of volunteers gathered signatures, hoping to meet the 141,000 threshold — and on April 16, the coalition announced it had submitted 320,000 signatures to county clerks across the state, which they say is the most signatures ever gathered for a referendum in Utah. By April 28, data showed that the coalition would likely qualify to put a referendum on the ballot.
County clerks still have until the first week of May to verify outstanding signatures — once a signature is verified, it’s made public, opening a 45-day window where the voter can choose to rescind their support for the referendum, if they choose.
The Protect Utah Workers coalition celebrated the news on Tuesday, telling Utah News Dispatch HB267 is a “deeply unpopular” bill.
“Throughout the referendum process, we saw firsthand that voters overwhelmingly respect public workers and the vital services we provide to our communities,” the coalition said in a statement. “Union members across Utah stood shoulder to shoulder to accomplish what many thought was impossible. We could not have come this far without thousands of volunteers and voters who made their voices heard. This is proof that when workers unite, we win.”
Proponents of the bill say HB267 will protect taxpayer dollars while giving all public employees a voice, not just union members. The bill’s sponsors — Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, and Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy — said unions shouldn’t be negotiating terms of employment if they don’t represent a majority of the employees.
The group Utahns for Worker Freedom is among those supporting HB267 — spokesperson Cole Kelley on Tuesday said the group was focused on educating voters and securing a “ballot victory.” The bill will “enhance classroom education and safeguard Utah’s workers and taxpayers through practical reforms,” Kelley said in a text message.
“As voters learn more about HB267, they’ll see why our Legislature passed it and the governor signed it into law. We’re confident the voters will vote HB267 into law,” Kelley said.
This report was originally published at UtahNewsDispatch.com.
