On Feb. 14, Governor Spencer Cox signed a new bill, bringing the total number of signed pieces of legislation from the 2022 General Legislative Session to 14.
Gov. Cox stated that these changes came at the request of both major political parties and affect this year’s filing periods. As a result, according to the governor, the legislation was signed immediately and they wished to ensure that the public is aware of the new details.
SB 170 pertains to Election Schedule Amendments. Through the bill, the Utah State Legislature has changed the filing period for the 2022 elections from Monday, Feb. 28 to Friday, March 4 at 5 p.m. sharp. Furthermore, the bill modifies the deadlines in which a political party is required to provide certain notifications and clarifies provisions relating to the residency requirement of a candidate.
The chief sponsor of this bill was Senator Wayne A. Harper, with the house sponsor being Representative A. Cory Maloy. The bill will take effect beginning on Feb. 28 of this year. More information on the bill may be found here.