Constitutional Amendment A: Publication of Proposed Constitutional Amendments

The law today

Article XXIII, Section 1 of the Utah Constitution now requires the Legislature to cause a proposed constitutional amendment to be published in at least one newspaper in every county of the state where a newspaper is published, for two months, before the general election.[1]

Official fiscal estimate

Utah News Dispatch reports that, per a fiscal analysis in the state voter information pamphlet, if voters approve Amendment A and H.B. 481 takes effect, it could reduce state costs by up to $1.4 million every two years; the analysis notes the savings "would vary depending on the length of each proposed constitutional amendment and newspaper publication rates." The Salt Lake Tribune reports both 2026 constitutional amendments had to be published in newspapers at an estimated cost of $1.4 million.[6][5]

Arguments made for

• Republican Rep. Neil Walter, on PBS Utah's Hinckley Report (as reported by KUER), said newspapers are obsolete and the measure is about modernizing the system: "There has to be a new way to meet the requirement for notice and disclosure to residents," he said. "We're moving online, which is where people are."[3]
• Sponsors Rep. Anthony Loubet and Sen. Dan McCay wrote in the state voter guide: “Amendment A does not eliminate public notice. It updates how public notice is delivered.”[5]
• Loubet and McCay, in the same pamphlet argument: “By modernizing an outdated constitutional requirement, Utah can maintain transparency, improve accessibility and save taxpayer dollars.”[5][6]

Arguments made against

• None found in public sources.

On record in support

• Rep. Anthony Loubet and Sen. Dan McCay (both R), sponsors of the resolution, who wrote the argument in favor in the state voter information pamphlet.[5][6]
• Rep. Neil Walter (R), who defended the amendment on PBS Utah's Hinckley Report, per KUER.[3]

On record in opposition

• None found in public sources.