Court Opinion

ID: 9786896
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 00:04:34.234061+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:36:48.285876
License: Public Domain

HOWE, Chief Justice,
dissenting:
¶ 32 I dissent. I would adopt the ballot titles formulated by the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (LRGC) with amendments made by us to accommodate certain of the concerns of the sponsors (petitioners).
¶ 33 My interpretation of section 20¥A-I-209 is that the primary responsibility to formulate ballot titles has been placed by the legislature with LRGC because of the expertise of that office in preparing legislation generally. Thus, when ballot titles are challenged in this court, we should grant a measure of deference to the work and experience of the LRGC. In this instance, a team composed of members of that office devoted considerable time to produce ballot titles that they deemed were a true and impartial statement of the purpose of the initiatives. That work should not be lightly dismissed by this court and our own titles substituted therefor.
¶ 34 Both of the initiatives before us have a number of purposes. There is no one correct and complete way to express the most important of those purposes. Therefore, I would grant LRGC some deference as to its judgment on what purposes should be included in the ballot titles. Any corrections or additions we deem necessary should be made from the draft composed by LRGC.
Appendix A
Initiative A
Shall a law be enacted to:
(1) declare English Utah's official and sole language for state and local government documents and action;
(2) exempt those documents and actions required by the United States and Utah constitutions; federal law and regulations; law enforcement, public safety, and health requirements; public and higher education; certain judicial proceedings; economic development and tourism; and libraries;
(3) require public and higher education to enact rules to promote learning and using English and encourage learning foreign language; and
(4) return to the General Fund monies appropriated or designated for services in another language, and require accounting?
[95 words]
Appendix B
Initiative B
Shall Utah law be amended to:
(1) forbid forfeiture (seizure and sale) of property involved in crime where an innocent owner neither knew of nor consented to the crime;
(2) create uniform procedures to protect property owners where forfeiture is sought by the government;
(38) require the government to prove property is subject to forfeiture, and to reimburse owners for damage to property in custody;
(4) require distribution of forfeiture proceeds, after deductions for court costs *1021and victim losses, to schools instead of counties or the state;
(5) clarify valuation methods for forfeited property, and require tracking and reporting of all money from its sale?
[100 words]