In The News 
Gov. Gary Herbert signs controversial signature-removal bill
Ethics initiative organizers on Monday accused Gov. Gary Herbert of seeking to "stymie citizen participation" after he signed a bill that will make it easier to remove petition signatures. Herbert signed the controversial bill Saturday, despite a plea from initiative supporters calling on him to veto the legislation. Citizen-initiative advocates predict the law will result in campaigns to harass petition-signers, as opponents try to persuade them to remove their signatures.
nitiative backers to fight exclusion of electronic signatures
Two groups pushing citizen initiatives say they will ask the Utah Supreme Court to overturn a decision by Lt. Gov. Greg Bell not to accept online signatures on their petitions.
Initiative efforts may face obstacle
A bill that would remove the time constraints under which the Utah Supreme Court must act when dealing with citizen initiatives and referendums is on its way to the House floor after unanimously clearing the House Judiciary Committee last week.
Senate bill lays out ethics proposal
The Utah Senate is considering a change to legislative rules that would establish an ethics commission in conjunction with a proposed constitutional amendment.
Political questions abound over ethics, redistricting
A recent Deseret News/KSL-TV survey showed overwhelming support for two ballot initiatives, one proposing strict ethics guidelines for legislators and the other creating an independent redistricting commission.
Dates set for public hearings on ethics
A group pushing a ballot initiative that proposes a strict code of ethics for state lawmakers has scheduled a series of public hearings across Utah to discuss the issue.
Initiatives are consequences of slow work on ethics
Utah could well have two initiatives on its 2010 ballot.
Editorial: Reform legislative ethics
There is ample evidence that properly motivated and well-financed citizen groups can place issues on the ballot and carry the day at the ballot box.
Lawyers propose new measure to limit death-row appeals
Opponents of a proposed constitutional amendment that would limit criminal appeals were adamant that changing the Utah Constitution was the wrong way to deal with death penalty cases that drag on for years. On Thursday, they switched tactics and proposed their own constitutional amendment.
Ethics reform battle heats up
A Capitol-steps news conference to unveil a ballot initiative drive for legislative ethics reform has been bumped a week, but some political insiders already have begun to push back against the grass-roots effort.
