The general session of the Utah State Legislature convenes on the fourth Monday each January and lasts for 45 days. For 2011, the session goes from January 24 to March 10. In addition, the governor can call special sessions as needed. The legislature consists of 29 senators and 75 representatives.
This guide is designed to help you stay informed about the legislature's activities and the bills and issues you care about.
1. Find Your Legislator
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Do you know who your state senator and state representative are? Type your address into this section of the Utah.gov website to find your legislative districts, then use the roster to get your senator and rep's names. Click on your legislator's name to find his or her photo, background information, e-mail address, phone numbers and sponsored legislation.
2. Get News
All of the following news organizations do a good job covering the Utah State Legislature:
- Deseret News: One of Salt Lake City's two major daily newspapers, moderately right leaning with a "values" focus, owned by the LDS Church's media company.
- The Salt Lake Tribune: Salt Lake's independent major daily, slightly left leaning.
- KCPW: Salt Lake's independent NPR station has some of the best local political coverage in town.
- City Weekly: Salt Lake's quirky, left-leaning alternative weekly covers Utah politics and culture.
3. Track Bills
The Utah State Legislatures main website lets you see the legislative schedule or track a bill's status. It includes live audio of hearings and committee meetings.
