Due to COVID-19 health concerns, the Utah State Legislature has held interim committee meetings electronically and taken public comments remotely. This pattern will continue; however, the process for participating has been significantly improved.
The new process allows members of the public to electronically attend the committee meetings, eliminating the need to submit a request in advance in order to attend and provide public comment. A member of the public may now join the electronic meeting without providing any notice. They may indicate their participation during the public comment portion by simply clicking on the button to ‘raise your hand.’ Individuals may also watch committee meetings to see presentations live.
Throughout the pandemic, the Legislature has made it a top priority to uphold the public process and provide access to legislative proceedings. Significant efforts were quickly implemented to ensure individuals continue to have the opportunity to provide comments and attend the meetings remotely. Now the process is even more streamlined and convenient for members of the public and media.
It has been a learning curve for everyone involved, but efforts to continually improve the process have paid off, and now attending these meetings virtually should be just as convenient as attending in person. As always, individuals may also email legislators directly if they choose not to participate in the committee meetings.
Legislative proceedings will continue to be live-streamed, recorded and shared publicly on le.utah.gov. Additional information for participating in interim committee meetings can be found on the legislative website here, and a step by step guide can be found here.
