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Legislative action that proposed this amendment: SJR7 2019 General Session
Disposition: This amendment took effect following voter ratification. You may read the resulting 2021 Utah Constitution here.
Amends Article 1 sections 1, 11, and 12, and Article VI sections 7, 20, and 33.
1:1
All persons have the inherent and inalienable right to enjoy and defend their lives and liberties; to acquire, possess and protect property; to worship according to the dictates of their consciences; to assemble peaceably, protest against wrongs, and petition for redress of grievances; to communicate freely their thoughts and opinions, being responsible for the abuse of that right.
1:11
All courts shall be open, and every person, for an injury done to the person in his or her person, property, or reputation, shall have remedy by due course of law, which shall be administered without denial or unnecessary delay; and no person shall be barred from prosecuting or defending before any tribunal in this State, with or without counsel, any civil cause to which the person is a party.
1:12
In criminal prosecutions the accused shall have the right to appear and defend in person and by counsel, to demand the nature and cause of the accusation, to have a copy thereof, to testify in the accused's own behalf, to be confronted by the witnesses against the accused, to have compulsory process to compel the attendance of witnesses in the accused's own behalf, to have a speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the county or district in which the offense is alleged to have been committed, and the right to appeal in all cases. In no instance shall any accused person, before final judgment, be compelled to advance money or fees to secure the rights herein guaranteed. The accused shall not be compelled to give evidence against himself or herself; a person shall not be compelled to testify against the person's spouse, nor shall any person be twice put in jeopardy for the same offense.
Where the defendant is otherwise entitled to a preliminary examination, the function of that examination is limited to determining whether probable cause exists unless otherwise provided by statute. Nothing in this constitution shall preclude the use of reliable hearsay evidence as defined by statute or rule in whole or in part at any preliminary examination to determine probable cause or at any pretrial proceeding with respect to release of the defendant if appropriate discovery is allowed as defined by statute or rule.
6:7
No member of the Legislature, during the term for which the member was elected, shall be appointed or elected to any civil office of profit under this State, which shall have been created, or the emoluments of which shall have been increased, during the term for which the member was elected.
6:20
No person shall be tried on impeachment, unless the person shall have been served with a copy of the articles thereof, at least ten days before the trial, and after such service the person shall not exercise the duties of office until acquitted.
6:33
The Legislature shall appoint a legislative auditor to serve at its pleasure. The legislative auditor shall have authority to conduct audits of any funds, functions, and accounts in any branch, department, agency or political subdivision of this state and shall perform such other related duties as may be prescribed by the Legislature. The legislative auditor shall report to and be answerable only to the Legislature.
