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Legislative action that proposed this amendment: HJR6 2012 General Session
Disposition: This amendment took effect following voter ratification. You may read the resulting 2013 Utah Constitution here.
Amends article 13 section 5 and article 22 section 4
13:5
(1) The Legislature shall provide by statute for an annual tax sufficient, with other revenues, to defray the estimated ordinary expenses of the State for each fiscal year.
(2)(a) For any fiscal year, the Legislature may not make an appropriation or authorize an expenditure if the State's expenditure exceeds the total tax provided for by statute and applicable to the particular appropriation or expenditure.
(b) Subsection (2)(a) does not apply to an appropriation or expenditure to suppress insurrection, defend the State, or assist in defending the United States in time of war.
(3) For any debt of the State, the Legislature shall provide by statute for an annual tax sufficient to pay:
(a) the annual interest; and
(b) the principal within 20 years after the final passage of the statute creating the debt.
(4) Except as provided in Article X, Section 5, Subsection (5)(a), the Legislature may not impose a tax for the purpose of a political subdivision of the State, but may by statute authorize political subdivisions of the State to assess and collect taxes for their own purposes.
(5) All revenue from taxes on intangible property or from a tax on income shall be used to support the systems of public education and higher education as defined in Article X, Section 2.
(6) Proceeds from fees, taxes, and other charges related to the operation of motor vehicles on public highways and proceeds from an excise tax on liquid motor fuel used to propel those motor vehicles shall be used for:
(a) statutory refunds and adjustments and costs of collection and administration;
(b) the construction, maintenance, and repair of State and local roads, including payment for property taken for or damaged by rights-of-way and for associated administrative costs;
(c) driver education;
(d) enforcement of state motor vehicle and traffic laws; and
(e) the payment of the principal of and interest on any obligation of the State or a city or county, issued for any of the purposes set forth in Subsection (6)(b) and to which any of the fees, taxes, or other charges described in this Subsection (6) have been pledged, including any paid to the State or a city or county, as provided by statute.
(7) Fees and taxes on tangible personal property imposed under Section 2, Subsection (6) of this article are not subject to Subsection (6) of this Section 5 and shall be distributed to the taxing districts in which the property is located in the same proportion as that in which the revenue collected from real property tax is distributed.
(8) A political subdivision of the State may share its tax and other revenues with another political subdivision of the State as provided by statute.
(9) Beginning July 1, 2016, the aggregate annual revenue from all severance taxes, as those taxes are defined by statute, except revenue that by statute is used for purposes related to any federally recognized Indian tribe, shall be deposited annually into the permanent State trust fund under Article XXII, Section 4, as follows:
(a) 25% of the first $50,000,000 of aggregate annual revenue;
(b) 50% of the next $50,000,000 of aggregate annual revenue; and
(c) 75% of the aggregate annual revenue that exceeds $100,000,000.
22:4
(1) There is established a permanent state trust fund consisting of:
(a) as provided by statute or appropriation, funds that the state receives relating to the November 1998 settlement agreement with leading tobacco manufacturers;
(b) money or other assets given to the fund under any provision of law;
(c) severance tax revenue, as provided in Article XIII, Section 5, Subsection (9); and
(d) other funds and assets that the trust fund receives by bequest or private donation.
(2) Except as provided in Subsection (4), the state treasurer shall, as provided by statute, hold all trust funds and assets in trust and invest them for the benefit of the people of the state in perpetuity.
(3) The income from the state trust fund shall be deposited into the General Fund.
(4) With the concurrence of the governor and three-fourths of each house of the Legislature, funds or assets in the trust fund may be removed from the fund for deposit into the General Fund.
