What is Amendment B?
Utah lawmakers are seeking to amend the state constitution.
The legislation, called Amendment B, would increase the percentage of needed votes on certain citizen initiatives that change or expand tax policy. The percentage currently stands at a simple majority, or more than 50%. Amendment B seeks to change the threshold to a supermajority, or 60%.
The amendment would not affect the state legislature’s existing voting threshold on policy that expands or increases taxes. That threshold currently stands at a simple majority.
If passed, the legislation would affect many — but not all — tax-related citizen initiatives.
What is a citizen initiative?
In 1900, Utah became the second in the country to provide citizen-initiated ballot measures. Now, 26 states including Utah allow for citizen initiatives.
In Utah, citizen initiatives are a way for Utahns to propose and review local or statewide pieces of legislation that then can be placed on the ballot.
Some kinds of initiatives require legislative approval, and others only need the votes of citizens. Besides drafting original initiatives, citizens can also petition for existing local or state laws to be reviewed for approval or denial. This is known as a referendum.
These initiatives allow Utahns to propose new laws by going through a process that begins by collecting a certain percentage of signatures from active voters.
Alongside the signatures, a successful initiative must pass through several other steps, including filing with the office of the lieutenant governor, review by the lieutenant governor, public hearings and more. Eventually, once the initiative jumps through the needed hoops, it can become a law.
What do supporters say?
Amendment B has not been without controversy. Some supporters claim it would protect against citizen initiatives raising taxes without broad agreement. Others disagree, claiming it would create a voting imbalance that gives more power to the legislature than the people.
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-Salt Lake, is the chief sponsor of the amendment. The legislation was introduced during the 2025 General Session of the Utah Legislature.
Fillmore argued that upping the voting threshold to 60% would protect Utah families and make broad consensus the norm.
“We didn't want it to be a situation where just 51% of the people could raise taxes on the other 49%,” he said.
Fillmore also argued that the amendment offers a broad but not unreachable consensus on tax policy.
“Amendment B is simply an effort to ensure that tax increases that would take money away from Utah families have enough broad support so that taking is justified,” he said.
Fillmore also said that his intent for the bill was to empower Utahns to make the decision about how easy they want taxation to be.
The amendment, while supported by some, has drawn wide criticism from individuals and organizations alike.
What do opponents say?
Elizabeth Rasmussen is the director of Better Boundaries, a Utah-based nonprofit that focuses on giving citizens a voice in the political process.
Rasmussen argued that Amendment B would create an imbalance between the government and citizens of Utah, creating a power gap that would benefit the legislature more than the people.
“It really stifles the power that we as citizens have to push back on the legislature on certain policies that we want implemented,” she said.
She also argued that the potentially broad application of the amendment raises concerns, since many policies might be considered tax-related.
“It could be interpreted very broadly and potentially be tacked onto any initiative that goes through,” Rasmussen said. “Let's keep it at a simple majority so that we, the people, have that co-equal power with the legislature to make laws as guaranteed in our Constitution.”
Amendment B has also seen opposition from citizens. Utah resident Allie Davison disagreed with the legislation.
“Not a good idea to give away your constitutional power as citizens,” she said.
The public response is somewhat reminiscent of 2024’s Amendment D, which proposed the possibility of legislative alteration of ballot initiatives after the initiatives were passed. That amendment did not pass, and was deemed unconstitutional by Utah’s Supreme Court.
If passed, Amendment B would take effect Nov. 23, 2026.
Voters can cast their ballot in person or by mail before 8 p.m. on Election Day, or Nov. 3, 2026.