Utah's Legislature operates under one of the tightest time constraints in America, with just 45 days to approve budgets and pass laws. Now, one lawmaker has decided they need more flexibility and wants to ask voters to let them spread those 45 days across the entire calendar year instead of cramming it all into a single sprint.
⏰ Tick Tock
4 days - The final day of the 2026 Utah Legislature (3/6/2026)
7 days - First day congressional candidates can file to run for the 2026 election. (3/9/2026)
15 days - Neighborhood caucus night. (3/17/2026)
40 days - Utah Forward Party nominating convention (4/11/2026)
55 days - Utah State Republican and Democratic State Party nominating conventions (4/25/2026)
114 days - Utah's 2026 primary election (6/23/2026)
246 days - 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026)
981 days - 2028 presidential election (11/7/2028)
The pitch from Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, keeps the 45-day limit, but allows lawmakers to meet sporadically throughout the year instead of one continuous January-through-March marathon.
McCay's SJR18 would let lawmakers convene on any non-consecutive days throughout the calendar year—starting in January, then adjourning and reconvening whenever they feel like it—as long as the total doesn't exceed 45 days. Both chambers would have to stick to the same schedule, preventing one house from banking days for later use.
The proposal also strips out the current rule requiring one chamber to get the other's permission before adjourning for more than three days or relocating meetings. It also changes which days count toward that 45-day limit from “state holidays and federal holidays" to the vaguer "days provided by statute,” which could give lawmakers more wiggle room to define what counts as a working day.
McCay’s proposal faces its first test Monday morning in the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee. From there, it needs a two-thirds majority in both chambers to land on the November 2026 ballot. If voters approve it, the new system would kick in for the 2028 session.
McCay's isn't the only idea floating around. Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, has proposed HJR22, which would split the session into three 15-day blocks: a budget session in February and two policy sessions in May and September. That proposal is currently gathering dust without a committee assignment.
UPDATE: SJR18 was held by the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee on Monday morning.