Series 456
Legislature. House of Representatives Journals

Dates: i 1882-

1.00 cubic foot and 68 microfilm reels Skip to Containers

These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.

Historical Note

An agency history is available.

Scope and Content

These volumes constitute the published minutes of the House from territorial days to the present. The legislature began keeping journals shortly following the creation of the territory in 1850. By 1882 the journals of the house and senate were kept separately, although the 1892 edition was bound jointly with the separate journal of the Senate.

The House followed a standard order of business, which is recorded in the daily entries. The place and date is entered, there is note of the call to order and roll, a prayer, reading of the journal entry from the previous day, legislative business, then adjournment. While the activities are noted, details are not. The beginning day of each session usually lists all members answering to roll call; thereafter the entries just specify if a quorum is present. Often a separate table of members is included toward the start of the volume. Many of the volumes have the House rules recorded toward the beginning which specify the order of business andclarify procedures.

Legislative business is only slightly more detailed. Petitions, if any, are the first order of new business. These are requests from citizens for various actions and are most frequently referred to the appropriate committee. Other communications, from agencies, groups, or individuals, might also be read into the record at this time.

Committee reports are the next order of daily business. The reports recommend the passage or rejection of particular legislation. If the entire committee is not in agreement, a minority report might be presented. Initially, reports were more detailed and letters from various state agencies were sometimes entered into the record as part of a committee report. However, by the 1920s, committee reports were confined to a statement recommending passage or rejection of legislation with amendments as needed. Committee members are appointed and listed at the beginning of the session.

The process of enacting legislation via bills andresolutions is the most frequent business recorded. The title of the bill is noted along with its status: which reading it is at, whether or not it is passed, whether it has been referred back to committee, what amendments or rewrites are motioned for, etc. The contents of the bills are not recorded, although brief summaries of the contents along with the sponsors' names are recorded in separate tables from 1977 to 1979. The names of individuals motioning for particular actions are specified as are the names on the final vote on a bill or resolution.

Messages from the opposing chamber, usually relating to a joint session or the passage of a bill in that house, are recorded in full. Messages from the governor also report passage, veto, or objections to portions of particular bills. County financial reports are included as appendices from 1882-1888. Speeches related to statehood are prevalent in 1896 and 1897. Memorial tributes to deceased notables occur intermittently. Othermiscellaneous business includes such things as invitations to visit or attend various civic functions, a poem read into the record, remarks by various speakers to the committee as a whole, etc.

Minutes from joint sessions are entered in the journals of both houses after 1890; before that the COUNCIL JOURNAL is cited. The governor's opening message was also presented in joint session and printed in full, detailing topics of concern in the state and recommending legislative action. Initially, several agency reports, particularly those of the auditor and treasurer, accompanied the governor's address; later these were simply summarized in his message. Joint memorials to Congress, pleading for federal action (or inaction), commonly appear in the joint sessions of the 1880s, but are shorter and less frequent after statehood when Utah gained more autonomy.

Arrangement

Chronological.

Related Records

Journals from the Legislature. Senate, Series 409, are the equivalent journals from the Senate.

Working bills from the Legislature. House of Representatives, Series 432, are the same bills whose progress is noted in the journals.

Journals from the Legislative Assembly, Series 3145, are the published minutes of both the House and Senate from 1851 through 1880.

Territorial legislative records from the Legislative Assembly, Series 3150, contain the working version of house bills during the territorial period.

Legislative bills from the Lieutenant Governor, Series 4076, contain the final version of bills and resolutions passed.

Great Salt Lake City Charter from the Territorial Secretary, Series 4904, contains minute book entries and abstracts that may discuss passage of the charter records found in this series.

Journal record books from the Legislative Assembly. House, Series 16660, are unpublished house journals from 1858-1878.

Laws of Utah from the Legislature, Series 83155, are the final, published version of bills and resolutions passed.

Custody History

2020 Journal received from Legislative Services (formerly known as Legislative Printing Office). Past issues came from a variety of sources including this same office and the State Library's Depository system.

Additional Forms

This series is available on microfilm.

This series is available online as part of the Utah State Archives Digital Archives.

Copies of these records are located at Hathitrust View Online.

Copies of these records are located at Utah Government Digital Library View Online.

Copies of these records are located at Utah Legislature View Online.

Access Restrictions

Microfiche holdings require staff assistance due to fewer reference copies. Handle masters under supervision.

Preferred Citation

Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

Gaps in Series

As noted in the inventory, pre-1882 journals were published with the senate's in series 3145, and the 1892 journal was bound with the Council Journal and thus starts on page 395. Also, the house usually met in even numbered years until statehood and odd numbered years thereafter, moving to annual sessions (either budget or regular) in 1976. Therefore, entries for other years are not to be expected unless some sort of special session was held.

The 2008 volume covering 57th first special and general session is missing in microfilm. Use other available copies including additional print copies in the Research Center.

Processing Note

Parts were microfilmed in the 1970s and early 1980s; the remainder were filmed in 1991-1992 and following. Any pages missed or blurred in the initial filming will appear as retakes at the beginning of each reel. The 1985 extraordinary sessions were bound out of chronological order, and therefore filmed out of order. Archivally processed by A.C. Cone in 1990 with container list updates as needed.

Microfiche processed by Rebekkah Shaw under the National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant to the Utah State Archives and Records Services for the Utah Microfiche Backlog Project (Grant No.: NAR10-RB-50086-10). July 2010 - December 2011

Finding Aids

Indexes: The 1882 volume and those after 1899 have numerical indices to bills and resolutions acted on during the session. Indexes: The 1882 volume and those after 1899 often include subject and/or chronological indices to reports, communications, and miscellaneous business. Indexes: There are alphabetical subject indices to bills, covering from 1955.

Indexing Terms

  • Utah. Governor.
  • Legislative bodies--Utah--Publication of proceedings.
  • Legislative bodies--Utah--Committees.
  • Legislators--Utah.
  • Legislation--Utah.
  • Utah--Politics and government.

Container List

REEL DESCRIPTION
1 1882, 25th session; 1884, 26th session; 1886, 27th session, start-appendices
2 1886, 27th session, appendices-end; 1888, 28th session; 1890, 29th session; 1892, 30th session, start-exhibit 10
3 1892, 30th session, exhibit 11-end; 1894, 31st session; 1896, Special and 1st session
4 1897, 2nd session; 1899, 3rd session; 1901, 4th session, start-p. 254
5 1901, 4th session, p. 254-end; 1903, 5th session; 1905, 6th session, start-p. 440
6 1905, 6th session, p. 440-end; 1907, 7th session; 1909, 8th session, start-p. 123
7 1909, 8th session, p. 123-end; 1911, 9th session, start-p. 400
8 1911, 9th session, p. 400-end; 1913, 10th session
9 1915, 11th session; 1917, 12th session, start-p.334
10 1917, 12th session, p. 334-end; 1919, 13th session; 1919, 13th first special session
11 1921, 14th session; 1923, 15th session
12 1925, 16th session; 1927, 17th session
13 1929, 18th session; 1930, 18th first special session; 1931, 19th session, start-p. 568
14 1931, 19th session, p. 568-end; 1933, 20th session; 1933, 20th second special session
15 1935, 21st session; 1936, 21st first special session; 1937, 22nd session, start-p.612
16 1937, 22nd session, p. 612-end; 1939, 23rd session; 1941, 24th session, start p. 382
17 1941, 24th session, p. 382-end; 1941, 24th first special session; 1943, 25th session, start-p. 640
18 1943, 25th session, p. 640-end; 1944, 25th first special session; 1945, 26th session; 1946, 26th first special session;
19 1947, 27th session; 1948, 27th first special session; 1949, 28th session, start-p. 210
20 1949, 28th session, p. 210-end; 1951, 29th session, start-p. 676
21 1951, 29th session, p. 676-end; 1951, 29th first special session; 1952, 29th second special session; 1953, 30th session, start-p.824
22 1953, 30th session, p. 824-end; 1953, 30th first special session; 1955, 31st session, start-p. 922
23 1955, 31st session, p. 922-end; 1957, 32nd session; 1959, 33rd session, start-p.300
24 1959, 33rd session, p. 300-end; 1959, 33rd first special session; 1961, 34th session, start-p. 956
25 1961, 34th session, p. 956-end; 1963, 35th session; 1963, 35th first special session; 1965, 36th session, start-p. 342
26 1965, 36th session, p. 342-end; 1966, 36th first and second special sessions
27 1967, 37th session
28 1969, 38th session, start-p. 660
29 1969, 38th session, p. 660-end; 1969, 38th first special session; 1970, 38th budget session; 1971, 39th session, start-p. 570
30 1971, 39th session, p. 571-end; 1971, 39th first special session; 1972, 39th budget session; 1973, 40th session, start-p. 680
31 1973, 40th session, p. 680-end; 1973, 40th first special session; 1974, 40th budget session; 1974, 40th second special session; 1975, 41st session, start-p. 292
32 1975, 41st session, p. 292-end; 1975, 41st first special session; 1976, 41st budget session; 1977, 42nd session, start-p. 87
33 1977, 42nd session, p. 87-1512
34 1977, 42nd session, p. 1512-end; 1977, 42nd first special session; 1978, 42nd budget session; 1978, 42nd second special session
35 1979, 43rd session, vol. I and vol. II
36 1980, 43rd budget session, start-p. 352
37 1980, 43rd budget session, p. 352-end; 1980, 43rd first special session; 1981, 44th session, start-p.832
38 1981, 44th session, p. 832-end; 1981, 44th veto override session; 1981, 44th first special session; 1982, 44th budget session, start-p. 634
39 1982, 44th budget session, p. 634-end; 1982, 44th second special session
40 1982, 44th third special session; 1983, 45th session; 1983, 45th veto override session; 1983, 45th first special session
41 1984, 45th budget session; 1984, 45th second special session; 1985, 46th first-second extra session; 1984, 45th third special session; 1985, 46th session, start-p. 761
42 1985, 46th session, p. 761-3nd; 1985, 46th first special session; 1986, 46th session, start-p. 957
43 1986, 46th session, p. 957-end; 1986, 46th second-fourth special sessions; 1987, 47th session, start-p. 1095
44 1987, 47th session, p. 1095-end; 1987, 47th first special session; 1988, 47th session; 1988, 47th second-third special sessions
45 1988, 47th fourth special session; 1989, 48th general session; 1989, 48th first special session
46 1989, 48th second special session; 1990, 48th general session
47 1991, 49th general session; 1991, 49th first special session; 1991, 49th veto override session
48 1991, 49th second special session; 1992, 49th general session; 1992, 49th third special session
49 1993, 50th general session; 1993, 50th first-second special sessions
50 1994, 50th general session
51 1995, 51st general session; 1995, 51st first special session
52 1996, 51st general session; 1996, 51st second special session
53 1996, 51st third special session; 1997, 52nd general session
54 1997, 52nd first-second special sessions; 1998, 52nd general session
55 1999, 53rd general session
56 2000, 53rd general session, start-p. 723
57 2000, 53rd general session, p. 724-end
58 2001, 54th general session
59 2001, 54th first special session; 2001, 54th second special session; 2002, 54th general session start-p. 720
60 2002, 54th general session p. 721-end; 2002, 54th veto override session; 2002, 54th third-fifth special sessions
61 2002, 54th sixth special session; 2003, 55th general session
62 2003, 55th first special session; 2003, 55th second special session; 2004, 55th general session start-p. 754
63 2004, 55th general session p. 755-end; 2004, 55th third special session
64 2004, 55th fourth special session; 2005, 56th general session
65 2005, 56th second special session; 2006, 56th general session start-p. 794
66 2006, 56th general session p. 795-end; 2006, 56th third special session
67 2006, 56th fourth special session; 2006, 56th fifth special session; 2007, 57th general session start-p.775
68 2007, 57th general session p. 776-end
pending 2007, 57th first special session; 2008, 57th general session
pending 2009, 58th general session; 2009, 58th first special session
pending 2010, 58th second special session; 2011, 59th general session; 2011, 59th first special session; 2011, 59th veto override session
pending 2011, 59th second special session; 2011, 59th third special session; 2012, 59th general session; 2012, 59th fourth special session
pending 2013, 60th general session
pending 2014, 60th first House session, 60th first special session, 60th second special session, 60th general session
pending 2015, 61st general session
pending 2016, 61st first special session, 61st general session, 61st second special session
pending 2016, 61st third special session, 61st fourth special session; 2017, 62nd general session
pending 2017, 62nd first special session; 2018, 62nd general session, 62nd veto override session
VOLUME DESCRIPTION
2009 2008, 57th second special session; 2009, 58th general session; 2009, 58th first special session
2010 2010, 58th general session
2011 2010, 58th second special session; 2011, 59th general session; 2011, 59th first special session; 2011, 59th veto override session
2012 2011, 59th second special session; 2011, 59th third special session; 2012, 59th general session; 2012, 59th fourth special session
2013 2013, 60th general session
2014 2014, 60th first House session, 60th first special session, 60th second special session, 60th general session
2015 2015, 61st general session
2016 2016, 61st first special session, 61st general session, 61st second special session
2017 2016, 61st third special session, 61st fourth special session; 2017, 62nd general session
2018 2017, 62nd first special session; 2018, 62nd general session, 62nd veto override session
2019 2018, 62nd second special session; 2018, 62nd third special session; 2019, 63rd general session
2020 2019, 63rd first and second special sessions; 2020, 63rd general session, 63rd third to fifth speciall sessions
2021 2020, 63rd sixth special session; 2021, 64th general session, 64th first special session
2022 2021, 64th second special session; 2022, 64th general session; 2022, 64th veto override session; 2022, 64th third special session

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