Series 83155
Legislature Laws of Utah
Dates: i 1851-
17.00 cubic feet and 90 microfilm reels and 2 microfiche sets
These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.
Historical Note
An agency history is available.
Scope and Content
After each regular and special session of the state legislature or the territorial assembly, the laws that were passed were compiled and published as the Laws of Utah. The act of publishing the laws was an important step in the legislative process. Until 1972, laws were not considered to be in effect until they had first been published, a requirement dating from the 1849 Constitution of the State of Deseret. In the early territorial days, acts were often published in the newspaper as well, and the law named specific public officials who were to receive a copy. [Acts, Resolutions, and Memorials for the Territory of Utah 1851, page 213-214.] The production of this series has its origin in this requirement.
The Secretary of the Territory was given responsibility for handling the financial details and for making arrangements for publication. When Utah became a state in 1896, the Board of Examiners assumed this responsibility, but by 1907 the Secretary of State's office was again incharge. They were followed in 1967 by the Finance Department and then the State Archives from 1969-1985. Currently, the Office of Legislative Printing arranges for their publication and distribution.
Legislative sessions were held annually until 1870, usually in the winter, from December to March. After that date biennial sessions were held in even numbered years until statehood. Starting with the second session of the new state legislature in 1897, biannual sessions were switched to odd numbered years. The 13th state legislature held the first special session in 1919, and after that date one or more special sessions began to be held more often. Special sessions are convened by the governor to consider legislative matters that need to be resolved immediately, before the next regular session of the legislature convenes.
A 1968 change in the state constitution created the budget session, and the first of these was held in 1970. These were held during the even numbered years when theregular session did not meet, and only government funding issues were considered. The constitution of the state was changed again in 1985 to provide for annual sessions of the legislature, eliminating the biannual budget session.
In addition to the laws and resolutions passed at each session of the legislature, additional information about state government is regularly added to the volumes. A listing of individual members of the legislature and the districts they represent has been a standard addition since 1896; only in more recent volumes has more detailed information about them, such as party affiliation and committee assignments, been added to this basic list. During the territorial period, a list of assembly members appears in only a few of the volumes. In some years only lists of federal officials are included; in others, no additional information accompanies the Laws of the Territorial Assembly. Federal laws affecting territories or a copy of the U.S. Constitution is alsosometimes added to the laws from this period. The volume for the 2nd session also contains a copy of the Constitution of the State of Deseret, and a reprint of the laws passed by that body.
Beginning in 1901, listings of major state administrative and judicial officials were added. Lists of Utah representatives in Congress first appear in 1917. The U.S. Constitution and the Enabling Act creating Utah territory are part of the first volumes of the laws; the Utah State Constitution appears in 1896 and again in 1931.
Research Note
Tracing the history of legislation in the series can be most effectively done by using individual volumes in conjunction with Series 83238, UTAH CODE ANNOTATED. Included in each volume of the LAWS OF UTAH are only those statutes either first passed or revised during the session in that particular year. Laws already in force at the time of the legislative session, which were not revised, are not reprinted in each volume of the LAWS OF UTAH. Until the publication of the Utah Code in the 1940s, Utah's laws were only periodically compiled or recodified. When the year in which a specific statute was first passed is not known, or when trying to learn whether a specific law regulating a particular area existed in any given year, it is best to begin searching in a volume of the UTAH CODE ANNOTATED. First check the edition of the UTAH CODE ANNOTATED published after the year when the law might have been passed. Once a law is located in the code the date of its initial passage or last revision is usually noted at the end of the section. From this date, it is then possible to identify which volume of the laws should contain the original act. Checking volumes in between these two points will also identify any revisions that occurred between its original passage and its appearance in the UTAH CODE ANNOTATED. If the date represents a revision, check the LAWS OF UTAH during the year it was revised. The laws in this volume will identify the statute it in turn is revising, or the date of the original law. With the publication of the 1953 Utah Code Annotated, the practice of publishing regular updates began, so that researching the history of a law passed after 1953 can be more easily done by using that series. The numbering system used in the code differs from that used in the LAWS OF UTAH. Access by topic is sometimes an effective way to move between the two, unless the specific code or chapter numbers revised or updated are cited in the text. Beginning with the 1933 volume, an index, or table, was added listing the titles, c hapters, and sections, of the Utah code actually revised by a particular statute.
Research Note
Tracing the history of legislation in the series can be most effectively done by using individual volumes in conjunction with Series 83238, UTAH CODE ANNOTATED. Included in each volume of the LAWS OF UTAH are only those statutes either first passed or revised during the session in that particular year. Laws already in force at the time of the legislative session, which were not revised, are not reprinted in each volume of the LAWS OF UTAH. Until the publication of the Utah Code in the 1940s, Utah's laws were only periodically compiled or recodified. When the year in which a specific statute was first passed is not known, or when trying to learn whether a specific law regulating a particular area existed in any given year, it is best to begin searching in a volume of the UTAH CODE ANNOTATED. First check the edition of the UTAH CODE ANNOTATED published after the year when the law might have been passed. Once a law is located in the code the date of its initial passage or last revision is usually noted at the end of the section. From this date, it is then possible to identify which volume of the laws should contain the original act. Checking volumes in between these two points will also identify any revisions that occurred between its original passage and its appearance in the UTAH CODE ANNOTATED. If the date represents a revision, check the LAWS OF UTAH during the year it was revised. The laws in this volume will identify the statute it in turn is revising, or the date of the original law. With the publication of the 1953 Utah Code Annotated, the practice of publishing regular updates began, so that researching the history of a law passed after 1953 can be more easily done by using that series. The numbering system used in the code differs from that used in the LAWS OF UTAH. Access by topic is sometimes an effective way to move between the two, unless the specific code or chapter numbers revised or updated are cited in the text. Beginning with the 1933 volume, an index, or table, was added listing the titles, c hapters, and sections, of the Utah code actually revised by a particular statute.
Images Available
This series is available online as part of the Utah State Archives Digital Archives.
Copies of these records are located at Utah Government Digital Library View Online.
Access Restrictions
Microfiche holdings require staff assistance due to fewer reference copies. Handle masters under supervision.
Reproduction and Use
These records are available for reproduction and use.
Finding Aids
Indexes: Most volumes include subject indexes. Other: The UTAH CODE ANNOTATED PARALLEL TABLES is an effort to coordinate changes in the code since 1898. Essentially, the tables show which specific statutes have been carried over from earlier codified editions.
Related Records
Journals from the Legislature. Senate, Series 409, discuss the progress of bills and the passage of these laws in the Senate.
Journals from the Legislature. House of Representatives, Series 456, discuss the progress of bills and the passage of these laws in the House.
Utah code unannotated from the Legislature, Series 1052, contains the current law in codified form, but does not include legal or historical annotations.
Journals from the Legislative Assembly, Series 3145, discuss the passage of laws by the assembly.
Legislative acts, resolutions, and memorial journals from the Secretary of State, Series 3148, are manuscript copies of the laws as passed by the territorial assembly or the state legislature until 1911.
Legislative bills from the Lieutenant Governor, Series 4076, contain the final versions of bills enacted into law.
Journal record books from the Legislative Assembly. House, Series 16660, contain discussions of bills passed by the legislature.
Records of the states of the United States microfilm compilation from United States. Library of Congress, Series 27655, are the source of some of the earliest session laws of the territorial assembly.
Utah Code Annotated from the Division of Archives and Records Service, Series 83238, expresses the current law in codified form and gives the legislative history of the statute.
Indexing Terms
Legislative bodies--Utah--Publication of proceedings.
Laws--Utah.
Legislators--Utah.
Constitutions, State--Utah.
Utah--Politics and government--1851-.
REEL | BOX | FOLDER | DESCRIPTION |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1851 - 1852: 1st session |
1 | none | none | 1852 - 1853: 2nd session |
1 | 1 | 2 | 1853 - 1854: 3rd session |
1 | 1 | 3 | 1855 - 1856: 5th session |
1 | 1 | 4 | 1856 - 1857: 6th session |
1 | 1 | 5 | 1857 - 1858: 7th session |
1 | none | none | 1858 - 1859: 8th session |
1 | none | none | 1859 - 1860: 9th session |
1 | none | none | 1860 - 1861: 10th session |
1 | none | none | 1861 - 1862: 11th session |
1 | 1 | 6 | 1862 - 1863: 12th session |
1 | none | none | 1863 - 1864: 13th session |
1 | none | none | 1864 - 1865: 14th session |
1 | 1 | 7 | 1866 - 1867: 16th session |
1 | 1 | 8 | 1868 17th session |
1 | none | none | 1869 18th session |
1 | 1 | 9 | 1870 19th session |
1 | none | none | 1872 20th session |
1 | 1 | 10 | 1874 21st session |
1 | 1 | 11 | 1878 23rd session |
1 | 1 | 12 | 1880 24th session |
1 | 1 | 13 | 1882 25th session |
1 | 1 | 14 | 1884 26th session |
1 | 1 | 15 | 1886 27th session |
2 | 1 | 16 | 1888 28th session |
3 | 1 | 17 | 1890 29th session |
3 | 1 | 17 | 1892 30th session |
3 | 1 | 17 | 1894 31st session |
REEL | BOX | FOLDER | DESCRIPTION |
4 | 1 | 18 | 1896 |
4 | none | none | 1896 Revenue Law |
5 | 1 | 19 | 1897 |
6 | 1 | 20 | 1899 |
5 | 2 | 1 | 1901 |
7 | 2 | 2 | 1903 |
8 | 2 | 3 | 1905 |
9 | 2 | 4 | 1907 |
10 | 2 | 5 | 1909 |
11 | 2 | 6 | 1911 |
12 | 2 | 7 | 1913 |
13 | 2 | 8 | 1915 |
14 | 2 | 9 | 1917 |
15 | 2 | 10 | 1919 |
28 | 2 | 10 | 1919 Special Session |
16 | 2 | 11 | 1921 |
17 | 2 | 12 | 1923 |
18 | 2 | 13 | 1925 |
19 | 2 | 14 | 1927 |
20 | 3 | 1 | 1929 |
21 | 3 | 2 | 1930 Special Session |
22 | 3 | 3 | 1931 |
23 | 3 | 3 | 1933 First Special Session |
23 | 3 | 4 | 1933 |
24 | 3 | 5 | 1933 Second Special Session |
25 | 3 | 6 | 1935 |
25 | 3 | 7 | 1936 Special Session |
26 | 3 | 8 | 1937 |
27 | 3 | 9 | 1939 |
29 | 3 | 10 | 1941 |
29 | 3 | 10 | 1941 First Special Session |
29 | 3 | 11 | 1941 Second Special Session |
30 | 3 | 12 | 1943 |
30 | 3 | 13 | 1944 Special Session |
31 | 3 | 14 | 1945 |
31 | 3 | 15 | 1946 Special Session |
32 | 3 | 16 | 1947 |
32 | 3 | 17 | 1948 Special Session |
33 | 3 | 18 | 1949 |
34 | 3 | 19 | 1951 |
34 | 3 | 20 | 1951 First Special Session |
34 | 3 | 21 | 1952 Second Special Session |
35 | 4 | 1 | 1953 |
36 | 4 | 2 | 1953 Special Session |
37 | 4 | 3 | 1955 |
37 | 4 | 3 | 1955 Special Session |
38 | 4 | 4 | 1957 |
39 | 4 | 5 | 1959 |
39 | 4 | 5 | 1959 Special Session |
40 | 4 | 6 | 1961 |
41 | 4 | 7 | 1963 |
41 | 4 | 7 | 1963 Special Session |
42 | 4 | 8 | 1965 |
42 | 4 | 9 | 1966 First Special Session |
42 | 4 | 10 | 1966 Second Special Session |
43 | 4 | 11 | 1967 |
44 | 4 | 12 | 1969 |
44 | 4 | 12 | 1969 First Special Session |
45 | 5 | 1 | 1970 Budget Session |
46 | 5 | 2 | 1971 |
47 | 5 | 3 | 1971 First Special Session |
48 | 5 | 4 | 1972 Budget Session |
48 | 5 | 4 | 1972 Second Special Session |
46 | 5 | 5 | 1973 |
46 | 5 | 6 | 1973 First Special Session |
49 | 5 | 7 | 1974 Budget Session |
49 | 5 | 8 | 1974 Second Special Budget Session |
49 | 5 | 9 | 1975 |
49 | 5 | 10 | 1975 Special Session |
50 | 5 | 11 | 1976 Budget Session |
50 | 5 | 12 | 1977 |
51 | 5 | 13 | 1977 First Special Session |
51 | 5 | 14 | 1978 Second Special Session |
51 | 6 | 1 | 1978 Budget Session |
51 | 6 | 2 | 1979 |
52 | 6 | 3 | 1980 Special Session |
52 | 6 | 4 | 1980 Budget Session |
52 | 6 | 5 | 1981 |
53 | 6 | 5 | 1981 |
53 | 6 | 6 | 1981 First Special Session |
53 | 6 | 6 | 1982 Budget Session |
53 | 6 | 6 | 1982 Second Special Session |
53 | 6 | 7 | 1982 Third Special Session |
53 | 6 | 8 | 1983 Volume I : P. 1-539 |
54 | 6 | 8 | 1983 Volume II : P. 539-880 |
54 | 6 | 9 | 1983 Volume II |
54 | 6 | 9 | 1983 Volume II : First Special Session |
54 | 7 | 1 | 1984 Second Special Session |
54 | 7 | 1 | 1984 Third Special Session |
58 | 7 | 2 | 1984 Budget Session |
55 | 7 | 3 | 1985 Volume I |
55 | 7 | 4 | 1985 Volume II |
55 | 7 | 4 | 1985 Volume II : First Special Session |
56 | 7 | 5 | 1986 Second Special Session |
56 | 7 | 5 | 1986 Third Special Session |
60 | 7 | 6 | 1986 Fourth Special Session |
59 | 7 | 6 | 1987 P. 1-335 |
60 | 7 | 6 | 1987 P. 335-1384 |
60 | 7 | 6 | 1987 First Special Session |
57 | 7 | 7 | 1988 |
57 | 7 | 7 | 1988 Second Special Session |
57 | 7 | 7 | 1988 Third Special Session |
57 | 7 | 7 | 1988 Fourth Special Session |
61 | 7 | 8 | 1989 |
61 | 7 | 8 | 1989 First Special Session |
61 | 7 | 8 | 1989 Second Special Session |
61 | 8 | 1 | 1990 Ch. 1-165 |
62 | 8 | 1 | 1990 Ch. 164-end |
63 | 8 | 2 | 1991 |
63 | 8 | 2 | 1991 First Special Session |
64 | 8 | 3 | 1991 Second Special Session |
64 | 8 | 3 | 1992 |
64 | 8 | 3 | 1992 Third Special Session |
65 | 8 | 4 | 1993 Ch. 1-308 |
66 | 8 | 4 | 1993 Ch. 308-end |
66 | 8 | 4 | 1993 First Special Session |
67 | 8 | 5 | 1993 Second Special Session |
67 | 8 | 5 | 1994 Ch. 1-316 |
68 | 8 | 5 | 1994 Ch. 316-end |
69 | 9 | 1 | 1995 General Session, Ch. 1-322 |
70 | 9 | 1 | 1995 General Session, Ch. 323-end |
70 | 9 | 1 | 1995 First Special Session |
70 | 9 | 2 | 1996 General Session, Ch. 1-234 |
71 | 9 | 2 | 1996 General Session, Ch. 235-end |
71 | 9 | 2 | 1996 Second Special Session |
71 | 9 | 3 | 1996 Third Special Session |
71 | 9 | 3 | 1997 General Session, Ch. 1-12 |
72 | 9 | 3 | 1997 General Session, Ch. 13-349 |
73 | 9 | 3 | 1997 General Session, Ch. 350-end |
73 | 9 | 3 | 1997 First Special Session |
73 | 9 | 3 | 1997 Second Special Session |
73 | 9 | 4 | 1998 General Session, Ch. 1-229 |
74 | 9 | 4 | 1998 General Session, Ch. 230-end |
75 | 9 | 5 | 1999 General Session, Ch. 1-366 |
76 | 9 | 5 | 1999 General Session, Ch. 367-end |
76 | 10 | 1 | 2000 General Session, Ch. 1-275 |
77 | 10 | 1 | 2000 General Session, Ch. 276-end |
78 | 10 | 2 | 2001 General Session, Ch. 1-259 |
79 | 10 | 2 | 2001 General Session, Ch. 260-end |
79 | 10 | 2 | 2001 Initiatives Approved By The Voters 2000 General Election |
79 | 10 | 2 | 2001 First Special Session |
80 | 10 | 3 | 2002 Second Special Session |
81 | 10 | 3 | 2002 General Session, Ch. 1-279 |
81 | 10 | 3 | 2002 General Session, Ch. 280-end (Including Veto Override Session) |
81 | 10 | 3 | 2002 Fourth Special Session (Third Special Session passed no bills) |
82 | 11 | 1 | 2003 Fifth Special Session |
82 | 11 | 1 | 2003 Sixth Special Session |
82 | 11 | 1 | 2003 General Session, Ch. 1-238 |
83 | 11 | 1 | 2003 General Session, Ch. 239-end |
83 | 11 | 1 | 2003 First Special Session |
84 | 11 | 2 | 2004 Second Special Session |
84 | 11 | 2 | 2004 General Session, Ch. 1-243 |
85 | 11 | 2 | 2004 General Session, Ch. 244-end |
85 | 11 | 2 | 2004 Third Special Session |
86 | 11 | 3 | 2005 Fourth Special Session |
86 | 11 | 3 | 2005 General Session, Ch. 1-157 |
87 | 11 | 3 | 2005 General Session, Ch. 158-end |
87 | 11 | 3 | 2005 First Special Session |
88 | 11 | 4 | 2006 Volume I: Second Special Session |
88 | 11 | 4 | 2006 Volume I: General Sesion, Ch. 1-223 |
89 | 11 | 5 | 2006 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 224-end |
89 | 11 | 5 | 2006 Volume II: Third Special Session |
89 | 11 | 5 | 2006 Volume II: Fourth Special Session |
90 | 12 | 1 | 2007 Volume I: Fifth Special Session |
90 | 12 | 1 | 2007 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-285 |
91 | 12 | 2 | 2007 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 286-end |
92 | 12 | 3 | 2008 Volume I: First Special Session |
92 | 12 | 3 | 2008 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-174 |
93 | 12 | 4 | 2008 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 175-381 |
94 | 12 | 5 | 2008 Volume III: General Session, Ch. 382 |
95 | 12 | 6 | 2008 Volume IV: General Session, Ch. 383-end |
95 | 12 | 6 | 2008 Volume IV: Second Special Session |
BOX | FOLDER | DESCRIPTION |
13 | 1 | 2009 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-287 |
13 | 2 | 2009 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 288-end |
13 | 2 | 2009 Volume II: First Special Session |
13 | 3 | 2010 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-274 |
13 | 4 | 2010 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 275-end |
13 | 5 | 2010 Volume I: Second Special Session |
13 | 5 | 2011 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-308 |
14 | 1 | 2011 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 309-end |
14 | 1 | 2011 Volume II: First Special Session |
14 | 2 | 2011 Volume I: Third Special Session |
14 | 2 | 2012 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-280 |
14 | 3 | 2012 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 281-428; Resolutions; Veto Letters |
14 | 3 | 2012 Volume II: Fourth Special Session |
14 | 4 | 2013 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-303 |
14 | 5 | 2013 Volume II: General Session Ch. 304-478; First Special Session |
14 | 6 | 2013 Volume I: Second Special Session |
14 | 6 | 2014 Volume I: General Session Ch. 1-285 |
15 | 1 | 2014 Volume II: General Session Ch. 286-437 |
15 | 2 | 2015 Volume I: General Session Ch. 1-282 |
15 | 3 | 2015 Volume II: General Session Ch. 283-472 |
15 | 3 | 2015 Volume II: First Special Session |
15 | 4 | 2016 Volume I: General Session Ch. 1-266 |
15 | 5 | 2016 Volume II: General Session Ch. 267-423; Resolutions; Veto Letters |
15 | 5 | 2016 Volume II: Second Special Session |
15 | 5 | 2016 Volume II: Third Special Session |
15 | 6 | 2016 Volume I: Fourth Special Session |
15 | 6 | 2017 Volume I: General Session Ch. 1-329 |
16 | 1 | 2017 Volume II: General Session Ch. 330-480; Veto Letters; Resolutions; Indexes |
16 | 2 | 2018 Volume I: General Session Ch. 1-290 |
16 | 3 | 2018 Volume II: General Session Ch. 291-474; Veto Letters; Resolutions; Indexes |
16 | 4 | 2018 Volume I: Third Special Session |
16 | 4 | 2019 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-195 |
16 | 5 | 2019 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 196-368 |
17 | 1 | 2019 Volume III: General Session, Ch. 369-510; Resolutions; Vetoes Bills; Indexes |
17 | 2 | 2019 Volume I: First Special Session |
17 | 2 | 2019 Volume I: Second Special Session |
17 | 2 | 2020 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-177 |
17 | 3 | 2020 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 178-354 |
17 | 4 | 2020 Volume III: General Session, Ch. 355-449; Resolutions; Veto Letters; Indexes |
17 | 4 | 2020 Volume III: Third Special Session |
17 | 4 | 2020 Volume III: Fourth Special Session |
17 | 4 | 2020 Volume III: Fifth Special Session |
17 | 5 | 2021 Volume I: Sixth Special Session |
17 | 5 | 2021 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-218 |
17 | 6 | 2021 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 219-345 |
18 | 1 | 2021 Volume III: General Session, Ch. 346-442; Resolutions; Veto Letters; Indexes |
18 | 1 | 2021 Volume III: First Special Session |
18 | 2 | 2021 Volume I: Second Special Session |
18 | 2 | 2022 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-198 |
18 | 3 | 2022 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 199-360 |
18 | 4 | 2022 Volume III: General Session, Ch. 361-478; Resolutions; Veto Letter; Indexes |
18 | 4 | 2022 Volume III: Third Special Session |
18 | 5 | 2023 Volume I: General Session, Ch. 1-212 |
19 | 1 | 2023 Volume II: General Session, Ch. 213-330 |
19 | 2 | 2023 Volume III: General Session, Ch. 331-538; Resolutions; Veto Letters; Indexes |
19 | 2 | 2023 Volume III: First Special Session |
19 | 2 | 2023 Volume III: Second Special Session |
FICHE-SET | DATE | DESCRIPTION |
1 | 1967 - 1977 | |
2 | 1980 - 1984 | 43rd-45th |