Utah Bill to Limit Number of Bills Fails to Gain Traction

Proposal to cap legislative requests met with skepticism and opposition from lawmakers.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A Utah bill sponsored by Rep. Clint Okerlund that sought to limit the number of legislative requests for state lawmakers was held by the House Rules Committee, preventing it from progressing further. Okerlund's proposal would have capped senators at 10 bill requests and representatives at 6, with some exceptions. However, multiple lawmakers on the committee argued that such a limit would hinder their ability to serve constituents, with Rep. Jordan Teuscher saying he focuses on solving problems, not counting his bill allotment.

Why it matters

The high volume of bills introduced in the Utah Legislature, a record 959 last year, has drawn criticism from Gov. Spencer Cox, who endorsed Okerlund's proposal. Supporters argue that limiting bills would reduce costs and ensure better vetting, while opponents say it would restrict lawmakers' ability to address constituent concerns.

The details

Okerlund's bill, HJR19, was held by the House Rules Committee after a 6-0 vote. Lawmakers expressed concerns that restricting the number of bills would lead to larger, more complex legislation that is harder to debate. Rep. Ryan Wilcox also criticized the 'demonizing of legislators for legislating.' However, Rep. Jefferson Burton noted that some lawmakers seem to base their 'self-worth' on the number of bills they introduce, which is not the purpose of the legislature.

  • In 2025, a record 959 bills and resolutions were introduced in the Utah Legislature.
  • On February 6, 2026, the House Rules Committee held Okerlund's bill, preventing it from progressing further.

The players

Clint Okerlund

A Republican state representative from Sandy, Utah who sponsored the bill to limit the number of legislative requests for lawmakers.

Spencer Cox

The governor of Utah who endorsed Okerlund's proposal to limit the number of bills introduced in the state legislature.

Jordan Teuscher

A Republican state representative from South Jordan, Utah who argued that limiting the number of bills would hinder lawmakers' ability to serve their constituents.

Ryan Wilcox

A Republican state representative from Ogden, Utah who expressed concern about the 'demonizing of legislators for legislating.'

Jefferson Burton

A Republican state representative from Salem, Utah who proposed holding Okerlund's bill and noted that some lawmakers seem to base their 'self-worth' on the number of bills they introduce.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“In a 45-day session, with the staff that we have and the resources that we have, I can tell you that our baseload that we can manage is not 959 bills or more. It's just not.”

— Clint Okerlund, State Representative (ksltv.com)

“If we have a constituent that comes to us with a problem, I'm not thinking about 'well, how many bills files do I have?' I think about 'how do I solve that problem best,' and I put the bill forward.”

— Jordan Teuscher, State Representative (ksltv.com)

“Bills that are very easy to digest get a lot more debate than bills that are very nuanced and very heavy.”

— Jordan Teuscher, State Representative (ksltv.com)

“It seems their self-worth is based in number of bills, and that's not what we're here for. But I don't think that's always true. I think some legislators have a lot more requests because they're effective.”

— Jefferson Burton, State Representative (ksltv.com)

What’s next

The House Rules Committee's decision to hold Okerlund's bill means it will not progress further at this time. However, the issue of limiting the number of bills introduced in the Utah Legislature is likely to continue being debated.

The takeaway

The failure of Okerlund's bill to limit legislative requests highlights the tension between lawmakers' desire to serve their constituents and concerns over the growing volume of bills. While supporters argue that fewer bills would reduce costs and improve vetting, opponents contend that such limits would hinder their ability to address community needs.