Utah Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson issued an order Tuesday putting the anti-union law passed by the Utah Legislature on hold after the referendum challenging the law had blown past the requirements to send the issue to voters.
As of Tuesday, the referendum seeking to overturn HB267 had nearly doubled the statewide signature goal, and had met requirements in 23 of the state's 29 state Senate districts – eight more than the minimum needed for the ballot.
🚨 H.B. 267 update. pic.twitter.com/3wTkNkTt0g
— Lt. Gov. Deidre M. Henderson (@LGHendersonUtah) May 6, 2025
Most new laws approved by the Legislature go into effect 60 days after adjournment, which is this Wednesday. Henderson's order pauses any enforcement of HB267 until one of two things occurs: either she determines that the referendum did not meet the signature requirements, which is extremely unlikely, or the governor issues a proclamation officially adding the issue to the ballot for the next statewide election.
HB267 strips public sector labor unions of their ability to collectively bargain with employers over wages and benefits. Protect Utah Workers, the coalition behind the referendum effort cheered Henderson's announcement.
“The Protect Utah Workers Coalition is proud that the Lt. Governor ordered a stay preventing HB267 from going into effect. This deeply unpopular bill would have stripped public workers of our rights. We are one step closer to letting voters, not politicians, decide the future of collective bargaining in Utah. Throughout the referendum process, we saw firsthand that voters overwhelmingly respect public workers and the vital services we provide to our communities," the group said in a statement. "This is proof that when workers unite, we win.”
