20A-8-404. Use of public meeting buildings by political parties.
(1)
The legislative body of a county, municipality, school district, or public institution of higher education shall make all meeting facilities in buildings under its control available to registered political parties, without discrimination, to be used for political party activities if:
Terms Used In Utah Code 20A-8-404
Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
Convention: means the political party convention at which party officers and delegates are selected. See Utah Code 20A-1-102
Municipality: means a city, town, or metro township. See Utah Code 20A-1-102
Public institution of higher education: means the same as that term is defined in Section 53B-16-301. See Utah Code 20A-8-101
Registered political party: means an organization of voters that:
(a)
(i)
participated in the last regular general election; and
(ii)
in at least one of the last two regular general elections, polled a total vote for any of its candidates for any office equal to 2% or more of the total votes cast for all candidates for the United States House of Representatives in the same regular general election; or
(b)
has complied with the petition and organizing procedures of this chapter. See Utah Code 20A-8-101
(a)
the political party requests the use of the meeting facility before 5 p.m. no later than 30 calendar days before the day on which the use by the political party will take place; and
(b)
the meeting facility is not already scheduled for another purpose at the time of the proposed use.
(2)
Subject to the requirements of Subsection (3), when a legislative body makes a meeting facility available under Subsection (1), it may establish terms and conditions for use of that meeting facility.
(3)
The charge imposed for the use of a meeting facility described in Subsection (1) by a registered political party may not exceed the actual cost of:
(a)
custodial services for cleaning the meeting facility after the use by the political party; and
(b)
any service requested by the political party and provided by the meeting facility.
(4)
An entity described in Subsection (1) shall, to the extent possible, avoid scheduling an event in a government building for the same evening as an announced party caucus meeting.
(5)
This section does not apply to a publicly owned or operated convention center, sports arena, or other facility at which conventions, conferences, and other gatherings are held and whose primary business or function is to host such conventions, conferences, and other gatherings.
