SALT LAKE CITY — Governor Spencer Cox has signed a bill into law that allows the state to ignore some federal directives and orders.
The governor late Wednesday signed Senate Bill 57, the Constitutional Sovereignty Act.
"Balancing power between state and federal sovereignty is an essential part of our constitutional system. This legislation gives us another way to push back on federal overreach and maintain that balance," Gov. Cox said in a statement.
The bill is designed to allow the state to refuse to comply with some federal orders or directives, like federal air quality standards or public lands issues. But that's only after a supermajority of the legislature agrees to pass a resolution stating as such.
Watch below as professor discusses constitutionality of sovereignty law:
The bill's primary sponsor, Sen. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, told FOX 13 News in an interview earlier this month that the bill would not allow every minor grievance the state may have with an ideologically opposed administration to be brought up. Instead, lawmakers must run a resolution to pick their topics.
"We need to begin the process somewhere of taking back the sovereignty of the state for the benefit of the citizens for the state," Sen. Sandall said at the time.
But the Alliance for a Better Utah, a left-leaning policy group, blasted the bill.
"We maintain that SB 57 sets up an unconstitutional process to evade federal laws and regulations, and anticipate that this ill-advised action by the Legislature will hit the taxpayers in the end through unnecessary litigation," ABU's senior policy advisor, Chase Thomas, told FOX 13 News. "As lawmakers undoubtedly make use of the bill’s provisions in this and future legislative sessions, we’ll be watching to make sure that Utahns’ best interests are heard and protected."
