Republicans in Utah introduced a measure that would alter their oath of office so that lawmakers would swear to the state constitution before the U.S. constitution.
Rep. Kraig Powell (R) initially proposed a constitutional amendment to change the language in the oath from “this state” to “the State of Utah.”
But on Tuesday, Republicans on the House Revenue and Taxation Committee took Powell’s amendment a step further and proposed putting the Utah Constitution ahead of the U.S. Constitution in the oath, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
Republican Rep. Brian Greene (pictured above) said the amendment “reflects our duty as state legislators to first and foremost uphold the Constitution and make sure the federal Constitution does not run roughshod over the state Constitution,” according to the Tribune.
“This is a delicate balance and I certainly recognize that, but it’s also a special charge we have as state legislators,” he said.
According to the Tribune, Rep. Jon Stanard (R) opposed the measure, arguing that the U.S. constitution is the “supreme law of the land.”
The committee passed the measure, sending the amendment to the full House for approval. The amendment would need to be approved by two thirds of both the House and Senate, and would then need to be voted on by voters in 2016.
H/t Right Wing Watch
