I’m writing to express concern about the proposed constitutional amendment aimed at banning foreign influence on ballot initiatives. While I support keeping international money out of our democratic process, this amendment is deeply flawed due to its ambiguity and the misleading ballot summary provided to voters.

For example, the term “foreign” is unclear and could unintentionally include businesses legally operating outside of Utah, creating legal confusion. The definition must be tightened to align with federal law so that it clearly targets international actors, not out-of-state entities.

Additionally, while the amendment seeks to block foreign influence on initiatives, it does not address the fact that foreign-linked PACs can still influence legislative campaigns. If we’re serious about protecting our political system from foreign interference, we should close these loopholes for both initiatives and state elections.

Moreover, the amendment grants the Legislature too much power to amend voter-passed laws, which we’ve seen abused in issues like medical cannabis and redistricting. To truly protect the will of the people, ballot initiatives should state clearly whether the Legislature can amend or repeal them.

Finally, constitutional amendments are serious and should require the full text–not just a summary–to appear on the ballot so voters can make informed decisions.

For these reasons, I urge Utahns to reject this proposal until these ambiguities are resolved.

David Barnes

Layton