Utah Senate advances broad package of bills on third reading, including child-welfare and school-discipline measures

The Utah State Senate on third reading approved a broad package of bills and resolutions, moving measures addressing child-welfare evidence standards, transit and public-district governance, school emergency interventions and seclusion, and other policy changes to the House for consideration.

Several measures passed unanimously or with large margins. First substitute Senate Bill 177, addressing juvenile-court evidence and reunification-service considerations in child-abuse and neglect cases, passed 26-0. First substitute Senate Bill 174, clarifying roles for transit district boards, the Department of Transportation and fare-approval processes for the Utah Transit Authority, passed 26-0. Second substitute Senate Bill 170, which establishes a statutory framework for “emergency safety interventions” in schools and codifies parent notification and rulemaking authority for the State Board of Education, passed 28-0.

Other bills cleared the Senate with larger majorities: first substitute Senate Bill 150 (class-action treatment under state law) passed 28-0; first substitute Senate Bill 157 (ensuring juveniles are offered counsel before declining nonjudicial adjustment) passed 29-0; and second substitute Senate Bill 196 (physical-therapist practice clarifications tied to insurer cost-sharing language) passed 28-0. A second substitute to Senate Bill 140 (law-enforcement DNA amendments, including an expungement-notification provision added in substitution) passed 28-8.

One measure drew more divided votes. First substitute Senate Bill 78, establishing a state ombuds office for unsheltered (homeless) individuals and including a five-year sunset, passed 18-8. Sponsors described the office as a data-collection and oversight position to better coordinate services for people living unsheltered; supporters emphasized the bill’s sunset so the office’s value can be evaluated.

The Senate also approved a mix of other bills on third reading and via unanimous-consent procedures, including: House Bill 131 (Talent Ready Utah program amendments) on consent (21-0), House Concurrent Resolution 2 (directing PEHP regarding pharmaceutical rebates) unanimously on concurrence (24-0), first substitute Senate Bill 162 (a two-year pilot to expand paid, credit-bearing work-based learning/internship programs) 27-0, and first substitute Senate Bill 119 (domestic-relations recodification, part 2) 26-0. Several bills were circled for further work earlier in the day (for example, Senate Bill 165 on municipal broadband and other items) and were not finally passed in this floor period.

Votes at a glance - HB 131 (Talent Ready Utah program amendments): passed on consent, 21-0 (8 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Milner. Motion: require at least four members on talent advisory councils for grant review; sent to the House for signature. - HCR 2 (Directing PEHP on pharmaceutical rebates): passed concurrence, 24-0 (5 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Harper. Motion: clarify PEHP may negotiate pharmaceutical rebates with benefits returned to the patient; no fiscal impact claimed. - 1st Sub. SB 177 (Child-welfare amendments): passed 26-0 (3 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Harper. Motion: adjust what juvenile court may consider and when evidence of abuse/neglect is used in shelter hearings; sent to House. - SB 174 (Transit and transportation governance amendments): passed 26-0 (3 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Harper. Motion: clarify duties of public district boards, the executive director and local advisory councils, and Department of Transportation roles relative to fixed-guideway capital projects. - 1st Sub. SB 150 (Class-action/substantive-right clarification): passed 28-0 (1 absent). Sponsor: floor sponsor explained the change makes the bar on class actions a substantive right rather than procedural. - 1st Sub. SB 157 (Nonjudicial adjustment; youth counsel): passed 29-0 (0 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Pitcher. Motion: require youth be offered consultation with counsel before declining a nonjudicial adjustment. - 2nd Sub. SB 140 (Law-enforcement DNA amendments): passed 28-8 (1 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Plumb. Motion: clarify crime lab authorities and add provisions allowing notification and potential expungement for people acquitted or not charged. - 1st Sub. SB 162 (Talent Connect/work-based learning pilot): passed 27-0 (2 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Milner. Motion: create a two-year pilot for paid, credit-bearing internships to boost job-readiness. - 2nd Sub. SB 170 (School discipline/emergency safety interventions): passed 28-0 (1 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Escamilla. Motion: codify emergency safety interventions (including definitions for escort, restraint and seclusion), require parent notification within 24 hours and direct rulemaking to the State Board of Education. - 1st Sub. SB 78 (Homeless individuals protection; ombuds office): passed 18-8 (3 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Plumb. Motion: establish an ombuds office for unsheltered community members, require data collection and include a five-year sunset for review. - 2nd Sub. SB 188 (School district reconfiguration/modifications), as amended: passed 25-0 (4 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Grover. Motion: create state code guidance for post-district formation transitions; amendment clarified transition of authority and employee benefits. - 1st Sub. SB 86 (Clarifying workplace sexual-harassment language in state code): passed 25-0 (4 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Plumb. Motion: technical fix to prior-year legislation to better address workplace harassment in statute. - SB 190 (Workers’ compensation; hospital rate authority changes): passed 26-0 (3 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Sandel (floor). Motion: authorizes Labor Commission to set hospital rates in workers’ compensation cases. - 1st Sub. SB 178 (Devices in public schools): passed 22-2 (5 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Fillmore. Motion: set a statewide default allowing districts to adopt local policies about devices in classrooms; sponsor described approach as district-controlled with a shift away from a statewide prohibition. - 2nd Sub. SB 196 (Physical-therapist practice; insurer cost-sharing language): passed 28-0 (1 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Musselman. Motion: clarify insurer treatment of co-pays/deductibles for direct access to physical therapists without expanding scope of practice. - 1st Sub. SB 119 (Domestic-relations recodification, part 2): passed 26-0 (3 absent). Sponsor: Sen. Wyler. Motion: part two of recodification efforts; first substitute addressed earlier committee concerns.

Discussion, process and next steps Floor presenters summarized the changes before each roll-call vote; most bills were presented by the sponsoring senator and proceeded to a roll-call final vote or passed on unanimous-consent procedures. Several bills were “circled” earlier in the day (a floor procedure that leaves a bill on the calendar for further negotiation) and were not finalized during this period, including a municipal broadband measure that sponsors said they intended to keep working on. Bills that passed on final reading will be transmitted to the House for consideration; concurrent measures returned to the House or were signed by the presiding officers as appropriate.

The Senate adjourned after completing the calendar and noted a planned reconvening at 10 a.m. on the next scheduled day of the session.