Utah Senate advances multiple bills including vape restrictions, water-quality changes and veterans' park discount

The Utah State Senate on Feb. 28 advanced and, in most cases, passed a slate of bills covering electronic cigarette rules, water-quality board authority, property-tax technical fixes and veterans’ access to state parks.

Why it matters: The measures include changes tied to a pending court action over the 2024 vape law and a substitute that clarifies enforcement language for health investigators; other bills have fiscal and administrative implications for counties, state agencies and local governments.

On the floor Senators voted to concur with and pass or advance several bills. Major outcomes recorded on the floor included:

- Senate Bill 186, “electronic cigarette amendments”: Passed by the Senate 28–1 after the sponsor described the measure as aligning search-and-seizure and enforcement language with current Department of Health and Human Services practice and addressing points raised in litigation over last year’s vape law. Senator Plumb, sponsor, said the amendment removes “what was likely a more onerous than it needed to be search and seizure requirement and put it more in alignment with what our DHHS colleagues ... do.” The motion to pass under suspension of the rules carried and the bill will be sent to the House for consideration.

- First substitute Senate Bill 36, “water quality board amendments”: Passed by the Senate 29–0. Sponsor Senator Wyler described the substitute as permitting the Water Quality Board to engage in settlement negotiations and mediation and to recommend reasonable penalties to the director for end users (for example, sewer districts). The bill had been circled briefly to confirm a fiscal note before final action.

- Senate Bill 13, “property tax reimbursement amendments”: Passed by the Senate 29–0. Sponsor Senator Fillmore said an amendment changed the reference from auditor to assessor to reflect county practice.

- First substitute Senate Bill 18, “election fundraising amendments”: Passed by the Senate 29–0. Senator McKay said the House made changes; the substitute clarified that registered state lobbyists cannot contribute to federal campaigns during the legislative session.

- Senate Bill 79, “technical code amendments”: Passed by the Senate 29–0; sponsor described it as a nonpolicy cleanup to bring Utah Code into drafting guidelines.

- First substitute House Bill 14, “energy services personnel amendments” (third reading as a House bill on the Senate floor): Passed by the Senate 29–0. Sponsor (Senator Fillmore presenting) said the bill allows EMTs to perform certain trained medical practices outside an ambulance.

- House Bill 43, “education program sunset amendments”: Passed by the Senate 29–0. The Education Interim Committee recommended multi-year extensions for several grants and a civics pilot program.

- Senate Bill 145, “technical senate district boundary adjustment”: Passed by the Senate 29–0. Sponsor described it as correcting district lines between two Senate districts and clarifying taxation/ballot assignments for newly built homes.

- First substitute Senate Bill 31, “refugee services amendments”: Recorded as receiving 28 yay votes, 0 nay, 1 absent on a roll call for third reading; the sponsor said the measure codifies the Office of Refugee Services (created originally by executive order in 2008) into statute and clarifies uses of federal funding. (Transcript records the bill was read for a third time after the roll call.)

- First substitute Senate Bill 114, “veteran access to state parks”: The substitute was read and recorded 15 yay, 14 nay on third-reading roll call. Sponsor Senator Kwan described it as continuing a pilot that provides at least a 25% discount for Utah resident veterans who were honorably discharged; debate included concerns that exemptions reduce State Parks’ ability to remain self-sufficient.

Other floor actions - The rules committee and standing committee reports were adopted and bills were assigned to committees as read. Several House-passed bills were transmitted to the Senate and read for the first time; those files were returned to rules for assignment.

Context and fiscal notes Several bills were briefly circled (set aside) on the floor for clarification and to allow staff to confirm fiscal notes or substitute language; first substitute SB 36 (water quality) was circled to confirm a fiscal note, and SB 186 (electronic cigarette amendments) was circled while a substitute was finalized.

Quotes "This bill ... removes what was likely a more onerous than it needed to be search and seizure requirement and put it more in alignment with what our DHHS colleagues ... do," Senator Plumb said explaining the SB 186 substitute.

"We want to make sure that when the public shows up to speak for or against a property tax, that a quorum is present," Senator Baldery said in brief floor remarks on a technical amendment (Senate Bill 95/96 area of discussion).

What’s next Bills that passed the Senate will be transmitted to the House for further consideration or signature where required. Several items were placed on the second reading calendar for the next day where additional amendments or debate may occur.

Votes at a glance (selected, as recorded on the floor) Senate Bill 13 — Passed (29–0) First substitute Senate Bill 18 — Passed (29–0) Senate Bill 79 — Passed (29–0) First substitute Senate Bill 36 — Passed (29–0) First substitute House Bill 14 — Passed (29–0) House Bill 43 — Passed (29–0) Senate Bill 145 — Passed (29–0) First substitute Senate Bill 31 — Recorded for third reading (28–0–1 on the roll call for third reading) Senate Bill 186 — Passed (28–1) First substitute Senate Bill 114 — Recorded for third reading (15–14)

Ending The Senate recessed to reconvene at 2 p.m.; rules committee and other follow-up committee work was scheduled after floor time.