Votes at a glance: Senate approves education, natural resources, criminal justice and social service base budgets and several bills

The Utah State Senate on Jan. 29, 2025, approved a group of base budget bills and advanced several House bills to third reading or final passage on largely voice and roll-call votes.

Major budget and policy actions announced on the floor included passage of the public education base budget amendments (Senate Bill 1), the natural resources and agriculture budget (Senate Bill 5), the criminal-justice base budget (Senate Bill 6), and the social services base budget (Senate Bill 7). The chamber also advanced House bills and substitutes concerning the Native American Remains Review Committee (House Bill 11), several public education program sunset extensions (House Bill 43), an expansion of where EMTs may practice within their training (First Substitute House Bill 14), and an extension of the Health Facility Administrator Act (House Bill 16). Several measures had been placed “circled” or “uncircled” as part of routine floor scheduling; First Substitute House Bill 56 (civil commitment modifications) was circled for later consideration.

Highlights and announced vote tallies (as recorded on the Senate floor):

- Senate Bill 1 (Public education base budget amendments): Sponsor presentation included a multi-billion-dollar total appropriation. The president announced the final tally as 25 yea, 0 nay, 4 absent; the measure was sent to the House.

- Senate Bill 5 (Natural resources / agriculture / environmental quality base budget): The bill includes one-time and ongoing allocations for the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environmental Quality and related entities; the president announced 28 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent; the measure was sent to the House.

- Senate Bill 6 (Criminal justice base budget): The bill funds corrections, public safety, the Attorney General’s office, courts and related programs; the president announced the bill passed and it will be sent to the House (roll-call announced on the floor). Announced tally: yea votes (as announced on the floor), 0 nays, 2 absent.

- Senate Bill 7 (Social services base budget): Sponsor said the bill’s largest funding source is federal funds and described a menu of proposed cuts and requests that remain under consideration. The president announced 26 yea, 0 nay, 3 absent; the measure was sent to the House.

- House Bill 11 (Native American Remains Review Committee Amendments): Motion carried to move the bill to third reading. The floor announced 28 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent.

- House Bill 43 (Education program sunset amendments): Passed to third reading; announced tally 28 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent.

- First Substitute House Bill 14 (EMT practice expansion): Passed to third reading; announced tally 28 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent. Sponsors said the substitute did not make policy changes and the bill would allow EMTs to perform certain non-9-1-1 services within their training when properly supervised.

- House Bill 16 (Health Facility Administrator Act extension): Passed to third reading; announced tally 28 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent. Sponsor described the measure as a routine 10-year sunset extension for licensing and regulation of long-term care administrators.

Procedural notes: the Senate rules committee report was approved early in the day and a set of newly introduced Senate bills were referred to standing committees. Several ceremonial recognitions and guests (including Utah Tech University visitors and a Lion Dance school group) were announced from the floor during the session. First Substitute House Bill 56 (civil commitment modifications) was circled for later consideration rather than taken up on this day.

All measures described above were acted on during the Senate floor session and, where the president announced final passage, were transmitted to the House or moved to third reading as announced.