Utah Senate elects Jay Stewart Adams as president, adopts rules and introduces dozens of bills on opening day

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah State Senate organized for the 2025 general session on its opening day, swearing in newly elected and re-elected members, electing Sen. Jay Stewart Adams as president by acclamation and taking several procedural steps to begin the 45-day session.

Senate President Jay Stewart Adams, after being nominated from the floor and elected by acclamation, was administered the oath of office and addressed the chamber, urging protection of what he called the "Utah dream" and promising to "support, obey, and defend our constitution, our republic, and I will do everything I can to keep it." The Senate also approved a motion to print Adams' remarks in the Senate journal.

The organizational actions culminated in committee appointments, the adoption of standing rules carried over from the prior special session, and the formal reading of dozens of bills on first reading. Senate leadership named majority and minority leadership and appointed standing committee chairs and vice chairs.

The body took several explicit procedural votes: the Senate approved a motion expressing appreciation to ceremonial participants including the American Fork High School drumline and the Utah National Guard; it adopted the rules and interim rules used by the previous session; and it approved continuing the practice of reading only short titles of bills and…