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House advances a slate of bills on consent and by voice votes; several measures pass unanimously
Summary
On Feb. 6 the Utah House moved multiple bills—ranging from assisting the hearing impaired and firefighter license plates to reclaimed mines and public-school residency—through the floor, many on the consent calendar or by recorded voice votes.
During the Feb. 6 session the House advanced a number of bills with limited floor debate, using the consent calendar and calendar assignments to expedite noncontroversial measures.
Key measures acted on included:
- House Bill 119 (assisting the hearing impaired): Sponsor Representative Swazo described technology options for courts to communicate with hearing-impaired persons (computer display and typing). HB 119 passed on the consent calendar (72 yes, 0 no) and was forwarded to the Senate.
- House Bill 204 (property tax in leasing): Representative Byron L. Harwood explained the measure ensures in-lieu fees for vehicle leasing are distributed to the same funds property tax previously supported. The House passed HB 204 (70 yes, 0 no) and sent it to the Senate.
- House Bill 186 (Highway Patrol duties): Representative DeMar Bud Bowman presented a short, nondebatable bill codifying highway-patrol authority; HB 186 passed (69 yes, 0 no).
- Senate Bill 23 (abandoned mine reclamation): Representative Griffin Matthews said the bill directs additional funds into the abandoned mine reclamation program; SB 23 passed (73 yes, 0 no).
- House Bill 207 (expungement service): Representative Greg J. Curtis said HB 207 would require petitioners to serve the Department of Corrections to ensure victims receive notice; HB 207 passed (66 yes, 0 no).
- House Bill 42 (Deaf and Blind Institutional Council): The House concurred with a Senate amendment changing the language to "deaf or hard of hearing" and gave final passage to HB 42 (69 yes, 1 no).
- House Bill 31 (public school residency requirement): The House passed HB 31 after floor amendments clarifying appeal options (72 yes, 0 no).
Several other committee-report items and substitutions were adopted and assigned to standing committees or placed on third-reading calendars throughout the session. Most consent items were advanced with unanimous or lopsided voice votes; where recorded tallies appear in the transcript, they are noted above.
What happens next: Bills that passed the House on Feb. 6 were forwarded to the Senate for consideration or, if already from the Senate, were recorded as transmitted and entered on the journal.
