House approves bill to name state centennial star and astronomical symbol

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House on the floor approved House Bill 140 to designate a state centennial star and an official astronomical symbol as part of centennial observances.

Representative Hillary, who sponsored the measure, moved under suspension of the rules that “House Bill 140, entitled State Centennial Star and astronomical symbol, be read for the first and second time and placed on the top of the third reading calendar,” and offered the bill for the chamber’s consideration. She asked the House to accept as the centennial star “one of the Seven Bridal Stars composing the Big Dipper … often referred to as the Pointer Star,” and to designate the Beehive Cluster in Cancer as the state astronomical symbol.

Supporters framed the measure as a symbolic commemoration tied to Utah’s centennial and noted local institutional backing from the Hansen Planetarium and the Centennial Committee. After brief debate and technical problems with the chamber’s voting machine, the clerk recorded the result and announced the bill’s passage.

The bill was advanced through the chamber’s procedures and read as required; leadership said the House will forward the measure to the next stage of consideration. The sponsor reserved the right to speak on the bill during the session and summarized the ceremonial and historical rationale for the designations.

The bill’s passage followed routine floor procedures; roll-call details were affected by a temporary voting-machine malfunction and members were asked to cast votes from their desks. The clerk announced the bill as carried on the floor during the session and placed it for further processing.