Utah House adopts committee reports, advances multiple bills and notes Senate conference committee appointment

The Utah House of Representatives convened and moved a slate of committee recommendations forward, adopting several reports by voice vote and placing multiple bills on the third-reading and consent calendars.

Committee chairs presented recommendations across several panels. John William Bill Hickman, chair of the Business, Labor and Economic Development Committee, reported favorable recommendations with amendments on HB13 (repeal of the motor fuel marketing act), SB135 (professional boxing licensure and regulation), HB230 (insurance department health policy responsibilities) and a substitute for HB264 (insurance coverage for condominiums). Following the report, the House moved the items to the third-reading calendar.

Cheryl L. Allen, chair of the Public Utilities and Technology Committee, reported a recommendation to replace HB70 (sale of consumers’ personal information) with a substitute focused on a personal information privacy task force and recommended that substitute be read for the first and second times.

Carl R. Sanders, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, reported favorably on HB93 (portability of funding for health and human services) with amendments, placed HB258 (prescription for controlled substances) on the consent calendar, and recommended SB86 (emergency medical services amendments) and SB138 (Health Policy Commission sunset date) for the third-reading calendar. HB159 (hospital provider assessment) was returned to the Rules Committee.

Lord Franzen, chair of the Education Committee, reported a second substitute recommendation for HB19 (English immersion programs in public schools) and a favorable report with amendments on HB22 (school district size); those committee recommendations were adopted and recorded.

On motions and outcomes: multiple members moved to adopt the committee reports (motions were made and passed by voice vote); the House recorded that the relevant bills were to be read a second time and placed on either the consent or third-reading calendars as specified by each committee report. The record shows voice votes without roll-call tallies for these adoptions.

The House also received communications from the Senate transmitting several Senate-passed measures for consideration, including SB150 (airport authority appropriation), SB159 (private collection of delinquent taxes), SB26 (appropriation for purchase of Freedom Shrine documents), SB151 (justice court accountability), and SB122 (appropriation to the State Fire Museum). The president of the Senate had appointed a conference committee—Senators Poulton, Mancil and Hall—to meet with a like committee from the House to consider SJR2, the joint rules/ethics procedure amendments; the House noted the appointment and allowed conference committees to begin meeting.

The clerk reported that the Senate had passed HB16 (repeal of special police provisions) and HB9 (aggressive driving amendments) and that those measures had been signed by the Senate president and transmitted for the Speaker’s signature.

Personal privilege: Representative Derry announced a KSL Radiothon beginning at 3 p.m. and said the House would present $554.62 to Primary Children’s Hospital, thanking members for their participation. "We will be proud to present them with $554.62 to go towards the Primary Children's Hospital," Derry said.

What happens next: the affected bills will proceed according to the calendars and committee directions recorded on the House floor. Several measures moved closer to final consideration; HB159 was returned to the Rules Committee for further action.