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House suspends full-title readings, introduces dozens of bills and refers many to committees
Summary
House leaders suspended the full reading of bill titles by voice vote, introduced a long list of House bills (including measures on education funding, public safety, and water rights), and the Rules Committee assigned dozens of measures to standing committees; chair Representative Susan J. Cohen warned sponsors about timely fiscal notes.
Lawmakers in the Utah House voted Monday to suspend the routine full reading of bill and resolution titles at introduction and on later readings unless a member requests the full title. Representative Garn moved the suspension under the Utah Constitution and the motion passed by voice vote.
Clerks then read—by short title or designation—dozens of House measures slated for this session. The list included bills on school funding and finance (for example, appropriations and 'New Century Scholarship' amendments), education-data collection and school-safety programs, public-safety and criminal justice measures, water-rights and water commission appointments, tax and revenue items, and bills addressing public-health and welfare. The Rules Committee—chaired by Representative Susan J. Cohen—moved that several bills be placed on the second- and third-reading calendars and recommended committee referrals; the House adopted the committee’s report by voice vote.
Representative Cohen cautioned members that some bills lacked fiscal notes but that House Rule 24.01 permits limited exceptions. "If you get a fiscal note approval on your desk, act very quickly on that," she said, adding that the bill room will wait 48 hours for sponsor action if no response is received.
Committee assignments announced on the floor placed bills into standing committees including Business, Labor and Economic Development; Education; Government Operations; Health and Human Services; Judiciary; Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment; Revenue and Taxation; Transportation; and Workforce Services.
Members also authorized the Speaker to appoint committees to inform the Senate and the governor that the House is organized and ready to receive communications.
The rules changes and the Rules Committee report set the procedural path for dozens of measures to move through committee review and onto calendars for consideration this session.
