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House amends methamphetamine decontamination bill, reduces funding to $178,500
Summary
On Feb. 29 the Utah House amended Senate Bill 209 to require the Health Department to set methamphetamine decontamination standards and reduced the proposed appropriation from $500,000 to $178,500. The amended bill passed the House by a recorded vote of 68-0 and was referred to the Senate.
Representative Oda, the floor manager, said Senate Bill 209 requires the Utah Department of Health to adopt standards for decontamination of structures exposed to methamphetamine contamination and to carry out public-education campaigns about related health risks.
Representative Lockhart moved a floor amendment to reduce the bill's funding line items from $500,000 to $178,500 (both on the front page and in the body’s appropriation lines). Lockhart stated the $178,500 figure reflected the Senate's funding priority. Representative Oda accepted the amendment on the floor.
Representative Mascaro urged support for the measure and highlighted public-safety consequences, saying the bill addresses a community health and safety risk and noting an officer who died after responding to a meth-contaminated residence in his district. "We had a police officer out in my district who died, they believe as a result of working and trying to clean up a contaminated apartment as a result of methamphetamines," Mascaro said to frame the public-safety rationale.
After adopting the funding amendment, the House voted on the amended SB 209. The floor journal records the final roll call as 68 yes, 0 no; the amended bill was passed by the House and referred back to the Senate for further action.
