House authorizes conference committee after Senate message on immigration bill; broad slate of bills placed on third‑reading calendar

The Utah House on March 4 approved a motion authorizing the Speaker to appoint a conference committee after the House received a Senate message about third substitute House Bill 116, and the chamber voted to lift a broad set of bills to the bottom of the third‑reading calendar.

A clerk read a March 4, 2011, communication from the Secretary of the Senate, Annette B. Moore, that said in part: "The Senate refuses to receive from its amendments to third substitute House Bill 116, Utah Immigration Accountability and Enforcement Amendments by Representative Wright, and has appointed a conference committee consisting of Senators Reid, Bramble and McAdams to meet with a House committee on this bill. Respectfully, Annette B. Moore, Secretary of the Senate." The House then approved a motion to authorize the Speaker to appoint a House committee to meet with the Senate conferees.

Representative Harper moved that the House lift a list of bills from the rules committee and place them at the bottom of the House third‑reading calendar. The bills named by the mover include (as read into the record) First Substitute House Bill 260 (Mechanics' Lien Revisions); First Substitute House Joint Resolution 13 (legislative compensation/rules); House Bill 494 (Justice Courts); House Bill 368 (Adoption of Children); House Bill 353 (Abortion Freedom of Conscience); House Bill 131 (Custody and Parent‑Time Modifications); First Substitute House Bill 354 (Insurance Amendments Relating to Abortion); First Substitute House Bill 158 (Coordination between State and Local Government on Federal Regulations); House Bill 290 (Public School Transportation Amendments); House Bill 428 (Water Issues Task Force); House Bill 171 (Abortion Clinic Licensing); First Substitute House Bill 89 (Protection of Children Riding in Motor Vehicles); House Bill 324 (Special Group License Plate); House Bill 313 (Charter School Funding Amendments); House Bill 447 (Kindergarten Literacy Improvement Program); and House Bill 404 (State Health Insurance Amendments), among others.

After the motions and readings, the Speaker announced the appointed House conferees for HB 116: Representative Wright, Representative Deane and Representative Litback. The motions to authorize the Speaker and to lift the listed bills were adopted by voice votes.

Next steps: the appointed conference committee will meet with the Senate conferees on HB 116 as arranged by the Speaker and members will consider the lifted bills when the House proceeds through its third‑reading calendar on the days designated for Senate business later in the session.