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House advances slate of bills on education, health, elections and land funding
Summary
The Utah House on March 5, 2012 passed a broad set of bills on the consent, concurrence and third‑reading calendars — including measures on charter school transparency, election ballot rules, education programs and public‑lands funding — and approved several unanimous and near‑unanimous measures for transmission to the Senate.
The Utah House of Representatives convened March 5 and advanced numerous bills spanning education, health, elections and public lands.
On the consent and concurrence calendars, the House cleared multiple measures for transmittal to the Senate. Notable outcomes included HB 388 (unemployment insurance exemption adjustments for a Salt Lake Head Start program, passed 64–1), HB 472 (changes to the International Relations and Trade Commission, passed 67–0), HJR 20 (hearing‑impairment awareness, passed 70–0), and SB 252 (dentist practice act amendments, passed 71–0). The House also passed SB 243 (repeal of the illegal drug‑stamp tax provision) and returned substituted bills to the Senate as required by procedure.
On education and early‑learning items, the House approved HB 513 (an early‑intervention optional kindergarten program with a one‑time appropriation of $7.5 million and an additional $2.5 million for adaptive software, passed 57–15) and HB 515 (Upstart program changes to assign student identifier numbers for tracking and program evaluation, passed 71–0). HB 392, a transparency measure requiring property‑tax notices to show the portion going to charter schools, passed 72–0.
Election administration updates in HB 339 (absentee/mail‑ballot procedures including mandated mailing timelines, rejected‑ballot notification and secure storage of absentee ballots) passed 70–1.
Several health‑sector and professional‑licensing changes also moved forward, including amendments to the acupuncture licensing act (first substitute SB 101, passed with recorded votes) and HB 399 (physician and osteopathic licensing, passed 70–0).
The House considered and passed a variety of other bills, including HB 421 (local district dissolution, 74–0), HB 129 (defense of person/property, 73–0), HB 162 (Veterans Reintegration Task Force, 73–0) and HCR 12 (urging Congress to transfer Navajo trust funds and authorize a successor trustee, 71–0).
Many measures on the floor drew only brief sponsor remarks and procedural motions; several items were circled or returned to committee for further amendment. Remaining bills were forwarded to the Senate for consideration under standard legislative procedure.
The House recessed for a caucus lunch and negotiation with Senate colleagues, planning to reconvene later in the day.
