House passes amended dangerous-weapons bill; strips school-lockdown reimbursement provision

The Utah House voted to pass First Substitute House Bill 75, a measure revising dangerous-weapon rules for school settings, after lawmakers removed a controversial provision that would have required defendants to reimburse schools for costs caused by security lockdowns and clarified the law’s scope for preschools and child-care spaces.

Representative Oda, sponsor of the floor motion to pass the bill, said debate had been thorough and urged support for the amended measure. Representative Noel successfully moved to strike subsection C(i) and C(ii), the provisions that would have required reimbursement and delegated certain lockdown-component rulemaking to the State Board of Education in accordance with the Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act. That amendment was described on the floor as intended to correct confusion about consequences of the original language and passed on a recorded voice vote.

Representative Ibsen later brought Amendment No. 5 to clarify that the bill apply to preschools and childcare centers when the building or the specific rooms are being used for those operations; the House accepted the amendment as friendly. Representatives who supported the changes described the package as balancing school safety with practical implementation concerns.

The House ended debate and approved the bill by roll call, 58 yes to 15 no. The measure will be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.

Several members expressed concern earlier in floor debate that certain language could impose new costs or administrative burdens on local schools; supporters said the adopted changes removed the most problematic provisions and preserved the core safety goals.

The next step is Senate consideration; sponsors and supporters said they will work with senators to resolve any remaining drafting or scope questions.