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House declines motion to lift 'Healthy Utah' bill back to the floor after debate on process
Summary
A motion to lift first substitute SB 164 (access to health care amendments, referred to as 'Healthy Utah') from committee to the Senate third reading calendar failed after debate on March 5; the final division vote was 16 yes, 56 no.
Representative Miller moved to lift first substitute Senate Bill 164 (access to health care amendments, commonly referred to in the debate as 'Healthy Utah') from the Business and Labor Committee and place it at the bottom of the Senate third reading calendar.
Representative Ray and others explained the committee process: the bill had been considered and failed in committee by a 9-4 vote, and Ray urged respect for committee vetting. Several representatives who opposed the motion, including Representative Peterson and Representative Schultz, stressed that committee hearings and votes were central to legislative order. Representative Edwards spoke in favor of the motion, calling the issue "a generational issue" and urging that the full House should have an opportunity to vote; Edwards said many constituents had written urging floor consideration.
After debate the Speaker ruled the motion failed. Representative Miller called for division; the House then recorded a vote in which the motion to lift received 16 yes votes and 56 no votes, and therefore failed to place SB 164 on the calendar.
Outcome and context: The effort to return SB 164 to the floor did not succeed; proponents argued the subject merits full-floor consideration and opponents framed the vote as protecting committee process.
