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Utah House approves package of bills on autism coverage, transportation donations, tanks and codes; confirms research office director
Summary
The Utah House on Jan. 23 passed multiple measures — including making autism insurance coverage permanent, creating a transportation safety donation fund, renewing the underground storage tank program and adopting a construction-code substitute — and unanimously approved an appointment to the legislative research office.
The Utah House of Representatives on Jan. 23 moved a slate of bills through final or procedural action, sending several measures to the Senate and approving an executive appointment.
Representative Ray, sponsor of House Bill 24, told colleagues the law expanding required insurance coverage for autism has not created the cost impacts once feared and asked the chamber to strike the 2019 sunset. "It really hasn't affected anything," Representative Ray said; the House passed HB 24, 58 yeas to 14 nays, and the bill will be transmitted to the Senate.
The chamber also approved House Bill 26, a measure to create a fund to accept private donations for Utah Department of Transportation safety programs and related Department of Public Safety activities. "Currently, if a private company wants to participate, there's nowhere to put the funds," sponsor Representative Kristofferson said. HB 26 passed 69-0.
Representative Eliason described House Bill 27 as a renewal of the state's underground storage tank program for another 10 years, and said the program has improved its fiscal position over time: he cited past negative balances of roughly $16 million improving to about $12 million and noted the bill raises a loan cap for operators to $300,000 to help replace older tanks. The House passed HB 27, 68-0.
On a procedural appointment, the House approved House Joint Resolution 4, confirming the appointment of the Director of the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (the resolution moves forward the nominee to the Senate); the resolution passed unanimously, 78-0.
The chamber adopted a first-substitute to House Bill 32 to incorporate the National Electric Code with limited changes; the substitute passed and the first-substitute bill cleared the House, 73-0. House Bill 34, which broadens state employee leave for disaster-response work to include certified disaster-relief organizations beyond the American Red Cross, passed 72-0 after sponsors said the practice had been implemented administratively and that actual use is small.
Votes at a glance
- House Bill 24 (Autism insurance coverage sunset amendments): Passed, 58-14. - House Joint Resolution 4 (appointment of Director, Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel): Adopted, 78-0. - House Bill 26 (Transportation Safety Program Funding Amendments): Passed, 69-0. - House Bill 27 (Underground Storage Tank Act Amendments): Passed, 68-0. - First substitute House Bill 32 (Uniform Construction Code amendments / NEC adoption): Passed as substituted, 73-0. - House Bill 34 (State employee leave policy amendments): Passed, 72-0.
What’s next
Bills that passed will be transmitted to the Senate for further consideration. Several measures referenced in the clerk's communications were assigned to standing committees under the Rules Committee report and will move through committee hearings as scheduled.
