Utah House advances and passes a string of bills, schedules mental-health measures for Jan. 26

SALT LAKE CITY — During a Jan. 24–25 floor session, the Utah House of Representatives adopted multiple committee reports, scheduled two mental-health bills for time-certain consideration and passed a series of bills and a joint resolution that the chamber will transmit to the Senate.

Clerk communications opened the day with notice that Governor Gary R. Herbert had signed two bills earlier on Jan. 24. Committee chairs then reported recommendations that placed several measures on the consent and third-reading calendars.

Representative Karianne Lisonbee successfully moved to lift House Bill 42, a Medicaid waiver for mental-health crisis services, and House Bill 41, mental-health crisis-line amendments, from the third-reading calendar and place both on the time-certain calendar for Jan. 26 (HB 41 at 11:15 a.m.; HB 42 at 11:20 a.m.). Lisonbee said the bills are interlinked and noted that family members of a victim known publicly as Hannah would attend hearings on the bills.

On final action, the House approved several bills by voice or recorded vote. Highlights and outcomes announced on the floor include:

• House Bill 44 (Child Support Guidelines Amendments) — passed the House and was transmitted to the Senate after receiving 68 yes, 0 no votes. The bill creates an ongoing advisory committee to annually review and recommend child-support guideline adjustments.

• House Bill 48 (Parenting Plan Amendments) — passed the House (final announced tally 69 yes, 0 no) and will be sent to the Senate.

• House Bill 49 (Repeal of a health-related pilot program) — passed the House, 68 yes, 0 no; sponsors said the program was never implemented or funded and should be removed from statute.

• House Bill 50 (Obscenity and Complaints Ombudsman) — passed the House, 68 yes, 0 no, and will be forwarded to the Senate.

• House Bill 51 (Administrative Office of the Courts Amendments) — passed the House with 66 yes, 0 no. Sponsors described the measure as an administrative clean-up to make language gender-neutral and clarify office responsibilities.

• House Bill 52 (Health & Human Services reports) — passed the House with 66 yes, 0 no; the bill repeals a set of unused or duplicative reports the HHS interim committee receives.

• House Bill 25 (Cannabinoid Product Board Membership Amendments) — passed the House with 70 yes, 0 no. Sponsors said the bill expands the research scope the cannabinoid product board may review (to products with any THC level) and reduces the required membership of a related advisory body to ease filling seats.

• First substitute House Bill 47 (Transportation Network Vehicle Recovery Fund Sunset) — passed the House, 71 yes, 0 no. The sponsor explained that rideshare companies (for example, Uber and Lyft) previously paid an assessment into a Department of Commerce fund until a $50,000 reserve was met; the substitute eliminates a continuing assessment while retaining the $50,000 reserve and secures an agreement that companies will resume contributions if the fund is depleted.

Under suspension of the rules the House also passed Senate Joint Resolution 4, authorizing pay for in-session employees, by a vote of 66 yes, 0 no; the resolution will be returned to the Senate for final signature.

Several other committee reports and first readings were announced and the rules committee distributed assignments for many bills to standing committees. The House adjourned to reconvene on Friday, Jan. 26.