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Senate passes major appropriations package and supplemental bill amid fiscal amendments
Summary
The Senate approved H.B. 471 (Appropriations Act) and considered a supplemental appropriations bill (S.B. 214) after floor review; the House amendments included deleting an asset-test provision and directing retirement board contribution-rate decreases to fund the "substantial substitute" benefit.
The Utah Senate on Feb. 26 took final action on the session's primary spending bill, House Bill 471 (Appropriations Act), and moved forward with supplemental appropriations work. The House transmitted H.B. 471 with two notable amendments: removal of a proposed asset-test provision and insertion of language directing that any certified contribution-rate decreases from the Utah State Retirement Board be used first to fund the retirement-system "substantial substitute" benefit.
Senator McAllister described the package as the state's "big bill," noting combined fiscal notes running into the billions when paired with other budget legislation. He urged colleagues to review the amendments (which delete the asset-test language and add the retirement-funding direction) and explained that the changes were acceptable to leadership. Questions from the floor were limited and senators proceeded to vote under suspension; H.B. 471 passed the Senate and was signed by the president in open session for return to the House.
Earlier the Senate placed S.B. 214 (supplemental appropriations) on the calendar and circled the bill to allow members to examine its fiscal note during a recess. Senators noted the supplemental accounted for allocations across fiscal years to satisfy the state's spending cap and earmarked portions of funding into 1992 and 1993 for proper accounting. Leadership invited senators to review the supplemental during break, then circle it for further consideration.
The floor action also included several targeted funding decisions: funding language for the "substantial substitute" benefit was clarified and a mechanism to use retirement contribution-rate decreases was added, a point leadership said they supported after legal review; and the body moved a number of bills with fiscal impact through suspension votes to maintain the legislative schedule.
Next steps: H.B. 471 was transmitted to the House with the House amendments; S.B. 214 (the supplemental) was circled for further consideration after members reviewed the fiscal details during recess.
