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Senate advances multiple bills and resolutions Feb. 7; bills on trails, property tax and parental rights move forward
Summary
On Feb. 7 the Utah Senate passed or advanced a package of bills and resolutions including SB 74 (termination of parental rights), SB 129 (riverway and trails appropriation), SB 75 (personal property tax), SB 77 (DFCM authority), SB 87 (assessor qualifications) and concurrent resolutions recognizing clean water and Armenia; several were sent to the House or placed on third‑reading calendars.
During its Feb. 7 floor session the Utah Senate considered a range of policy measures and resolutions and took recorded or voice votes to advance several items.
Key floor actions:
- Substitute Senate Bill 74 (termination of parental rights): Sponsor described procedure and grounds; the Senate called the question and the substitute passed (clerk reported: "show 20 ayes, no nays, 1 absent"). The bill was ordered sent to the House for further action.
- Senate Bill 129 (appropriation for riverway and trails enhancement): Sponsor noted broad public support and invited questions; the bill passed on a roll call (25 ayes, 1 nay, 3 absent) and was sent to the House.
- Substitute Senate Bill 75 (personal property tax amendment): Committee substitute was adopted after an amendment clarifying that owners — not only managers — must be notified of delinquency; the bill passed (25 ayes; 4 absent). The substitute was placed on the third‑reading calendar.
- Senate Bill 77 (authority of division of facilities construction): Sponsor explained transfer of intent language into code and a provision to transfer at least $100,000 annually from a contingency fund to the general fund for personal‑services expenses; a friendly amendment added 'legislative prioritization' and 'subject to legislative appropriation' language for leases. The bill passed (26 ayes, 1 absent) and was placed on the third‑reading calendar.
- Senate Bill 87 (property tax assessor qualifications): The Senate debated and advanced the bill after rejecting an amendment to revert to language that would vacate office if certification was not obtained; final vote as announced: 27 ayes, no nays, 2 absent.
- Second substitute Senate Bill 91 (Navajo Trust Fund Administrator): After extensive debate (see separate coverage), the Senate enacted the second substitute by call vote (25 ayes, 1 nay, 3 absent) and placed it on the third‑reading calendar.
Resolutions and committee business:
- FCR 6 (Year of Clean Water) and FCR 8 (sister relation with Armenia) were adopted and sent to the House for consideration.
- The Rules Committee reported numerous bills to standing committees (SB 149, SB 147, SB 155, SB 145, SB 153, SB 143, SB 148, SB 144, SB 146, SB 163, SB 160, SB 165, SB 142, SB 154, SB 161, SB 164, SB 162 and more), and the committee report was adopted.
The Senate concluded by adopting SCR 9 honoring Senator Omer Bunnell and adjourned until 10 a.m. the following day.
