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Votes at a glance: Major bills passed by the Utah Senate on March 4–5, 1997
Summary
The Utah Senate cleared a lengthy list of third‑ and second‑reading bills on March 4–5, including education, taxation, transportation, and several technical and policy amendments. This roundup lists each bill, sponsor, and recorded outcome from the Senate floor.
SALT LAKE CITY — On March 4–5, 1997 the Utah State Senate moved through a packed final calendar, passing a wide range of bills on third and second readings. Many measures were adopted unanimously or by large majorities; a handful drew roll‑call opposition. Below are the principal items the Senate disposed of on the record during the two days covered by the transcript.
Key outcomes (selection): - Substitute Senate Bill 210 (growth impact highways) — Concurrence with House amendments; Senate roll call: 25 ayes, 0 nays, 4 absent; returned to the House. (Sponsor: Senator Blackham) - Senate Bill 96 (city authority over certain rental units) — Passed with recorded roll call; 25 ayes, 0 nays, 4 absent; returned to the House. (Sponsor: Senator Bueller) - Senate Bill 52 (watercraft liability insurance) — Accepted House technical committee amendment; final tally recorded as 24 ayes, 1 nay, 4 absent; returned to the House. (Sponsor: Senator Tanner) - House Bill 369 (higher education supplemental savings incentive) — Passed on third reading with 25 ayes, 0 nays, 4 absent; to be enrolled and signed. (Sponsor: Representative Garn; Senate sponsor: Senator Craig Peterson) - HJR 22 (Rockville Springdale Open Space recognition) — Passed (24 ayes, 0 nays, 5 absent); to be enrolled and signed. (Sponsor: Representative Hatch; Senate sponsor: Senator Dimitrich) - House Bill 400 (county volunteer and paid‑call firefighters’ hours) — Passed (25 ayes, 0 nays, 4 absent); to be enrolled and signed. (Sponsor: Representative Barth; Senate sponsor: Senator Suazo) - House Bill 3‑12 (motor vehicle dealer franchise act amendments) — First substitute passed (25 ayes, 0 nays, 4 absent); to be enrolled. (Sponsor: Representative Fox; Senate sponsor: Senator Craig Peterson) - Substitute House Bill 3‑59 (endangered species mitigation fund; brine shrimp royalty) — Passed as amended on the floor (20 ayes, 7 nays, 2 absent); returns to the House for consideration of amendments. (Sponsor: Representative Hatch; Senate sponsor: Senator Blackcomb) - House Bill 2‑57 (public assistance/welfare fraud technical amendments) — Passed under suspension (22 ayes, 0 nays, 7 absent); to be enrolled and signed. (Sponsor: Representative Murray; Senate sponsor: Senator Montgomery)
Other bulk items: Several additional third‑ and second‑reading bills were read and passed by voice or roll call and referred back to the House for enrolling and signature, including bills on securities law (HB 298), juvenile corrections, personnel management (HB 382), school week pilot programs, tax assessment uniformity (HB 316), and procurement of professional services by political subdivisions (Sub HB 72). The Senate also approved a motion to consider second‑reading calendar bills for second and third readings in sequence to expedite final passage.
What this means: Most items on the closing‑day agenda were technical changes, policy updates, or program authorizations that the Senate handled with brief sponsor explanations and largely bipartisan support. A small number (for example, Substitute HB 3‑59 and the township package discussed elsewhere) drew more divided votes and substantive floor amendments.
Where to find the full record: The transcript contains detailed roll calls and sponsor explanations for each listed bill; the items above summarize the floor outcomes as recorded on March 4–5, 1997. As routine next steps, passed senate and house measures are returned to the opposite chamber for enrollments and signatures or to potential conference if the chambers adopt differing texts.
Ending: The Senate recessed after completing the day’s business and a lengthy township debate; sponsors and clerks indicated several bills would be signed in open session and then returned to the House for final enrolling.
