Senate approves House Bill 140 recognizing a Centennial star; 27-0 recorded vote

The Utah Senate on Jan. 15, 1996, took up House Bill 140, a measure to recognize a "State Centennial star and astronomical symbol," placed it on the second-reading calendar and then, under suspension of the rules, moved the bill up for final passage.

Senator Holmgren spoke in support, invoking the symbolic value of the star and its place in the state's history. Opponents and skeptics raised procedural and legal cautions: Senator Wharton and others said the bill came quickly and deserved more deliberation, and Senator Reese noted a constitutional note from the Office of Legislative Research that raised questions about the Legislature's legal authority because an outside party had asserted a claim on the star.

Senator Holmgren moved "that we consider house bill 140 read for the second third time up and up for final passage," and the Senate proceeded to a roll-call vote. Multiple senators were recorded as voting "Aye," and the presiding officer announced the result as "27 aye votes with no nay votes and 2 being absent for this historic vote." The chair also directed that the bill be signed in open session and referred back to the House for final enrolling and signatures.

The debate included light-hearted and ceremonial remarks about state symbols and potential alternative nominees, but the Legislature proceeded with immediate final passage under suspension of the rules rather than postponing for further review.

No amendments to the bill were recorded on the Senate floor during this session, and the transcript records the roll-call and the presiding officer's announcement of the tally.