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Senate advances Utah's $3.88 billion budget after floor fight over $2 million toll-road pilot
Summary
The Utah Senate passed the House Appropriations Act (House Bill 1) after extended floor debate on a $2 million toll-road pilot inserted into the bill; sponsors said the package totals $3.881 billion and funds a range of state priorities. Votes and a roll-call followed motion and amendment activity on the floor.
The Utah Senate, meeting March 3, 1997, approved the House Appropriations Act (House Bill 1) after an extended floor debate that at one point centered on a $2 million toll-road pilot project placed in the transportation section of the bill.
Senator McAllister, the bill sponsor on the floor, told colleagues the measure "summarizes the activity of every one of us as we've worked throughout the session," and noted the back-of-the-bill fiscal total: "we are appropriating $3,881,000,000." He moved the bill under suspension of the rules for second and third reading and final passage.
Senator Holmgren challenged a specific line item that he said had been "just plain added, without any real consideration of a committee," asking that line 20 (the $2 million toll-road pilot) be deleted and line 19 be adjusted to restore the Centennial Highway Fund figure. Holmgren framed his objection as a process concern and argued such matters should be decided by the Department of Transportation and its commissioners, not overridden by an appropriations insertion.
Senator Hall and others spoke in opposition to Holmgren's amendment, describing the proposed toll road as a feasible public–private project serving Northern Davis County. "I think it's a great project that we ought to try. It is feasible," Hall said, noting a private partner had committed funding and that the project could relieve local congestion. Senator Tanner and Senator Montgomery also voiced support for keeping the appropriation in place, calling the language permissive and part of broader transportation planning.
The Senate took roll-call votes both on the amendment and on final passage. On final action recorded on the floor, Senate clerks reported that House Bill 1 had the required votes for passage as transmitted for the purposes of enrollment and signature.
What happens next: The bill was returned to the House for final signature and enrolling. Lawmakers who opposed specific provisions sought opportunities to press those concerns in conference or subsequent floor debate, but the appropriations measure moves forward as the state's spending plan for the coming year.
