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Senate approves a package of bills and returns measures to the House; several items moved to third reading
Summary
The Utah Senate on March 2, 1998, passed a series of bills including appropriations and policy measures (HB94, HB60, HB98, HB159, HB112, HB113, SB14, SB80 and others), sent several bills back to the House for signature and moved several items to the third-reading calendar.
The Utah Senate approved a batch of measures on March 2, 1998, sending several bills back to the House for final signatures and advancing others to later consideration. Lawmakers passed appropriations and policy bills by voice and roll-call votes and used procedural holds ("circle") to delay several controversial items for further review.
Key votes and formal actions included passage or Senate concurrence on the following measures: House Bill 94 (appropriations) passed under suspension of the rules and the clerk reported 26 aye votes with three absent; House Bill 60 (compensation for public-safety dispatchers) passed under suspension with 26 ayes and three absent; Substitute House Bill 98 (automatic external defibrillator) passed by roll-call with 27 ayes and two absent; House Bill 159 (workers' compensation exemption for independent insurance agents) passed with reported ayes; House Bill 112 and House Bill 113 (underground storage tank program amendments) passed with unanimous or near-unanimous support and will return to the House for enrolling and final signature; Senate Bill 14 (electronic payroll process) and third substitute Senate Bill 80 (special districts recodification) were transmitted from the House and the Senate concurred with the House amendments; First Substitute House Bill 77 (midterm vacancy procedures) passed unanimously and will be returned to the House for enrolling.
Clerks and the presiding officer recorded roll calls for multiple items and announced formal counts when completed. Several bills were "circled" (placed on hold) for follow-up, including HB330 (Capital Preservation Board), HB441 (mental health professional practice amendments pending sponsor review) and HB351 (Nurse Practice Act amendments). The Senate adjourned with the calendar set to resume consideration the following morning.
The day's actions reflect routine floor management during the legislative session: a mix of final votes under suspension of the rules, concurrence with House amendments, and use of procedural holds to allow sponsors and committees additional time to consider technical or controversial changes. Bills that passed the Senate were returned to the House for final signature or enrolling as required by legislative process.
