Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Session Votes Roundup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate advances wide slate of bills, from scooter rules to special-district recodification
Summary
On Feb. 18 the Utah Senate advanced many second-reading items to third reading, including HB 63 (motorized scooters), HB 244 (DUI penalties), HB 45 (wildlife license fees), SB 80 (special districts recodification), HB 58 (oil and gas severance tax), and others; several bills were circled or tabled for further work.
The Utah Senate moved a large number of bills forward on Feb. 18, 1998, voting to place multiple measures on the third-reading calendar and handling several procedural motions and substitutions.
Among bills the Senate advanced:
- House Bill 63 (regulation of motorized scooters): Sponsor described the measure as defining "motor-assisted scooter" and exempting such scooters from licensing while restricting use on highways over 25 mph; the Senate recorded 22 aye votes, 1 nay and advanced the bill to third reading.
- House Bill 244 (DUI penalties amendments): Removes the requirement that officers remove license plates when stopping a vehicle for DUI; chair reported the bill passed to third reading with 24 aye votes.
- First substitute House Bill 45 (wildlife license fees): Proposal to increase wildlife license fees to support hatchery capital needs, double production at some hatcheries, and buy access to state lands; passed on reconsideration and moved to third reading.
- House Bill 280 (workers' compensation insurance amendments): Heated floor debate and an amendment to lower the payroll threshold was offered and failed; HB 280 advanced to third reading (see separate report).
- Second substitute Senate Bill 80 (special districts): A recodification of special-district creation and procedures; Senate adopted a second substitute and passed it to the House for consideration (26 aye, 0 nay as announced).
- House Bill 58 (oil and gas severance tax amendments): Debate included fiscal notes and an unsuccessful amendment that would have limited credits once oil/gas prices exceeded specified thresholds; bill was passed to third reading after debate about fiscal impacts.
- House Bill 30 (school hazardous bus routes appropriation): Creates a short-term fund for districts to respond to new hazardous routes created by road work; passed to third reading with 27 aye votes.
- Several other bills were circled, substituted, or tabled for further action, and committee reports and consent-calendar items were adopted.
Votes at a glance (selected outcomes from the session transcript):
- HJR 8: placed on third-reading calendar (as announced) - HB 63: passed to third-reading calendar (22 aye, 1 nay, 6 absent) - HB 244: passed to third-reading calendar (24 aye, 0 nay) - HB 45 (1st substitute): passed to third-reading calendar (tally announced) - HB 280: passed to third-reading calendar (25 aye, 1 nay, 3 absent) - SB 80 (2nd substitute): passed to House (26 aye, 0 nay, 3 absent announced) - HB 296: passed to third-reading calendar (tally announced) - HB 276 (substitute): passed to third-reading calendar (24 aye, 1 nay, 4 absent) - HB 39: passed to third-reading calendar (24 yay) - HB 206 (substitute): passed to third-reading calendar (20 aye, 8 nay, 1 absent) - HB 180: passed to third-reading calendar (24 yay, 2 nay, 3 absent) - HB 30: passed to third-reading calendar (27 yay, 0 nay)
What happens next: Bills placed on the third-reading calendar will return to the floor for final passage votes on scheduled days; some measures were tabled or circled for substitute drafting and fiscal consideration.
This roundup is based on the Feb. 18 session transcript and lists outcomes as announced by the clerk and presiding officer in open floor proceedings.
