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Utah Senate approves a package of bills on school-bus safety, courthouse parking, nuclear‑waste measures and homeowner protections
Summary
The Senate moved several bills forward on Feb. 20, 2001: House Bill 85 (school-bus safety) passed overwhelmingly; Senate Bill 232 (courthouse parking fee restrictions) passed; measures addressing high-level nuclear waste (SB81 and funding) and related appropriations (SB198, SB199) cleared their votes; the Residence Liens Recovery Fund substitute (SB254) and a safe-schools technical fix (SB115) also advanced.
The Utah Senate spent its morning calendar advancing a range of measures, from public-safety rules for student transportation to restrictions on courthouse parking fees and funding to address high-level nuclear waste issues.
House Bill 85, addressing school-bus and small-van safety standards, cleared third reading after floor debate about whether the state should set vehicle standards or leave them to local districts. The presiding officer announced, "House Bill 85, having received 59 votes, 14 no votes, passes and will be signed by the president." The sponsor, Senator Steele, said the bill responds to media attention and aims to close a safety gap for vans used to transport students.
Senate Bill 232, which would require legislative approval before a courthouse imposes parking fees adjacent to the courthouse, passed on a roll call: "Senate Bill 232, having received 17 aye votes, 11 no votes, 1 being absent, passes," the president announced. Senator Valentine cited a Provo example in describing the bill's purpose.
On energy and appropriations, Senator Spencer carried a suite of measures intended to make it more difficult to site high-level nuclear waste in Utah and to fund associated outside counsel and outreach. Sponsors discussed a request for $1.6 million in initial funding for outside counsel and communications that committee work amended down to $1.3 million; the Senate passed the related substitutes and appropriations on roll calls.
Senator Hilliard presented First Substitute Senate Bill 254 to refine the Residence Liens Recovery Fund so homeowners who pay licensed contractors and have written contracts can be protected from lingering liens. The substitute bill, which removes a proposed real-estate closing fee and imposes a $75,000 per-project cap on fund payouts, passed to third reading by recorded vote (27 aye, 0 nay).
Senator Wright explained First Substitute Senate Bill 115, a technical fix to a weapons-at-school penalty that had been enjoined; the revised language restores superintendent discretion and the substitute passed to third reading (26 aye, 0 nay).
The Senate also received multiple communications from the House transmitting bills for referral to rules. After housekeeping items and announcements, the Senate recessed until 2 p.m.
