Utah Senate clears a package of bills on Jan. 23; votes at a glance

The Utah State Senate on Jan. 23 considered and approved a slate of bills on second and third reading and adopted two rules resolutions. Below is a concise summary of each measure the Senate acted on during the day and the floor outcome as recorded on the Senate floor.

Senate Bill 44 (fees payable to commissioner of financial institutions): Sponsor Sen. Spencer said the bill reduces fees from 4¢ per $1,000 in assets to 2¢; the bill was called and passed (floor recorded 28 ayes on the roll call and an additional aye noted as the roll concluded, recorded as unanimous for the presiding officer); referred to the House for consideration.

Senate Bill 95 (workers' compensation advisory council amendments): Technical amendment to permit a designee for the insurance commissioner; passed on roll call (27 ayes, 2 absent) and referred to the House.

Senate Bill 96 (commercial driver's license medical waivers): Tweaks allowing medical waivers for certain drivers (example cited: diabetes), estimated to impact about 50 additional drivers; fiscal note neutral; passed (28 ayes, 1 absent) and referred to the House.

Senate Bill 35 (public education capital outlay act amendment): Sponsor proposed a $10 million increase in capital outlay (formula-based); a floor amendment to add another $20 million failed and the bill as introduced passed the Senate and will be sent to the House.

Senate Bill 30 (filing employee tax information electronically): Requires individuals already filing federal returns electronically to file state returns electronically; passed (28 ayes, 1 absent) and referred to the House.

Senate Bill 21 (Information Technology Commission amendment): Clarifies appointment authority for a public member and passed (26 ayes, 3 absent) to the House.

Senate Bill 41 (Utah coordinate system amendment): Requires new users of state coordinate system to use existing standards; passed (25 ayes, 4 absent) and referred to the House.

Senate Bill 90 (veterans memorials by counties): Permits counties to donate for decorations such as flags at cemeteries within discretionary limits (motivated by Short v. Salt Lake County); passed on final reading.

Senate Bill 98 (telecommunications facilities locating): Clarifies that unmanned telecommunications facilities do not constitute subdividing property; passed (27 ayes, 2 absent) and referred to the House.

Senate Bill 48 (passenger limitations for young drivers): Floor amendment (amendment number 3) added carve-outs for rural/agricultural uses; amendment passed and bill as amended passed (23 ayes, 5 no, 1 absent) and will be sent to the House.

Senate Bill 28 (student performance assessment amendments): Provides uniform reporting of existing testing; no fiscal note; passed (28 ayes, 1 absent) and sent to the House.

Senate Bill 17 (highway construction bid limit amendments): Sponsor moved and the Senate adopted amendments addressing bidding thresholds and added administrative hearing procedures; the bill advanced to third reading.

SR2 / HJR5 (use of Mason's Manual as reference for Senate/joint rules): The Senate suspended rules and passed SR2 and HJR5, making Mason's Manual a reference (not binding) and preserving the Senate's flexibility when its written rules differ.

A number of additional committee reports and communications from the House were read and adopted earlier in the session. The Senate recessed/adjourned until 10 a.m. the following day.

Why it matters: The day's votes move many measures to the House for further action and resolve a mix of technical clarifications, administrative updates, and policy choices with budgetary implications (education capital outlay) and procedural consequences (rule references).