Utah Senate advances multiple bills, hears Rotary international guest and debates licensing and sheriff-fee changes

The Utah State Senate met on Jan. 22, 2003, opened with an invocation and a proclamation recognizing Rotary Worldwide Polio Eradication Day, and then moved through a full legislative calendar that advanced a string of bills to third reading or referral to the House.

During opening remarks the body received Rotary International president Bichai Radhakul, who thanked Utah Rotarians and public contributors, and cited Rotary’s global fundraising and progress toward polio eradication. The Senate temporarily resolved into a committee of the whole for the presentation and then resumed regular session.

On the floor, senators read standing committee reports and introduced a range of bills before debating several measures in depth. Senator Bramble moved passage of Senate Bill 17 (sales and use tax exemption for semiconductor fabrication/processing materials), explaining timing differences in tax reporting; the bill passed on a roll call with 21 aye votes, 4 nay votes and 4 absent and was referred to the House for further consideration.

Senate Bill 83, a package of occupational and professional licensing modifications drafted with the Department of Professional Licensing (DOPL), drew extended discussion. Senator Hilliard said the bill updates diversion agreements for licensed professionals, including clearer written agreements, exemptions from GRAMA for certain processes, and an ability to extend a diversion agreement beyond the prior five-year limit “by mutual agreement.” He said the changes are aimed at protecting the public while preserving due process for licensees. Senators sought clarification about which occupations would be covered, how long diversion periods could be extended, and the interaction with existing rehabilitation funds; Hilliard offered to provide a handout and follow up before the third-reading vote.

Senate Bill 33, proposed by Senator Dimitrych, would raise statutory fees for constables and sheriffs — including increasing mileage to $3 per mile one way — and the sponsor said it would “generate about a million and a half dollars for local governments.” Multiple senators pressed for more detail about rural impacts and how mileage would be calculated for long-distance service from remote county seats; after the detailed questioning the bill was circled for further work.

Senator Butters reported local progress on redevelopment with Senate Bill 35 after the Midvale slag Superfund site (roughly 600 acres in his district) was remediated and removed from the Superfund list. He said two changes — amending the statutory definition of blight and lifting a 100-acre limit in the blight law — are necessary to allow the site’s development; he asked that the bill be circled while a third technical tax question is resolved.

Other measures advanced on the calendar included SB24 (local human services authority amendments), SB25 (commitment and custody clarifications for minors and adults), SB36 (mineral lease fund amendments to permit county use for higher-education training in extraction counties) and several repealer and cleanup bills; many passed to the third-reading calendar or were referred to the House. Where roll-call results were announced, clerks recorded final tallies and the Senate reported passage or placement on the third-reading calendar as noted on the floor.

The Senate finished its business with routine announcements and adjourned until 10 a.m. the following day.

Votes at a glance

- SB17 (sales/use tax exemption for semiconductor materials): passed 21–4, 4 absent; referred to the House. - SB13 (uncircled / DUI-related coding question clarified): passed 26–0, 3 absent; referred to the House. - SB18 (lieutenant governor certification of special/local district changes): amendment adopted; passed to third-reading calendar 24–0, 5 absent. - SB24, SB25, SB36 and other committee bills: advanced to third-reading calendar with recorded aye tallies where announced.

What’s next

Several bills were circled for further amendment or clarification (notably SB33 and SB35) and at least one sponsor promised follow-up materials before third-reading consideration. Senate leaders scheduled routine committee and social events and adjourned the session to reconvene the next day.

Sources and attribution

This story is based solely on the Senate floor transcript for the Jan. 22, 2003 session.