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Utah Senate advances dozens of bills; measures on child welfare, retirement rules, OHV fees and steel tax exemption move forward
Summary
The Utah State Senate on Feb. 26, 2004, rearranged its calendar and handled committee reports before voting to pass or move multiple House and Senate measures — including House Bill 60 on foster‑care protections, HB83 changing the retirement fund threshold, HB51 creating a nonresident OHV fee, and HB74 extending a steel‑industry tax exemption amid extended debate.
The Utah State Senate convened for a morning session on Feb. 26, 2004, reorganized its calendar and took up a range of bills on education, taxation, natural resources and insurance before recessing until 2 p.m.
Senators first approved procedural changes to move a No Child Left Behind‑related House bill for later consideration and referred First Substitute House Bill 43 to an interim committee for further study. The chamber then considered communications from the House and a slate of standing committee reports that sent multiple bills back to Rules or reported them to the Senate with recommendations.
Major measures voted on the Senate floor included child welfare changes and several budget‑relevant bills. "This bill ensures a safe and secure foster placement and clarifies access for guardian ad litem staff," said Senator Davis during debate on House Bill 60, which he described as providing password‑protected, supervised access to child welfare records. The Senate approved HB60 on a roll call of 24‑0 with five absent, sending it back to the House for further consideration.
On pensions, Senator Beverly Evans said House Bill 83 adjusts the retirement system’s actuarial threshold to reduce volatility in contribution rates. "This mechanism will mitigate the fluctuations in retirement rate," she said. The Senate passed HB83 24‑0 on a roll call vote.
Outdoor recreation and user fees were also on the docket. Senator Hickman explained second substitute House Bill 51, requiring a fee in lieu of registration for nonresident off‑highway vehicle (OHV) users and exempting states with reciprocal agreements. The Senate passed the measure 22‑1, returning it to the House for the Speaker’s signature.
One of the session’s longest debates centered on House Bill 74, extending a sales and use tax exemption for steel‑industry machinery for 10 years. Sponsors argued the $100,000 exemption helps keep a major employer in Utah and protects jobs; opponents said the revenue could better fund education and social services. "This was a tax increase. It was a bad tax increase," said Senator Maine, arguing the state should not keep giving exemptions that shift tax burdens to individuals. After extended floor debate, HB74 passed the Senate to third reading, 20‑5 with four absent, and was later tabled on third reading because of fiscal concerns.
The Senate also concurred with the House on Second Substitute Senate Bill 124 — a measure restricting municipal sales‑tax incentive payments to businesses — on a 22‑0 vote and concurred with House amendments to First Substitute Senate Bill 134 (Governor’s Commission for Women and Families) by the same margin. Other measures taken up included water conservation planning requirements, insurance‑law technical revisions, and a range of housekeeping bills.
Action at a glance
- SB124 (concurrence): Concurred with House changes; roll‑call 22‑0; referred back to House for signature. - HB60 (protection of children in foster care): Passed Senate 24‑0; returned to House. - HB83 (state retirement funded ratio): Passed Senate 24‑0; returned to House for signature. - HB51 (nonresident OHV fee): Passed Senate 22‑1; returned to House for signature. - HB71 (water conservation plan): Passed Senate (reported roll call majority; no nays reported). - HB74 (steel‑industry sales/use tax exemption): Passed to third reading 20‑5, later tabled on third reading for fiscal review.
What happens next
Several bills that passed the Senate will be returned to the House for further consideration or the presiding officer’s signature. Others — including HB43 — were referred to interim study or sent back to Rules. The Senate recessed until 2 p.m. to continue floor work and caucus meetings.
Reporting notes: Quotes and vote tallies are taken from the Feb. 26, 2004 Senate floor transcript. Where a bill was amended on the floor or returned to the House for consideration, the article notes that status rather than inferring final enactment.
