Senate advances multiple bills on consent calendar and third reading; votes at a glance

The Utah State Senate recorded votes on a series of bills on Feb. 23, 2005, advancing numerous items to the House or to final action as noted below.

Key outcomes and tallies

- Senate Bill 96 (Commerce Service Fund Amendment): Passed on the consent calendar; recorded 25 yes, 0 nay, 4 absent. Senator Bell framed the bill as returning excess commerce fund balances to the general fund to be subject to the appropriations process.

- House Bill 283 (Real Estate Amendments): Passed on the consent calendar; recorded 26 yes, 0 nay, 3 absent. The bill clarifies that business-license fees apply to the broker's principal place of business rather than individual agents.

- House Bill 139 (Local School Board Amendments): Passed on consent; recorded 26 yes, 0 nay, 3 absent. The bill removes ambiguity on replacement procedures for local school board presidents and vice presidents.

- House Bill 145 (Telecommunications program for hearing- and speech-impaired): Passed; recorded 27 yes, 0 nay, 2 absent. Senator Stevenson said surplus TDD surcharge funds would be used to train additional American Sign Language interpreters and support existing TRS obligations.

- First substitute House Bill 67 (Abandoned Vehicles Amendments): Passed by roll call 26 yes, 0 nay, 3 absent. The bill allows the Division of Motor Vehicles to conduct on-the-spot sales of abandoned vehicles after proper notice.

- First substitute Senate Bill 60 (Local Land Use Development and Management Amendment): Passed 26 yes, 0 nay, 3 absent. Sponsors said attorneys and county attorneys were finalizing technical corrections ahead of the House consideration.

- Senate Bill 205 (State debt collection rulemaking authority): Passed 25 yes, 0 nay, 4 absent; the bill codifies administrative rulemaking authority for state debt collection practices.

- Senate Bill 154 (Highway patrol retirement parity): Passed 22 aye, 3 nay, 4 absent. The measure would increase retirement percentages for highway patrol members to parity with judges and some public employees. Supporters argued it corrects a disparity for public-safety employees; opponents raised concerns about the fiscal impact on counties and municipalities.

- First substitute Senate Bill 13 (Military reservists tuition waiver and income-tax subtraction): Passed 23 aye, 0 nay, 6 absent. Fiscal notes estimate $3.9 million for tuition waivers and $1.1 million for an income-tax deduction; sponsors said funding would be appropriated to the State Board of Regents.

- First substitute Senate Bill 212 (Child-care confidential/anonymous complaints): Passed 21 aye, 1 nay. Sponsors said the substitute codifies agreed departmental positions about handling anonymous complaints in day-care settings.

- First substitute Senate Bill 204 (Water-related substitute after community changes): Passed 22 aye, 0 nay. The sponsor said revisions reflect water community input.

- House Bill 91 (Disabled veteran license plate): Passed 22 yes, 0 nay, 7 absent; the bill authorizes a special disabled-veteran plate with eligibility requirements.

Procedure and next steps

Bills passed out of the Senate were either referred to the House for further action or signed by the President in open session as recorded. Where fiscal concerns were raised (notably SB154 and SB13), senators asked for further budgetary clarification or reliance on the appropriations process.

Ending: The Senate recessed for caucus and an afternoon break after adopting committee reports and passing a ceremonial resolution honoring the University of Utah football team.