Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Labor Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate adopts amendment narrowing wage‑preference ban after heated floor debate
Summary
Senators debated and adopted an amendment to limit a proposed ban on giving procurement preference to employers paying higher wages; opponents argued it undermines local living‑wage policy. The bill later passed 19‑10.
The Utah Senate on Feb. 16 held a prolonged and at times contentious debate over an amendment and final passage of Senate Bill 139, a proposal that would prohibit giving procurement preference based on employer wage rates.
Senator Stevenson moved Amendment 1 to narrow the bill: as amended, the prohibition would apply only to counties, cities or towns when contracting for the direct purchase of goods and services, and would not extend to other forms of economic development incentives or federally funded projects that require wage considerations. Stevenson said the change clarifies local procurement scope and preserves legitimate economic development tools.
Opponents, including Senator Allen and Senator Butters, urged defeat, arguing the bill restricts local governments from considering wages when selecting contractors and could undercut living‑wage efforts in municipalities. Allen called the measure "a bad bill" that sends the wrong message to taxpayers and workers; Butters said he would vote no because of the bill's effect on vulnerable workers.
Senator Stevenson and backers countered that the amendment limits application to direct purchases and does not interfere with federally required wage rules or other economic development incentives. After floor exchanges and a call of the Senate, the amendment was adopted as described. The transcript records the final roll call later in the session: SB139 passed the Senate 19 yes to 10 no.
The action will send the bill to the House for consideration. The transcript records the key floor exchanges and the sponsor's explanation of the amended language; no further amendments or final text changes are recorded in this transcript segment.
