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Utah Senate advances a slate of bills on Valentine’s Day floor; military justice, property-tax and education measures move forward
Summary
On Feb. 14 the Utah Senate cleared a broad consent calendar and several third-reading bills — including military justice code changes, property-tax definitions and an elementary math initiative — and sent them to the House or ordered them to third reading.
The Utah Senate spent its Feb. 14 floor session advancing a package of bills on the consent and third-reading calendars and handling routine communications from the governor and the House.
Key outcomes on the consent calendar included passage of Senate Bill 250, which aligns the Utah Code of Military Justice with federal labeling and removes jury trials for certain nonjudicial actions while adding de novo appellate review; senators recorded unanimous support and the bill was referred to the House. The Senate also passed first-substitute Senate Bill 203 (property-tax disclosure changes) and Senate Bill 260 (narrowing the definition of goodwill for intangible-property tax exemptions) on consent and sent them to the House.
On concurrence, the Senate approved first substitute Senate Bill 127, changing the funding approach for the tourism marketing performance account (final passage recorded at 27-0). On the third-reading calendar the body passed second-substitute Senate Bill 75 (Advanced Health Care Directive Act), which combines three life-planning forms into one updated document, and first-substitute Senate Bill 65 (elementary school math initiative) after debate about program timing and overlap with other initiatives.
The chamber also took up House bills, reading several for third time: House Bill 99 (water loan program amendments) was ordered to third reading with 28-0 recorded; House Bill 97 (motor-vehicle registration checkoff) proceeded to third reading as well. The Senate handled procedural motions to circle and uncircle consent items and adopted committee reports with an amendment to return Senate bills to the Rules Committee for prioritization.
Floor moments: the session opened with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, featured a lighthearted singing valentine presented to Majority Leader Bramble, and included former U.S. Senator Jake Garn in the gallery. Senators announced scheduling changes — afternoon floor time shortened to 2:00–3:30 p.m. and the body recessed until 2 p.m.
Votes at a glance: SB 250 (passed, recorded 26-0), SB 203 (passed, 26-0 recorded), SB 260 (passed on consent, recorded votes as noted on floor), SB 75 (passed, recorded 22-0), SB 65 (passed, recorded 22 aye, 4 nay, 3 absent), SB 127 (concurred and passed 27-0), HB 99 (ordered to third reading 28-0). Several items were circled or uncircled for later consideration.
Next steps: Bills passed and referred to the House will await House action; other measures (notably HB 202) were moved to third reading in the Senate for further debate.
