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Votes at a glance: Utah Senate advances bills on retail theft, health-data reporting, election rules and in‑session pay
Summary
The Senate passed a series of bills and a joint resolution on Jan. 24, 2007: measures included a criminal-organized retail-theft statute, controlled-substance database access for fraud investigations, election-law revisions, and a joint resolution setting compensation for in‑session employees (HJR 5). Vote tallies and amendments are summarized.
The Utah State Senate moved a package of bills on Jan. 24, 2007, resolving multiple items on its consent and third-reading calendars and adopting at least one amendment to a House joint resolution on employee pay.
Key actions and results - House Joint Resolution 5 (in‑session employee compensation): The Senate lifted HJR 5 from Rules, adopted an amendment adjusting a legislative-aid pay schedule offered as a friendly amendment by Senator Bramble, and passed the resolution under suspension of the rules by roll call (29 yes, 0 no). The measure was returned to the House because the Senate amended it.
- House Bill 6 (controlled-substance database amendments): Passed on final passage by unanimous vote; recorded as 26 yay, 0 nay with 3 absent. The bill expands limited access for practitioners verifying potential fraudulent use of DEA numbers and for law enforcement investigating Medicaid/Medicare fraud.
- House Bill 20 (state water week): Passed by roll call 21 yes, 4 no, 4 absent; the resolution designates a week to highlight water conservation, quality and development.
- House Bill 4 (organized retail theft): Approved by roll call as read on the third-reading calendar; recorded as 26 yay, 0 nay, 3 absent. The bill creates the offense of organized retail theft to target coordinated theft rings.
- Senate Bill 86 (repeal of criminal libel and slander provisions): Following sponsor remarks and questions from members, the Senate voted to read SB 86 for third reading and later recorded final passage with 27 yes, 1 nay, 1 absent. The bill removes four criminal-code provisions the sponsor said are constitutionally defective and retains a separate criminal-defamation statute for prosecutorial use.
- House Bill 9 (health-care cost and quality data): The Senate uncircled and took up HB 9; after sponsor explanation and discussion of the fiscal note, the bill passed as amended by roll call 29 yes, 0 no and was returned to the House for action on the Senate amendments.
- House Bill 14 (election-law revisions): Passed for third reading with tally recorded as 27 yes, 0 no, 2 absent. The bill adjusts registration form requirements, absentee-ballot timing for early voting, local canvass quorum rules and ballot formatting standards.
Other procedural items - Senate Bill 122 (administrative rules reauthorization) was adopted by unanimous consent (25 yes, 0 no) on the consent calendar and forwarded to the House. - Senate Bill 93 (per diem for Governor's Rural Partnership Board members) was ordered read for third time after a suspension-of-rules vote (29–0) to permit consideration on a House day.
What passed by unanimous consent or near‑unanimous roll calls typically moved on to the House because of amendments or House sponsorship. Where roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript, they are reported above; where the transcript recorded only the announcement that a bill "passes," that result is summarized.
Next steps The Senate adjourned and scheduled return at 10 a.m. on Friday; bills amended in the Senate will be transmitted to the House for further action or concurrence.
