Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislation Roundup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Utah Senate Advances Budget, DUI, Election and Consumer Bills; Key Votes Recorded
Summary
The Utah Senate passed several bills on final or third reading including Second Substitute Senate Bill 15 (DUI plea reform), Senate Bill 1 (agency/higher-education appropriations), and others, and sent them to the House or placed them on calendars as noted below.
The Utah State Senate considered and recorded votes on a series of bills during this session. Key actions and outcomes are summarized below.
Second Substitute Senate Bill 15 (driving under the influence amendment): Senator Walker moved the second substitute to create an "impaired driving" plea, eliminate pleas in abeyance, and add drug inhalants to the definition of substances that impair driving. The Senate adopted the substitute and on roll call final passage the bill passed 25–0 with 4 absent and was referred to the House.
Senate Bill 1 (State agency and higher education budget appropriations): Senator Hilliard explained that SB1 restores base budgets, funds components including approximately $76,000,000 for public education salary/growth items and an $86,000,000 Medicaid-related adjustment (including FMAP changes and Medicaid inflation/utilization). Under suspension of the rules the bill was read for second and third time and final passage was recorded as 26–0 with 3 absent; the bill was referred to the House.
Senate Bill 22 (timing of ballot items): SB22 would require that all ballot questions be submitted to the elections officer at least 60 days prior to an election to provide consistency for local elections officers. The bill was advanced after roll-call showing 25 yes, 0 nay with 4 absent.
Senate Bill 23 (polling requirements): SB23 would repeal a redundant requirement that local clerks transmit poll books to the county clerk after the canvas; the bill advanced with 25 yes votes and 0 nays with 4 absent.
Senate Bill 26 (Fire Management Areas): SB26 permits limited prescribed burning strategies by the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands where appropriate and clarifies private landowner consent requirements where public and private lands connect. The bill was read for the third time and recorded as passed with 24 yes votes and 0 nays (absences noted).
Senate Bill 27 (trustee sales process — excess proceeds): SB27 lengthens the response period for claimants contesting trustee-sale excess proceeds from 20 to 45 days to accommodate out-of-state mortgage servicers and transferees. Debate focused on timing and distribution impacts; final passage was recorded as 26 yes, 0 nay with 3 absent.
Senate Bill 30 (Consumer Sales Practices Act amendment): SB30 would require suppliers who advertise as local businesses (example cited: florists) to have a local address; debate focused on breadth and enforcement (civil penalties and class-action potential were noted). The bill moved to third reading with votes showing support for third-reading placement.
Other actions: First Substitute Senate Bill 20 (Municipal Government Amendments) was referred back to the Political Subdivisions committee for further hearings after mayors raised concerns; several bills were circled for further work or placed on future calendars.
All recorded tallies and motions are reflected in the official Senate journal; this roundup captures items discussed and voted on in this session and notes which items were referred to the House, placed on calendars, or returned to committee.
