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Senate advances a slate of bills on judiciary, corrections, elections, insurance and professional liability
Summary
Beyond a series of debated measures, the Senate placed numerous bills on the third‑reading calendar or referred them to the House, including criminal‑restitution changes, expansion support for San Juan County correctional facilities, voter‑registration flexibility, design‑professional indemnity limits, and an autism insurance coverage option.
During the Feb. 26, 2009 floor session the Utah Senate moved a range of bills forward across several policy areas.
Key floor advances and outcomes:
- Senate Bill 182 (criminal restitution): Sponsor said the bill repeals a statute of limitations for court‑ordered criminal restitution so victims may collect restitution; passed and placed on the third‑reading calendar (26 yeas, 1 nay, 2 absent).
- Senate Joint Resolution 12 (San Juan County corrections): The body supported contracting for approximately 230 additional beds in San Juan County with local construction funded by the county; passed (20 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent).
- Senate Bill 170 (judiciary housekeeping): Sponsors offered two amendments to correct statutory glitches (including removal of a substantive adoption amendment for separate consideration); amendments adopted and bill passed (28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent).
- Senate Bill 165 (statute of limitations reforms): First substitute passed (27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent). The bill clarifies when limitations begin to run (e.g., upon reporting to law enforcement for certain offenses).
- Senate Bill 163 (construction trade exemption): Raised the handyman exemption threshold to $3,000 (subject to a six‑month per‑residence limit) and clarified electrical/plumbing distinctions; passed (26 yeas, 0 nays, 3 absent).
- Senate Bill 124 (design professional indemnity): Limited the contractual indemnity obligations of engineers and architects to their own negligence and those under their control; companion intent language spread on the journal; passed (20 yeas, 1 nay).
- Senate Bill 64 (Administrative Rules Review Committee authority): The committee gains responsibility to review legislative appropriations/expenditures for compliance with legislative intent; amendment adopted and bill passed (22 yeas, 0 nays).
- Senate Bill 164 (in‑person voter registration satellites): Bill gives county clerks discretion to open satellite registration locations to relieve congregation on final registration days (floor cited Salt Lake County experience of 6,000 people); passed and placed on third‑reading calendar.
- Senate Bill 43 (autism insurance coverage): Sponsor amended the measure to conform to House Bill 188 (an optional or 'mandate light' approach). The Senate passed the bill (21 yeas, 4 nays) and referred it to the House; senators urged caution about premium costs and coverage affordability.
Several bills were circled/uncircled, substituted or set for committee assignment earlier in the session. The body concluded by moving to the second calendar (substitute action on SB171, municipal annexation) and adjourning until Monday at 9:30 a.m.
What’s next: Most bills were placed on the third‑reading calendar or referred to the House for further action. Implementation details (fee schedules, contracting arrangements, administrative authority) will be set by subsequent statutory language and agency rulemaking where applicable.
