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Senate wraps third-reading calendar; dozens of bills pass, including homebrew exemption and civility resolution
Summary
The Utah Senate on Feb. 19 moved a large third‑reading calendar, passing multiple bills on topics from homebrewing and rainwater harvesting to transportation funding; the chamber also adopted a unanimous resolution calling for civility in public discourse.
The Utah Senate cleared a broad third‑reading calendar on Feb. 19, approving bills on public safety, natural resources, specialty license plates, and technical code changes before adjourning. Lawmakers also passed a unanimous resolution urging civility in public and civic discourse.
Major roll calls included House Bill 279 (enrollment of session actions) and a string of third‑reading items returned to the Senate from the House and signed in open session. House Bill 279 passed with 25 yea, 0 nay and 4 absent. House Bill 91 (Individual Development Account amendments) passed 25‑0 with 4 absent, and technical bills such as HB102 (false vehicle title penalties) and HB104 (driver license hearing amendment) passed by recorded roll calls (HB102: 26 yea, 0 nay, 3 absent; HB104: 26 yea, 0 nay, 3 absent).
The chamber also moved a number of policy bills to the bottom of the third‑reading calendar after floor amendments or brief debate, including SB102 (Share the Road specialty license plate), SB121 (retired volunteer health practitioners), SB128 (rainwater harvesting), SB131 (interlocal law enforcement service districts), SB134 (transportation funding amendment), SB132 (tax check‑off for methamphetamine housing rehabilitation) and SB148 (Low‑Profit LLC Act). Notable outcomes recorded on the floor include:
- House Bill 51 (exempting homebrewing from a commercial license) — amended and passed (25 yea, 2 nay, 2 absent). - Senate Bill 98 (motor fuel theft penalty) — amended; passed after debate over mandatory license suspensions (recorded passage later in the record). - Senate Bill 102 (Share the Road plate) — amended and advanced (27 yea, 0 nay, 2 absent). - Senate Concurrent Resolution 2 (call to civility) — read on the floor and passed unanimously (29 yea, 0 nay).
Several bills were amended on the floor to reflect negotiated language with stakeholders (for example, SB134 was amended so federal earmarks must be on the State Transportation Improvement Program or be added transparently). The Senate also placed a few items on the third‑reading calendar for later consideration or tabled them because of fiscal questions, including HB83 (property tax relief) which was moved to the table on third reading after a negative fiscal note.
The Senate completed the afternoon's work and adjourned, scheduling committee meetings and additional floor work for the following day.
