Senate ends disputed Salt Lake County police fee after floor debate

The Utah Senate on Wednesday approved first substitute House Bill 226, a measure to terminate a longstanding Salt Lake County police fee that sponsors said was resolved through negotiations among county and municipal officials.

Sponsor remarks described HB226 as the product of intense talks between Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City and multiple municipal leaders, and noted support from a Magna town representative. "This is what we talked about yesterday," the sponsor said, summarizing the negotiated compromise.

Senator Thatcher, who represents large portions of unincorporated Salt Lake County, gave an emotional floor statement opposing the fee in principle and calling it "a clear and egregious breach of public trust." Thatcher said he planned to vote for the termination but expressed personal disappointment in how the issue had been handled: "This will be the first time that I have voted for a bill and been ashamed of it," he said on the floor.

The question was called, and the transcript records the first substitute House Bill 226 as passing the Senate on third reading (transcript recorded 27 yeas, 0 nays). The bill was amended in the Senate and will be returned to the House for further action.

Floor discussion emphasized that the bill avoided a set of competing local fee bills and was intended as a compromise supported by municipal leaders. No specific dollar figures for the fee were described on the floor transcript; sponsors focused on the policy resolution reached among local governments.

The Senate then moved to other business.