Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Consent Calendar topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate clears large consent calendar; several bills pass on unanimous or lopsided votes
Summary
The Utah Senate approved a bundle of consent items including education and tax amendments, a corrections expansion resolution and multiple House bills. Several measures passed with unanimous or strong majorities and were returned to the House for action.
The Utah State Senate cleared a broad consent calendar Wednesday, approving a series of bills and resolutions the chamber said would be returned to the House for final action.
On the consent calendar, the Senate recorded passage of Senate Bill 217 (Education Policy Amendments), which adjusts grants for the Beverly Taylor Sorensen arts learning program to require increasing local matching funds. The chamber recorded SB217 as passing "25 yeas, 0 nays" on the floor and will return the measure to the House.
Other consent items approved included House Concurrent Resolution 7, urging support for public‑policy efforts to promote outdoor activities for children (the sponsor cited the Rockin' Utah program); Senate Joint Resolution 24, supporting expansion of a San Juan County corrections facility; and House Bill 184, which expands the definition of clean fuels to include liquefied natural gas. The transcript records HCR7 as passing with no nays and later noting 26 yeas after a late arrival; SJR24 recorded 24 yeas, 0 nays; HB184 recorded 24 yeas, 0 nays.
The Senate also approved tax and regulatory items on consent in this period, including HB440 (beer tax amendments; transcript notes $30,000 carved out for ABC operations during a downturn) and HB93 (clarifying when attorneys engaged in mortgage‑related activities fall under attorney regulation versus the Division of Real Estate). Several other bills on the third‑reading calendar were circled or uncircled and moved as part of the routine floor process.
Most consent votes were rapid and uncontroversial on the floor; the Senate president said these items would be signed in open session and returned to the House for the speaker's signature.
The Senate recessed at 09:30 for caucuses.
