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Utah Senate advances a broad package of bills, sends measures to the House
Summary
On Feb. 22 the Utah Senate approved a slate of bills on the consent and third‑reading calendars — from health and education items to utility and public‑safety measures — and forwarded them to the House, while circling a handful for further review.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate on Feb. 22 moved a wide group of bills through the chamber, approving multiple measures on the consent and third‑reading calendars and forwarding them to the House for further action.
The chamber recorded unanimous or near‑unanimous passage for a series of bills presented on the consent calendar. Senator Van Tassel summarized Senate Bill 33 as a measure to allow the Department of Health to appoint a Native American liaison to coordinate health activities with tribal communities; the Senate recorded SB 33’s passage as having received 24 yeas, 0 nays and 5 absent, and the bill will be sent to the House.
Other consent calendar measures that passed included Senate Concurrent Resolution 1, which recognizes Crisis Intervention Team training for law enforcement and encourages coordination with mental‑health partners; Senator Jones described it as an encouraging, non‑mandatory model of best practice for “law enforcement intervention with persons who have a mental illness.” The resolution passed unanimously and will go to the House.
On third reading the chamber approved bills across subject areas. Notable outcomes:
• Senate Bill 31 (Rural Fast Track Program Amendments) — sponsor Senator Okerlund said the bill expands use of business‑expansion initiatives administered by the Office of Rural Development; passed 22–0 (7 absent) and will be forwarded to the House.
• Senate Bill 37 (Emergency Food Agency Amendment) — sponsor Senator Knudson said the change designates municipal food pantries as qualified emergency food agencies under the State Community Services Act; passed by voice/recorded unanimous consent and will go to the House.
• Senate Bill 102 (temporary water shortage — military facilities) — sponsor Senator Okerlund said the bill adds military facilities to special priority water‑use protections during shortages; the Senate passed the measure (26–0, 3 absent) and forwarded it to the House.
• Senate Bill 111 (underground facilities and pipelines) — sponsor Senator Jenkins described standards for marking underground utilities and clarified third‑party liability; the bill passed on roll call 27–0 (2 absent).
• Senate Bill 118 (name change to Western States Transportation Alliance) and other technical or industry measures (including SB 42 on sign‑installer regulation and SB 34 on interstate family‑support rules) were also approved and sent to the House.
Senators circled a small number of bills for additional work. First substitute SB 94 (requirements for constables to display badges) was “circled” after members raised questions about constable jurisdictions and pay; the sponsor had asked for the item to be held so the chamber could get additional answers.
Several measures carried fiscal notes or dedicated‑credit impacts noted on the floor. On first substitute SB 36 (concealed firearm permit reciprocity) the fiscal note was described on the floor as a dedicated‑credit estimate (the clerk and sponsor discussed an estimated $1.3 million figure in the fiscal materials, shown as dedicated credits and reflected in committee materials on the bill).
Floor leaders set several bills to move forward for third reading at a later date; the Rules Committee was scheduled to convene immediately after adjournment.
The Senate adjourned with routine member recognitions and announcements and will reconvene at 10 a.m. the following day.
