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Utah Senate advances suite of bills on consent and calendars; several measures head to the House
Summary
The Utah State Senate on Wednesday adopted a batch of measures on the consent and reading calendars — including a resolution approving in-session employee pay and bills on property tax valuation and State Fair Park risk management — and moved a number of bills to committee or the House for further action.
The Utah State Senate adopted multiple measures during its morning session and moved several bills to committee or to the House for signature, the chamber announced Wednesday.
On the consent calendar, senators recorded a unanimous vote among those present for Senate Joint Resolution 4, which approves compensation for in‑session employees. The president recorded the vote as 25 yeas, 0 nays, and 4 absent; it will be forwarded to the House for its action.
Senate Bill 58, titled “property tax valuation amendments,” was presented by Senator Wayne Niederhauser, who said the measure requires assessors to consider prior appeal decisions when reassessing individual properties. The bill was passed by voice vote and reported as receiving 25 yeas, 0 nays, with 4 absent; it will be transmitted to the House.
Senate Bill 159, “State Fair Park Risk Management,” was uncircled from the consent calendar for presentation and later recorded as passing 26 yeas, 0 nays, 3 absent. Senator Hilliard said the bill codifies longstanding risk‑management coverage for the State Fair Park into statute so the state’s risk management program explicitly covers the facility.
Other committee and calendar actions included the Revenue and Taxation Committee’s favorable report on SB193 (local government bonding act amendments) and the Workforce Services and Community and Economic Development committee’s favorable recommendation on SB164 (transportation funding amendments). Rules committee assignments and additional first‑readings were approved and referred to standing committees.
Votes at a glance
- SJR 4 (compensation for in‑session employees): 25 yea, 0 nay, 4 absent — passed and forwarded to the House. - SB 58 (property tax valuation amendments): 25 yea, 0 nay, 4 absent — passed and forwarded to the House. - SB 159 (State Fair Park Risk Management): 26 yea, 0 nay, 3 absent — passed and forwarded to the House. - SB 134 (State Water Development Commission amendments): 25 yea, 0 nay, 4 absent — passed and forwarded to the House. - SB 35 (New Motor Vehicle Warranties Act amendments), as amended: 26 yea, 0 nay, 3 absent — passed and forwarded to the House. - First substitute SB 138 (health insurance mandate accountability), after debate: 22 yea, 5 nay, 2 absent — passed and will be forwarded to the House.
Why it matters
Several of the measures now headed to the House will affect state program oversight (for example, SB159 formalizes risk coverage for the State Fair Park) and administrative processes such as property tax reassessments (SB58). The passage of SB138 — which would require the state to appropriate funding to cover the fiscal impact of future health‑insurance mandates on higher education and public education — was contested on the floor but ultimately carried.
What’s next
Bills passed and reports adopted were transmitted or placed on the appropriate calendars for further action, and several new bill files were opened on topics ranging from concurrent enrollment to veteran occupational licensing. The Senate adjourned to reconvene at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
