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Utah Senate advances omnibus appropriations 'Bill of Bills,' adds small veterans allocations
Summary
The Utah Senate approved its omnibus budget package (Senate Bill 3), removing an earlier higher-education provision and adding modest veterans funding lines. The bill passed on a roll call and was sent to the House for further consideration.
The Utah Senate moved the session’s central spending package — Senate Bill 3, the omnibus appropriations “Bill of Bills” — through the floor and sent it to the House on March 14. Senate leaders said they corrected an unintended higher‑education legislative‑intent provision and added a handful of small veterans appropriations before finalizing the package.
Senator Lyle Hilliard, sponsor of the floor motion, told colleagues the bill reflects work across caucuses and removed language that inadvertently tied up higher‑education funds. He described a small set of additional veterans items added on the floor: a database administrator ($73,000), a Veterans Affairs outreach coordinator ($42,000) and veterans cemetery equipment ($34,000). “We funded 3 things for the veterans,” he said on the floor.
Before voting, Hilliard moved to suspend the constitutional three‑reading requirement, a procedural step the chamber approved. The clerk then called the roll; the Senate announced that the measure would be sent to the House after recording recorded votes on the floor.
The floor debate emphasized the chamber’s efforts to produce a balanced package by prior committee work and the final give‑and‑take adjustments. Senate leaders framed the outcome as a broadly supported appropriation plan that preserves priorities identified in the session’s budget work.
Next steps: The Senate’s enrolled bill was to be transmitted to the House for consideration and, if the House concurs, final enrollment and signature for enactment procedures would follow.
