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Votes at a glance: Utah Senate advances a broad slate of bills on transportation, education, public safety and finance
Summary
The Utah Senate passed scores of bills in a packed floor session Feb. 26, including measures on workers' compensation, local government audits, school safety seminars for parents (after a reconsideration), higher highway speed limits in select corridors, and amended penalties for assaults on officers. Several bills advanced unanimously or nearly so.
The Utah Senate moved through a packed calendar Feb. 26, recording passage on a long series of bills spanning worker safety, local‑government financial reporting, veterans' education, transportation and school policy.
On the consent calendar, the Senate approved first substitute Senate Bill 147 (workers' compensation and occupational safety housekeeping) after Senator Maine described it as a Labor Commission cleanup bill supported by stakeholder groups. The President directed a unanimous recorded vote; the bill passed with 25 yeas and 0 nays.
Other bills the chamber advanced include Senate Bill 179 (local government financial reporting revisions) presented by Senator Bramble at the request of the state auditor; the Senate recorded 28 yeas and 0 nays. House Bill 257 (state treasurer amendments to the Money Management Act) passed with 27 yeas, 0 nays and 2 absent, after a presentation describing updated permitted public‑fund investments.
Several other items passed on the concurrence and third‑reading calendars, including SB101 (division of water rights coordination language) and HB58 (protections and training related to athlete head injuries), both of which were explained by floor sponsors and passed on roll calls with recorded ayes. House Bill 83, which extends 80‑mph limits on select highway segments (I‑15 north of Tremonton, I‑84 northwest of Tremonton and I‑80 west toward Wendover), passed after sponsor Senator Jenkins responded to a safety and air‑quality question; the recorded vote was 29 yeas, 0 nays.
A number of technical or cleanup bills were circled (set aside for later action) or placed for amendment on later calendars, as floor sponsors and the body adjusted committee assignments and the order of business.
Where votes were recorded on the floor, the Senate clerk's tallies were entered into the record and each successful bill was returned to the House (or signed by the President in open session as required). Most recorded votes on this day were lopsided or unanimous; the body registered a few divided tallies on bills with substantive debate.
The full list of recorded votes and outcomes (as entered on the Senate floor) includes, among others: SB147 — passed, 25 yeas, 0 nays; SB179 — passed, 28 yeas, 0 nays; HB257 — passed, 27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent; HB58 — passed, 28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent; HB83 — passed, 29 yeas, 0 nays. For bills with recorded tallies that were later reconsidered and revoted (see separate coverage of House Bill 298), the final recorded totals are reflected in the individual item coverage.
