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Senate amends omnibus boards bill to repeal immigration commission and retain select licensing boards
Summary
After extended floor debate, the Utah Senate amended SB 28 to repeal the Utah Commission on Immigration and Migration Act while preserving or restoring several professional licensing boards; senators cited lack of progress, unfunded studies, and attorney general disinterest as rationale for the repeal. The amended bill passed third reading and will be sent to the House.
The Utah Senate on Jan. 30 amended Senate Bill 28, a broad measure initially framed as a cleanup of boards and commissions, to repeal the Utah Commission on Immigration and Migration Act while keeping or restoring certain licensing bodies the sponsor said remain needed.
Senator Knutson moved to uncircle SB 28 and later offered technical amendment 3 to retain some licensing entities. Senator Reid then offered and successfully carried Amendment 1 (dated 01/28/2013) adding specific repeal language for the immigration commission. Reid argued the commission had produced little actionable work, pointed to a lack of funded study and said the attorney general’s office informed the commission it would not pursue a previously proposed migrant-worker pilot project.
“The commission has absolutely no authority over this legislative body,” Reid said, noting the group’s work had largely rehashed debate without producing new recommendations. Several senators, including Van Tassel, supported the amendment, saying federal developments and shifting priorities under the new attorney general undercut the commission’s purpose.
Opponents and some questioned whether dissolving the commission eliminates a mechanism to respond quickly to potential future federal immigration changes, and asked whether the Legislature could assemble a task force or interim committee if needed. Reid responded that the Legislature could use normal committee processes or create a time-limited interim group should federal action require state follow-up.
Earlier floor debate also included a separate proposal (amendment 2) from Senator Davis to restore the Environmental Health Scientist board; Davis said that board oversees food inspectors and hazardous-waste remediation and remains important to public health. That amendment failed on a division vote. The Senate accepted the package of amendments to SB 28 and the bill as amended was read for a third time, with the clerk announcing 27 aye votes, 0 nay, 2 absent.
The Senate’s action on SB 28 will send the amended bill to the House for its consideration. Sponsors said administrative cleanup remains the bill’s purpose, while critics urged careful review to avoid removing active regulatory oversight without clear reassignment of duties.
