Senate Reconsiders Transportation Safety Bill for Ogden Canyon, Sends Major Provisions to Interim Study

Senator Daniel Bramble moved the Senate to reconsider first substitute S.B. 249, saying the measure's safety provisions for Ogden Canyon may be premature because ‘‘there hasn't been a plan proposed by the municipality, submitted to the folks in the canyon’’ (Sen. Bramble). The Senate approved reconsideration under suspension of rules and then voted to strike the bill's enacting clause and refer the matter to the interim process, specifically the Interim Revenue and Tax Committee chaired by Senator Henderson.

Bramble said the substitute addresses transportation-rights-of-way safety and non-motorized user concerns in Ogden Canyon but argued that municipal planning and local input have not yet been completed. Senator Valentine cautioned that suspending rules this late in the session requires a constitutional majority but signaled support for further study.

The action removes immediate enactment status and places the core policy questions with the interim committee, where staff and stakeholders can develop details, solicit municipal input, and craft any statutory language before the Legislature considers the matter again. The Senate's motion to send the bill to interim passed on the floor; no final statutory changes were enacted during the session, and sponsors said they expected more detailed proposals to emerge from the interim review.

Next steps: the Interim Revenue and Tax Committee will receive the referral and may hold hearings or request local plans and stakeholder testimony before recommending any statutory changes in a future session.