Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislative Floor Session topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Utah Senate advances dozens of bills on consent and third reading, including agritourism liability and human-trafficking clarification
Summary
The Utah State Senate moved a large consent calendar and completed third-reading business, unanimously passing agritourism liability protections and approving revised human-trafficking language clarifying that trafficked children are victims. Several concurrence items and consumer-protection measures also passed before the chamber recessed to caucus.
The Utah State Senate convened for a floor session and moved through a packed agenda, passing a string of bills on the consent and third-reading calendars and sending several measures back to the House for signature.
Senators unanimously approved House Bill 102, which extends limited liability protection to farms hosting agritourism events such as corn mazes, pumpkin patches and U-pick orchards, provided the farm posts known hazards. "If a person is picking peaches, climbs a tree, and falls out, the farmer cannot be sued because of their negligence," Senator Okerlund said in explaining the bill, which sponsors said protects farmers from suits tied to ordinary public negligence while preserving liability for reckless conduct.
The chamber also passed first substitute House Bill 252 to clarify human-trafficking law as it applies to children. "When a child is trafficked for sex or labor, the child has no power in the matter," Senator Escamilla said, noting the amendment removes a requirement that prosecutors prove force, fraud or coercion to charge trafficking of a child. The bill was recorded as passing with 24 yeas, 0 nays and 5 absent.
Other notable outcomes included: Senate concurrence on certified tax-rate amendments (SB 62) after added notice provisions for certain school-district constituents; first substitute SSB 102 strengthening authority over online pharmacies after house amendments; and first substitute SSB 54 on credit-monitoring for minors, which was amended to remove a proposed free freeze requirement and passed unanimously.
Several agricultural and livestock measures moved forward. First substitute HB 254 revises brand-inspection authority to allow state inspections in emergencies such as fires or disease outbreaks and repeals a cross-district mandatory inspection requirement; sponsors noted an estimated $6,000 fiscal impact tied to fines. Senate and House sponsors said the change is intended to streamline inspections while retaining state power in declared emergencies.
The Senate also advanced bills on a range of topics during third reading, including highway-designation amendments naming portions of I-84 the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway, restitution standards for destruction of livestock, and process clarifications for administrative permit challenges handled by the DEQ and administrative law judges. Most measures passed with recorded roll-call tallies and will be transmitted to the House or signed in open session as required.
The chamber adopted a compromise amendment on a school-education bill that changes a proposed foreign-language graduation requirement into a study of the requirement; supporters characterized the amendment as a compromise that recognizes student achievement without imposing an immediate mandate.
Ahead of the recess, senators adopted corrected committee reports placing several bills on the consent or second-reading calendars. President Niederhauser recessed the Senate to reconvene at 2:00 p.m., and several caucuses and committee meetings were scheduled.
Votes at a glance
- HB 102 (Agritourism amendments): Passed (unanimous voice vote on floor; sent to House for signature). - HB 252 (Human trafficking — child victims): Passed, recorded as 24 yeas, 0 nays, 5 absent. - HB 254 (Livestock branding amendments, 1st sub): Passed, recorded as 23 yeas, 0 nays, 6 absent; fiscal note cited ~$6,000 revenue. - HB 136 (Campaign disclosures for judicial retention elections): Passed, recorded as 23 yeas, 0 nays, 6 absent. - SB 62 (Certified tax rates amendments, concurrence): Passed, recorded as 25 yeas, 3 nays, 1 absent. - First substitute SSB 102 (Online pharmacy amendments): Passed, recorded as 27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent. - First substitute SSB 54 (Credit monitoring for minors): Passed, recorded as 28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent.
What’s next
Most bills passed on consent or third reading will be sent to the House for signature or further consideration as required. The Senate recessed until 2:00 p.m. for caucuses and committee work; several items circled during committee and floor debate were left for later action or additional sponsor consultation.
