Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislative Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Utah Senate passes consumer-protection changes, Medicaid dental coverage and water‑metering resolution
Summary
The Utah Senate advanced and passed several measures: SB34 (service-district notification on laterals), SB11 (consumer‑protection/insurance amendments including shorter transition timing), SB39 (Medicaid dental coverage leveraging University of Utah School of Dentistry), SB37 and SB53 (technical committee and veterans-definition amendments), and SCR1 (a non‑binding resolution supporting water metering). Where vote counts were announced, they are recorded below.
The Utah State Senate moved a package of bills and resolutions on Tuesday, approving amendments and passing several measures bound for the House or advanced on the calendar.
Key actions at a glance
- Senate Bill 34 (first substitute): Senators approved a substitute to require service districts to notify customers at least once per year that they are responsible for their laterals and to allow districts to choose the notification mode. Sponsor Senator Maine said the substitute clarifies that a single annual notice satisfies the requirement. The motion to pass the first substitute was adopted and the bill will be sent to the House.
- Senate Bill 11 (as amended): Senator Harper moved Amendment No. 1 to clarify carriers’ obligations when policy cancellations occur and to set refund/response timelines; the amendment passed. The sponsor later noted changes in the substitute that shortened a technical timing provision from 90 days to 45 days and aligned some provisions with federal timelines. The Senate passed SB11 as amended; the clerk announced the tally as 26 yeas, 0 nays, 3 absent.
- Senate Bill 39 (Medicaid dental coverage): Sponsors said SB39 provides Medicaid dental care for certain adults (blind and disabled) and would leverage the University of Utah School of Dentistry for the bulk of services; the bill passed on a roll call.
- Senate Bill 37 (Human Resource Management Rate Committee): Senator Wyler described modest composition changes to an administrative rate committee; the Senate passed the bill.
- Senate Bill 53 (veterans definition amendments): Senator Knudson introduced an amendment aligning state veteran definitions with federal updates; amendment No.1 was adopted and the bill was read for third as amended. The clerk recorded 24 yeas, 0 nays, 5 absent for the action reported.
- Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 (universal metering of culinary water systems): Senator Jenkins framed the non‑binding resolution as an encouragement of universal metering to aid conservation. Debate included cost concerns — one senator noted a Weber‑based district planning about 100,000 meters at a cost cited in the transcript of roughly $200 million — and senators opted for encouragement rather than a mandate. The clerk announced SCR1 had 27 yeas, 0 nays, and 2 absent on the recorded action to read for a third time.
Procedural note: SCR7 (honoring those who assisted Korean War veterans) was moved to a time‑certain calendar slot for Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Next steps: Where bills passed on third reading they will be transmitted or returned to the House according to normal interchamber process; the Senate adjourned to reconvene at the scheduled time.
