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Senate advances several bills and resolutions on education, health, transportation and tax credits
Summary
On Day 31 the Utah Senate passed a package of bills and resolutions including SB 219 (CBD prescribing authority upon FDA approval), SB 50 (auto-insurance registry clarifications), HB 62 (educator-protection amendments), HB 154 (telehealth expansion), and a resolution supporting clean-fuel school-bus funding from settlement proceeds.
The Utah State Senate moved a slate of bills and resolutions through recorded votes during its Day 31 session, agreeing to measures covering medical prescribing, insurance documentation, educator protections, telehealth reimbursement and funding for cleaner school buses.
SB 219 (presented by Senator Shiozawa) would authorize the prescribing of cannabidiol (CBD) if and when the Food and Drug Administration approves such products; the Senate voted to pass the bill by unanimous consent, with the President directing that a unanimous recorded vote be cast and the bill sent to the House for consideration.
Second Substitute SB 50 (sponsor Senator Fillmore) clarifies how a motorist may demonstrate proof of insurance when the insurance-registry database is not yet updated; the Senate recorded 26 "yay" votes and no nays in favor of the second substitute.
House Bill 62 (sponsor Senator Henderson) establishes additional protections for teachers and school employees against abusive conduct by students and parents, including a grievance process and voluntary training; the sponsor moved to pass the bill and the Senate proceeded to a roll-call vote and approved the measure as read three times.
House Bill 154 (sponsor Senator Christiansen) expands telehealth opportunities and includes insurance changes intended to ensure providers are reimbursed for telemedicine services; the Senate approved HB 154 and sent it to the House for further consideration.
House Concurrent Resolution 5 (sponsor Senator Adams) supports directing funds toward replacing and converting older school buses and encourages interlocal cooperation and efficient use of settlement proceeds (including reference to Volkswagen settlement funds). Senators asked procedural questions about how settlement money is appropriated and whether it should come through the legislative appropriation process; those questions were noted without a change to the resolution on the floor.
First Substitute House Bill 23 (sponsor Senator Bramble) phases down the residential solar tax credit by $400 per year over a five-year period; senators debated the tradeoffs between the phase-down and education funding before moving the bill to a recorded vote.
Other bills on the calendar — including designation bills and measures on wildlife, adoption home studies, contraband-device destruction and pedestrian-safety restrictions — were presented and either passed, circled (set aside) or placed for further consideration according to sponsors' motions. The Senate recessed until 2:00 p.m. to continue work later in the day.
Votes at a glance (as recorded on the floor): SB 219 — passed (unanimous recorded yeas per the President); SB 50 (second substitute) — 26 yay, 0 nay; HB 192 (highway designation) — passed and sent to the House; HB 62 — passed on roll call; HB 154 — passed (23 "aye" recorded in the readout); First Substitute HB 23 — passed as recorded on the floor. Where the transcript recorded exact tallies, those figures are reported; where the spoken readout was unclear or abbreviated, the article reports the chamber’s announced outcome.
